How many dead Christians?

How many dead Christians are acceptable in order to teach Assad a lesson?

This administration should quantify the suffering so Congress can know what they are authorizing.

Chemical weapons are bad and ideally we would have boxed Assad in long ago on these weapons of mass destruction. Sadly, we did not and now the poison is no longer seeping out of badly stored weapons, but has been unleashed on civilians.

Assuming he used such weaponry on his own people, then Assad is unfit to rule.

But this we know beyond a doubt: when he falls Christians will die. Many Christians will die. If that is of insufficient concern to this administration, then they should also realize that other minority communities including the Druze and the Alawites are in severe danger. Should we “catch up” on our belated Syrian policy at the cost of religious minorities in Syria?

They are dying now due to attacks from “friends” and “allies” of the United States.

If we help topple Assad by direct military intervention, we will share part of the blame for those deaths. The Assad regime has stayed in power partially by being a friend to religious minorities in Syria. Already in the areas where his power has failed reprisals have started. Two Orthodox bishops are missing. One Roman priest is dead.

How many villages will be forced into exile? How many refugees with be created?

Of course, the United States of America cannot solve all the world’s problems. We are neither the world’s nanny, policeman, or social service agency, but we are about to contribute to the civil unrest in Syria. Already, we have armed evil men with weapons that almost surely have been used to kill Christians.

This administration has said much in public about chemical weapons, as it should, but has done little or nothing about the plight of Syrians who practice a faith that has roots in Syria dating to the beginning of Christianity. As the Patriarch of Antioch sits on the Biblical Straight Street, he faces an uncertain future, an apocalypse the Armed Forces of the United States could hasten.

Secretary of State Kerry: How many Christian dead will be necessary in order to teach a lesson to Assad, you should have given long ago? If we topple him with these air attacks, then what will we do to rebuild the nation and protect our friends there?

Secretary of State Kerry: What are your plans for the thousands of refugees fleeing religious persecution that our air attacks will unleash? President George W. Bush invaded Iraq and at least made an effort at rebuilding the nation. Even with boots on the ground and good faith efforts, the situation grew worse for religious minorities in Iraq? What are you plans?

Will you break Syria and let the Christians there buy it?

If Congress authorizes more assaults on the Assad regime, some results are uncertain. Assad may fall or Syrians may rally around him, but one thing is sure: more religious minorities will die. If Congress does not pass help for the refugees and the religious minorities of Syria with their authorization for war, then the blood of the new Syrian martyrs will stain the hands that push the “yes” button.

Congress must ask: “How many dead Christians are worth a lesson chemical warfare?”

They should ask before prayers go up from the blood soaked ground of Syria asking: “How long O Lord? How long?”