Via video screenshot
More than a third of Christians have fled the region during the last few years.
Mike Pence, the Vice President of the United States has promised that the President Donald J. Trump administration will rush to rescue Christians suffering in the Middle East[/tweetit]. He went on to say Washington will transfer funding away from United Nations and turn the cash flow towards United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The aim of this action is to assist the Middle East's Christian communities.
“We Will Not Relent Until We Hunt Down and Destroy ISIS” -Mike Pence Vows to Protect Middle East Christians[/tweetthis]
Pence made his speech at the In Defense of Christians conference. The audience learned the VP will visit the Middle East's persecuted Christians in December. The move of funneling money away from the UN was one of the long-standing demands of conservatives. Interestingly, the Trump administration has finalized plans to cut the aid budget of the State Department. The announcement suggests religious issues will be a priority of the Trump administration. Christians will be protected by the Trump administration as part of the agenda for national security.
Pence amped up the emotional quotient during his speech. He mentioned, Christians are now under threat in those parts of the world where it came into being and subsequently grew. He reassured Middle East Christians that help is coming to them. The VP particularly warned Islamic terrorists who have persecuted Christians and committed hateful activities against the Gospel of Christ. He pledged, “we will not rest we will not relent until we hunt down and destroy ISIS at its source.”
Vice President Mike Pence speaking at the IDC banquet. @ JW Marriott… https://t.co/Xk3tcqvXSa
— Faith McDonnell (@Cuchulain09) October 29, 2017
Christian leaders have long said that Middle East Christians are presently going through of the worst persecutions in Christian history. The Christian population has decreased all through the past century. The depletion has only accelerated in recent years. It is estimated that 35 percent of Syrian Christians have fled the country. The Christian population in Lebanon has decreased to 34 percent from 78 percent until the millennium.
Pence's statement was praised by Knights of Columbus, the Catholic organization. Carl A. Anderson, the Supreme Knight of the organization, said that the U.S. used the correct word-genocide- to describe what was happening to Christians in the Middle East. Realists, however, were skeptical about the Pence announcement. Diana Sarkisian of A Demand For Action, tweeted, "Mike Pence makes big promises to defend Christians in ME (Middle East). Yeah, heard that one before."