Men ride a motorbike past the remains of a building on August 1, 2013, in front of Saint Elie Church in Qusayr, in Syria’s central Homs province. (AFP Photo/Joseph Eid)

In Syrian Civil War, are Attacks Against Christians a Convenient Collateral Damage?

The Syrian government is facing internal revolutionaries that have proven to be more troublesome than expected and their ranks are being bolstered by a flood of foreign fighters. Their attacks on each other are a convenient backdrop to hide attacks on Christians.

Few outside of Russia and Iran would tout Bashar al-Assad’s policies or actions as being positive as can be seen by the massive number of his own people revolting against him for the last two years. He did have a hands-off policy that was beneficial; Christians were not popular in the Muslim nation but they were also mostly protected by the regime.

Today, that protection is all but gone in the majority of the country. Christian churches are vandalized without fear of retribution. Towns with Christian majority are overrun by rebels who claim they have allegiance to Assad. They are often trapped with no way to flee as occupied territories surround them.

It has turned from being a civil war focused on ousting a leader into a chaotic series of battles and maneuvers that seem less intent on revolution and more intent on retribution. Much of this can be attributed to the influx of forces from outside of the country. Initially, the revolution was almost entirely made up of freedom fighters who were moderate in their Islamic faith, but as al Qaeda and other Islamic extremist organizations flood into the country, the initial goals have been tainted by hatred on multiple fronts.

Assad’s regime is no longer the only enemy. Christians represent the western world as a proxy to America, Europe, and Jews by tolerant association. In essence, everyone is an enemy to the disparate batches of Syrian revolutionary units. Sometimes, they’re even fighting each other over differences in ideology.

Caught in the midst are the Christians. They are unable to defend themselves. The protection they had under the regime is minimal at best and non-existent in most areas. There simply isn’t a way to protect them.

Jihadists are even forcing many Syrian Christians to convert to Islam or die.

The world is focused on chemical weapons. The Syrian people are focused on self-preservation. Those in surrounding countries who have a desire to persecute or kill Christians need only to cross over to Syria and find the right rebel forces to join.

Christians are no longer simply collateral damage amongst a see of other Syrian citizens. They are worse off in many cases. They are targeted. This war may bring about the end of the regime or it may bring about the quashing of a rebellion. The path to either option is a dangerous one for Christians still within the borders.

With this much persecution of Christians, one must wonder when the attacks will head south of the border into the other mortal enemy of Islamic extremists — Israel.