http://www.newsweek.com/what-us-can-do-help-christians-middle-east-319643
Increased threats to Christians in the Middle East are now beginning to affect the rest of the region. Extremist groups in the region that target Christians as well as other religious, ethnic, and minority groups, have led to an increase in factors that are pushing people, especially Christians, out of the region. The article outlines the possible negative outcomes of these factors, including a reduction in “pluralism, tolerance and the ability of the region’s people to live interlinked with the rest of the world.” Additionally, the article claims that any stability and prosperity that currently exists in the region may decline further as Christians leave and extremism continues to grow.
The main concern among the Christian community, and that which affects extremist groups the most, is that the United States, through insensitive policy, appears to be running a crusade that sides with the Christians because of their traditionally Western demeanor, rather than focusing on other groups in the Middle East that also need support. The article provides ten recommendations to reduce these tensions before it is too late for US policymakers to hold any influence regarding the conflict. They include increasing and promoting policy concerning religious freedom for all groups; building networks between governments and NGOs to implement policy to protect targeted groups; use diplomacy to improve conditions in the region; consider different approaches to visa policy regarding Christians trying to leave the region; expand economic development in the region; invest in education; use military force with caution to avoid further conflict; and work with international groups to promote religious freedom.
These are some serious recommendations the United States should consider. Currently, the use of too much military force and too little diplomatic agreements are hurting the country’s influence in the Middle East. Instead of working on implementing programs and laws that would decrease racial, social, and religious tension there, the United States is adding to the chaos by bombing targets that involve civilians and further angering the already extreme groups. Additionally, if the United States continues to simply worry about the Christian population in the region, they will lose the much-needed support from the majority-Muslim countries in the region that will help them to implement international policy and fight extremist groups. For these reasons, it is prudent of the United States to consider a different policy concerning the conflict in the Middle East.
Social Changes in the Middle East 