Contact: Christian Defense Coalition, 202-547-1735, 540-538-4741 cell

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 /Christian Newswire/ --The death of hundreds of innocent lives in northwest Iraq, where terrorists targeted the religious sect known as the Yazidis, has been called "ethnic cleansing" by American military leaders.
 
Iraqi Christian leaders recently told an American prayer delegation to Baghdad that Christians would face extermination if American troops withdrew early.
 
The delegation, led by the Christian Defense Coalition, met with Prime Minister al-Maliki and cabinet members to discuss religious liberty in Iraq with a special emphasis on the persecuted Church.  ( See photos. )
 
The Christian Defense Coalition is calling upon Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid to give assurances that Christians and all religious minorities will be protected in Iraq.
 
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, comments, "This recent bombing in northern Iraq shows what will happen to religious minorities if American troops leave Iraq early.  Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid must remember an early withdrawal of American troops means genocide and extermination for non-Islamic traditions by the terrorists.  This would especially be true for hundreds of thousands of Christians.
 
"We cannot allow 2,000 years of Christianity to be brutally removed from Iraq along with other faith traditions.  Congressional leadership must lay out a clear plan and agenda detailing how to protect religious freedom and liberty in Iraq and ensure all religious minorities do not face ethnic cleansing and genocide."
 
For more information or interviews call:
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney at 202.547.1735    Cell:   540.538.4741