Four things need to happen. First, the international community must accept an emerging consensus, which even Gen. Hayden conceded recently: Syria and Iraq are failed states. They were never nation-states, and preserving such fictitious constructs invariably comes at a terrible cost in human life. This requires acknowledging a more complex map of the Middle East, but one more attuned to reality.
Second, havens and protected zones for vulnerable minority groups should be established where governments have failed. If Christians can establish internationally recognized, protected zones, they can not only survive in the region but once again thrive.
Third, the funding and ideological sources of extremism and terrorism absolutely must be cut off. The funds for terrorist organizations and extremist groups have flowed freely from the Gulf States and Iran to terrorist organizations for decades. Yet little has been done, virtually nothing about funding from the Gulf States.
Fourth, American foreign policy must demonstrate a serious commitment to human rights in the Middle East. This will mean standing up to regional hegemons, like Saudi Arabia, which has one of the worst human rights records in the world. To be either Christian or homosexual in Saudi Arabia may be punishable by death. How can we call such a government an ally?
Join the conversation as a VIP Member