Kucinich: US ‘occupation’ triggered spread of jihadists in Iraq

Former Ohio Democratic congressman and Fox News contributor Dennis Kucinich blamed the U.S. government Wednesday for the growing persecution of Christians and religious minorities by Islamic militants in the Middle East. 

“It’s been going on since the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq,” Kucinich said on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.” “Al Qaeda didn’t have a presence until the U.S. invaded in 2003. And so, we have to realize that Christians are in effect receiving the blowback from the U.S. war against Iraq. Three out of every four Christians who were there before the U.S. attack in Iraq are now gone in Iraq.”

“So, what you’re saying — it’s our fault?” co-host Bill Hemmer asked.

“I’m saying absolutely that the United States, when it attacked, when it lied — our country’s leaders lied to the American people to get us to go into Iraq … the religious minorities were absolutely targeted by jihadists who did not have a presence in Iraq prior to the U.S. invasion,” Kucinich responded.

Kucinich: US ‘occupation’ triggered spread of jihadists in Iraq

Kucinich: US intervention caused militant takeover in Iraq