Due largely, but not exclusively, to the Iraq War, Christianity is on the run in its birthplace. The revolting massacre of Coptic Christians by IS on Palm Sunday is just the last illustration of the tenuousness of the condition of Christians in the region. Can the US realistically do anything to help?
Probably not. The problem is that many Christians in the Middle East have been forced to rely on the assistance of America’s enemies in order to survive. Thus, a large faction of Lebanese Christians are effectively allies of Hezbollah, most Christians reluctantly support Assad in Syria, and Palestinian Christians have conflicting interests with our allies in Israel. We’re not going to change our alliances just to accommodate them.