Religious freedom in Iraq under severe threat for first time, ever

Congratulations. This only cost us 3,300 American lives and nearly half a billion dollars. Check it out, we've made Iraq as free as Cuba.

From AP:

Soaring sectarian violence and government abuses have caused an alarming deterioration in religious freedom in Iraq, prompting a U.S. advisory panel for the first time to place it on a watch list of countries where worship is under severe threat.

Citing gross violations of the rights of Sunni and Shiite Muslims, as well as followers of numerous minority beliefs, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom added Iraq to its ``watch list'' on Wednesday. Violations included arbitrary arrests, torture and rape.

Iraq joins Afghanistan, Belarus, Egypt, Bangladesh, Cuba, Indonesia and Nigeria on the list.

What a surprise, Afghanistan too.