I'll just add to the question of the women at risk. I think it is because the insurgents know that the Christians have no protection, so they take the risk of kidnapping--or whatever they want to do--just for money's sake or because they know there's nobody to protect them. Also, unfortunately, they think that the Christians or Assyrians are pro-American and coalition forces, so they feel they're doing a duty to their country by just causing problems for smaller groups, really.
