“Christianity is at the heart of the history of this place here in the Middle East….We stand for religious freedom everyplace American diplomacy is at work.”
The Order thanks Secretary of State Pompeo for this announcement. The persecution of Christians should be a focus of governments all across the world that have commitments to human rights and religious freedom. We hope that these words will lead to concerted U.S. government action to protect the Christians of the Middle East who are still vulnerable and subjected to ongoing harassment and persecution.
“EXCLUSIVE Pompeo Vows US to Stand with Persecuted Believers: ‘Christians Central to Middle East,'” by Emily Jones, CBN News, January 10, 2019:
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Egyptian leaders in Cairo Thursday where he made a key speech addressing the region, denouncing the Obama administration for diminishing America’s role in the Middle East. Pompeo says America is back and will be a force for good. It’s the latest stop in his nine-nation tour of America’s Arab allies.
In an exclusive interview in Cairo with CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell, Pompeo said, “I want people throughout the Middle East and the world to know that America’s involvement in the Middle East is absolutely a force for good. We come here with no intention to oppress or to dominate but rather to free; to create opportunities for every individual throughout the Middle East to live their life and to have the freedoms that we are all so blessed to have in the United States.”
The tour follows the uproar over President Donald Trump’s decision to pull US troops out of Syria and is intended to reassure America’s allies that the US is still standing with them.
Right before coming to Egypt, Pompeo met with leaders in Erbil about the Kurds to address dangerous talk coming out of Turkey.
“Our message is straightforward,” Pompeo told CBN News. “The work that the Kurdish forces did with us alongside in Syria has been important. It took down a caliphate — 99 percent of the real estate that was held by ISIS. We remember people sitting in cages being burned. Seems like a long time ago but frankly it’s the good work that United States did with a big coalition and we’ll work with the Turks to make sure there is security for them as well and that the Kurdish people inside Syria are indeed protected.”
Pompeo also says the US will continue to stand with persecuted Christians across the Middle East, to ensure they won’t be eradicated by radical Islamists.
“America is with them. Christianity is at the heart of the history of this place here in the Middle East. All you have to do is grab a Bible and read the places and the names. Christians have been central to the Middle East. We want to make sure that they continue to have opportunities and freedom and for Christian churches to grow alongside Christians of other faiths as well. Our message is simple. We stand for religious freedom everyplace American diplomacy is at work.”…
