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For the most part, we all know that there are places in the world where Christians undergo immense persecution for their faith. But for most of us this is a distant occurrence, something that we don’t spend much time thinking about. We take the religious liberty we have as Americans for granted. The reality is that in many parts of the world, especially Iran, being a Christian and practicing your religious beliefs are serious “criminal” offenses.

Chuck Hagel, a Republican and former U.S. senator from Nebraska, addresses the National Newspaper Association's Government Affairs Conference March 22, 2007. (Chip Somodevilla - GETTY IMAGES) It is unquestionable that the Secretary of Defense is one of the most important cabinet level positions in any presidential administration. With Iran quickly pursuing nuclear weapons, Israel under constant threat from terrorists, and growing instability in the Middle East, the secretary must be someone who understands these threats and who is willing to stand in defense of our most important ally Israel.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, a time of joy, hope, and peace on earth, we are reminded that in this world not everyone is free to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Last year, we told you about the death sentence against a Christian pastor in Iran, Youcef Nadarkhani. His only “crime” was his faith in Jesus Christ, convicted of apostasy (converting from Islam to Christianity). Hundreds of thousands of people around the world demanded his freedom. After an immense international campaign for his release, working closely with his brave Muslim attorney in Iran and world leaders, Iran relented, releasing him and dropping his apostasy charges in September.

Nadarkhani was not the only imprisoned pastor in the world, but he did become the face of Christian persecution.

Today, another Christian pastor languishes in one of Iran’s most notoriously abusive prisons – this time an American citizen. Saeed Abedini, a 32-year-old Iranian-born American citizen, was arrested because of his faith while visiting his family in Iran.

Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian National Authority meets with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Nov. 28, 2012. (EPA) When the United Nations General Assembly voted to grant “non-member observer state” status to the “Palestinian entity,” it not only violated international law and decades of peace agreements between Israelis and Palestinians, it brought renewed instability to the Middle East.

In all, 138 U.N. member states voted for the change in status for the “Palestinian entity,” 41 abstained and five were not present. Only nine states, Canada, Czech Republic, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Panama, Palau, and the United States, opposed the resolution, a vote in accordance with international law and (as we have written before) the U.N.’s own policies regarding statehood.

While at first glance, by sheer numbers and when looking at a map, the vote seemed to be a clear indication that full “member state” status for “Palestine” at the U.N. Security Council might not be far behind the General Assembly vote, in reality such a move might fail even without a U.S. veto.

Nine current members of the Security Council voted for the change in status; only one, the United States, voted against it. Five of those nine are rotating off of the Security Council next year. India, Portugal, and South Africa, which voted for the status change, along with Germany and Portugal, which abstained, are cycling off. Joining the Security Council are Argentina and Luxembourg, which voted for the status change, and Australia, South Korea, and Rwanda, which abstained. As a result, if all states were to maintain their recent votes, there would only be 8 of the 9 required Security Council votes for Palestinian “member state” status.