Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus may have known what he was talking about. The Pope got heaps of grief for quoting the Emperor when he said:

Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.

As we know, in order to protest the Pope’s comments and prove that the emperor was way off base, Muslims rioted in the street and killed Christians. We stand corrected.

Now we have Sunni Muslims in Iraq threatening Christians in Baghdad with death unless they convert or scram. See the story here.

Why is it that we cannot call a spade a spade. Our Byzantine buddy knew his subject well. This persecution is evil and inhuman. It is also likely to be largely ignored.