Pro Deo Et Patria- An Army Chaplain

Success of Surge

2008-02-02T14:42:00.000+03:00

Here's an interesting article about Major General Lynch, and his perspective as the 3rd ID Commander in Baghdad:

"Surge Tipped Scales in Iraq"

Re-enlistment rates higher than before war

2008-01-25T15:47:00.000+03:00

I saw this article this morning, and it echoes what I have seen in the Army: people are choosing to stay in: http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htatrit/articles/20080123.aspx

Most of us in the Army love to complain about the Army (me included). If you've ever tried to submit a travel voucher, if you've ever had to "hurry up and wait," if you've ever had to learn a new set up acronyms, if you've ever sat at the Baghdad airport in the 100+ degree heat waiting to get on a C-130.... only to have your flight canceled.... those sorts of things... then you know what I'm talking about. The Army can be incredibly frustrating at times.

But guess what? We stay in. After having almost 6 months to reflect on my time in Iraq, I can say that I'm proud of my service. While there, I felt like we were making a difference, and now, with all of the good news from Iraq, my views seems justified.

As a chaplain, I have no contract. Officers don't re-enlist in the same ways as enlisted Soldiers. I didn't receive a signing bonus, and I don't "have" to stay in. But I am. And as the article shows, that is the trend Army wide.

Of course, if there were bonuses available right now, I wouldn't mind those either. :) But I'm staying in until either my body can't take it, or God shows me a different path, or my wife wants me out. But none of those have happened yet. I suspect my body will be the first to give out. :)

An amazing story

2008-01-08T17:27:00.000+03:00

I got this from my wife via email, so I'm cutting and pasting. Pretty amazing stuff:

Born at just 22 weeks - Amilla is not yet allowed home

By NICK McDERMOTT - More by this author » Last updated at 16:12pm on 22nd February 2007

Comments (38)

A girl born after just under 22 weeks in the womb - among the shortest gestation periods known for a live birth - will remain in a hospital a few extra days as a precaution, officials said. Amillia Taylor, who weighed less than 10 ounces (283 grams), had been expected to be sent home this week. However, routine tests indicated she was vulnerable to infection, said Dr. Paul Fassbach, who has cared for the baby since shortly after she was born. "She has been fine," Fassbach said, but doctors are being extra cautious "now that she's going into the world." Video...the tiny baby who survived against all the odds
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Doctors say she is the first baby known to have survived after a gestation of fewer than 23 weeks. But full-term births usually come after 37 to 40 weeks. Amillia was just 9 1/2 inches long and weighed less than 10 ounces when she was delivered by Caesarean section. She now weighs 4 1/2 pounds. She has suffered respiratory and digestive problems, as well as a mild brain hemorrhage, but doctors believe the health concerns will not have major long-term effects. "Her prognosis is excellent," said Dr. Paul Fassbach, who has cared for Amillia since her second day. Amillia was conceived in vitro and has been in an incubator since birth. She will continue to receive a small amount of supplemental oxygen even after she goes home. Scroll down for more...

Her parents Sonja and Eddie, from Homestead, Florida, were visiting friends in Miami when Mrs Taylor went into labour at just over 19 weeks pregnant, having conceived by IVF. Doctors attempted to delay the birth but eventually were forced to carry out an emergency caesarean.

Amillia Taylor weighed just under 10oz and was only 91/2 inches long at birth

Dr Guillermo Lievano, who delivered Amillia, said he was not expecting her to survive. "I was prepared for the worst and prepared to break the bad news to the mother." Amillia responded to treatment, however. During two months in an incubator, she even had plastic surgery after her left ear was partially torn off during the delivery. "I'm still in amazement," said Mrs Taylor, 37, a teacher. "I wanted her to have a chance and I knew in my heart that she was going to make it. "It was hard to imagine she would get this far. But now she is beginning to look like a real baby. Even though she's only 4lb now, she's plump to me."

scroll down for more

Ten ounces of determination: Amillia was little longer than this pen

William Smalling, neo-natologist at Baptist Children's Hospital in Miami, said: "She's truly a miracle baby. We didn't even know what a normal blood pressure is for a baby this small." Amillia's incredible story will reignite the debate over Britain's abortion laws, which campaigners say must be updated in the light of recent medical advances.

Babies can still be aborted for non-medical reasons at up to 24 weeks. Recent evidence shows that, of those born at 25 weeks, half of them manage to live.

A New Year

2008-01-08T06:16:00.000+03:00

Well, I started blogging again in November and... it just kind of didn't get going. There are lots of excuses, but mainly it has to deal with: a) Being really busy during the pre-Christmas season and, b) finding myself far less interesting now that I have redeployed! My blog is as an Army Chaplain, and now that I have redeployed home, there is just less to talk about.

But I've enjoyed looking back over 2007 and thinking about what has changed in a year. At this time last year I was sitting in Baghdad, excited that the new year meant I could say "I'm going home this year." Just a mind trick, but it made a difference.

I'm also struck by the change in the situation in Iraq. So much has changed that most of the political campaigns (both Dem and Rep) have moved from focusing on Iraq, to a more ambiguous theme of "change."

As I begin this year, I think I'm going to have to transition my blog to a wider focus.... from just army stuff to a more devotional focus, as well as commentary on issues. It's a trick balance. I feel compelled to comment on social and political issues, but I don't want the fact that I have "Army" in my blog name to allow comments to be construed as military endorsements. So, I'll make clear, if and when I make such comments, that they will be as a private citizen (since this is a blog, and not a military site).

Speaking of which, I've ended up in the news quite a bit lately. I feel very passionately about supporting our troops and leaving Iraq as a stable secure nation (i.e., finishing the mission). So I've been involved in the political campaigns and participated in my first Iowa caucus this month. I have sought to support a candidate who is in line with my social and fiscal beliefs, but also my views on the military. In the search, I've ended up getting interviewed and photographed a handful of times, including an interview on CBS News, by Bill Whitaker. So, it's been interesting.

Well, that's about it for now. I'm going to get back to watch the BCS Championship, hoping that Ohio State can come back from behind and represent the Big Ten well!

Much Larger Army

2007-11-13T21:34:00.000+03:00

I just read that Fred Thompson is proposing increasing the size of the Army to 775,000 people. Here is where I read the story: http://www.startribune.com/10215/story/1546788.html

Wow! I believe this is really important. This would drastically reduce the strain on Soldiers from long deployments... and would get us back in line with the size of the military that would be appropriate for a nation our size, with the demands being placed on us.

I should note that this is not an endorsement of Thompson (or any other candidate). I understand that most candidates, from both parties, are talking about increasing the size of the Army. This, however, is the most robust proposal I have heard. A larger Army would reduce the total number of deployments for all of us, and might also shorten the length of deployments.

Back to Blogging on Veteran's Day

2007-11-12T16:51:00.000+03:00

It's been a long time since I've posted. There are a ton of reasons why, but here are the two biggies:

1) I've been busy getting back into the swing of civilian life. Of course, it's not that I wasn't busy while in Baghdad :) but after being in Iraq for a year, my military related thoughts just seem more mundane.

2) I've struggled with where to go with the blog now that I'm home. I would like to add more of a theological dimension to it (since the majority of my posts from Baghdad focused on my experience of a combat zone), but I also don't want to completely change the direction I've gone.

But at the end of the day (or, rather, the beginning of today), I've just decided to blog, and it will be what it will be.

With that said, I want to say that I'm very excited about what I've been seeing/hearing in terms of our success in Baghdad now.

But this has also been a hard part of the transition: I don't feel completely at ease telling people back here (in the US) about how well things are actually going in Iraq because people here are SO negative and cynical about the war.

Things are improving. Here are just a couple of articles from the past couple of days:

-Rocket and Mortar fire at 21 month low-

-Brutalized Iraqi capital begins to breathe again-

I also recently read an excellent article in the American Legion magazine titled "12 Myths of 21st Century War." It's a great read (and a must read) which explains what most Americans misunderstand about the war in Iraq- here is the link: Click Here.

Well, that's enough for now. Today's is a day off for government employees for Veteran's Day, so it seems like a good day to get back to posting.

Free to Speak?

2007-09-08T03:46:00.000+04:00

Now, apparently, even liberal Congressman are getting punished for saying anything good about the war (see this article). It's unfortunate that we can't have more honest discourse about the surge and the extent to which we are, or aren't, seeing progress.

Here is the full link on the article: http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010562

Staying Up With News

2007-08-27T18:31:00.000+04:00

My blog is far less interesting now that Im home. That's fine with me. :) I've been relaxing, working on some projects at home, and preparing for some trips. My wife, the boys and I are heading to Minnesota to go to the state fair and catch a couple of Vikings games. My wife and I also have a trip planned just for ourselves.

On a different note, I want to provide links to a few interesting articles. The first is the most amazing:

SPC Alison K.: "I guess I've Done My Duty:"
http://wes-downrange.blogspot.com/2007/08/spec-alison-k-i-guess-ive-done-my-duty.html
(note: this young Soldier he writes about was stationed at Rustamiyah, where I was for part of my tour)

"Liberal Congressman Say Troops Have Earned More Time"
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003850954_bairdop24.html
This congressman is critical of the war and voted against it, but believes things are getting better. Interesting read, though I disagree with much of his philosophy on Iraq

G.I. Joe- No longer an AMERICAN Hero? Say it isn't so....
http://wizbangblog.com/content/2007/08/25/gi-joe-real-american-hero-no-more.php
I grew up playing with G.I. Joes in the '80s, and I cannot fathom a G.I. Joe based in Brussels, Belgium.

Bishop Urges Christians to Call God Allah

2007-08-16T02:08:00.000+04:00

This is a bit disconcerting:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/staticarticles/article57178.html

A Dangerous Snow Globe

2007-08-07T22:58:00.000+04:00

I'm sitting here at the Gulfport Airport, waiting to head home. I had an interesting experience going through security.

Now, before I say any more, I want to explain that I totally respect the security, and think they do a very thankless job. They get hassled by busy travelers and no one stops to thank them for keeping our airplanes safe. I personally appreciate them and do everything I can to facilitate their work when I pass through security.

With that said....

I got stopped and turned back because I had a one inch snow globe for my six year old son. I got it in Germany. He likes getting snow globes from various places. I took it through the security at Philadelphia and Atlanta, but here in Gulfport, Mississippi they stopped me.

They pulled my bag aside, and pulled out the snow globe, and explained to me that it is a prohibited and dangerous item. They then looked through all of the stuff in my bag, and swept it for explosives. They explained that I could check the snow globe, but I could NOT bring it on board. So, I told them I would check the bag. I was then informed that I couldn't touch the bag... they had to take it, and "escort" me out. Only then could I check the bag. Quite embarrassing, to be honest. I walked back through the doors in front of people feeling about an inch tall.

Now... it doesn't help that I'm tired... having gotten very little sleep for the last 4 nights. It doesn't help that I've essentially been traveling home from a war zone for the last week, and I'm emotionally exhausted and just ready to see my family. So take my words with a grain of salt.

But... a snow globe? Seriously, a one inch, mini-snow globe? Is that what the bad guys are planning to use against us?

The irony is delicious. A Soldier returning from a combat zone is stopped for possessing a mini snow globe for his son who hasn't seen his dad in months.

I understand the standards, and this is a new standard. OK. Got it. And I appreciate the work the TSA does. They get no respect. I don't want this to be heard as a slam on the TSA workers.

But... wow. A snow globe. Wow. I had no idea. You can carry scissors up to, what, 4 inches now, but you can't bring a mini-snow globe?

Oh well, such is life. Not a big deal right now. I'm going home.

Back in the States

2007-08-06T01:19:00.000+04:00

Well, I'm sitting here in the Philadelphia airport, after a long nights of flights from Kuwait to the US via Germany. It's hard to believe I'm here.

We were welcomed at Fort Dix, New Jersey by a group of USO volunteers and Vietnam Vets. As one man spoke, it occurred to me for the first time that I'm a veteran now.

It's not like I didn't know it before, but as he spoke, I realized I was part of that group. It is an odd feeling.

Most of all I just feel incredibly blessed to be back here. I am enjoying seeing Americans walking around, as well as all the green outdoors, as we drove from Fort Dix to the Philadelphia Airport. I also saw Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles play, and it reminded me that football season is just around the corner. It's really good to be back in the States.

A couple thought provoking articles

2007-08-04T08:26:00.000+04:00

Here are a couple of thought provoking articles. Not endorsing everything the authors say, but they're both relevant reads:

The first deals with the double-standard often applied to religion in the US:

"We must overcome our fear of Islam"
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=21794

The second questions the decision of the Bush Administration to sell arms to Saudi Arabia:

"Don't sell to Saudis"
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=21795

Is it worth it?

2007-08-03T08:20:00.000+04:00

I leave here (soon). I wonder: is it worth it? It the war worth the sacrifice? The sacrifice entails not just those killed in action, but also those who were wounded, as well as the time away from home, the years lost with kids, the marriages broken up (marriage counseling is my primary form of counseling over here) and the overall effects of stress. One chaplain I know believes that one year over here takes 4 years off of a person's overall lifespan. I'm not sure I agree with that, but the point he's making is that the overall stress levels can't be good for a person.

So.... is it worth it?

I believe it is. I can't explain it, but it is.

The war we're seeing over here is different than what you all see at home. The reality is that most Americans do not realize we are at war, except from daily news clips- always negative. There is no food or gas rationing, no draft, no attacks on the homeland (since 11 September 2001) and nothing that would indicate a nation at war.

Maybe that's part of the reason for the strong anti-war sentiment. Too few people making too large of a sacrifice on behalf of too many people who don't remember we're at war.

The point? The point is that the Iraq war is a relatively small war in comparison to previous wars, if you compare any of the following criteria: the casualties; the number of Soldiers actually fighting; the cost, financially, when adjusted for inflation; and most of all, the effect on day to day life.

So, we have a relatively small war, being fought by a handful of professional Soldiers, who are making uncounted sacrifices (since we won't know the long term effects for years) for a war that most Americans think is stupid.

Is it worth it? I still think so. I get frustrated, as do ALL Soldiers. I have given up 14 months of my life away. My youngest son was finishing pre-school when I left, and now he will be starting 1st grade. I will never have that year+ back again. I have seen horrific things, had mortars and rockets blow up around me over and over again. I have traveled around Baghdad by helicopter, humvee and tank. There was an adjustment period before I left, and there will be an adjustment period when I return. All told, this deployment affected almost 2 years of my life.

But I would do it again. Have I enjoyed all of it? Definitely not. Do I think Iraq will become a paradise and beacon of democracy? No, probably not.

I would do it again, though, because it's the right thing to do. I believe this war has been fought with the right intentions. We started wrong (didn't go in with enough Soldiers). But we're making a difference. Things are getting better, slowly but surely. We need to stop thinking about winning or losing. We should worry less about our national pride and more about the long term ramifications of leaving or staying.

We won the war. I.e., we invaded Iraq, toppled Saddam, and enforced the inspections. We established the roots of a democracy. We could leave and say we won.

We're struggling now to succeed with the nation building aspect. By "we" I include the Iraqis of course. The US, Britain, Australia, Denmark, South Korea, Japan, Macedonia, Georgia (the nation), Slovenia and a bunch of other nations are invested in trying to bring a functioning and free society together.

It may or may not work out. But the sacrifice is worth the possible benefits.

In a similar way, God has allowed the possibility of sin in our world because the possibility of love is worth it. Humans have the capacity to love and to hate, and sometimes we choose hate. God could end all sin by removing our free will. But this would remove the possibility of love. You cannot truly love if you have no free will.

By trying to help the Iraqis stand up a free nation, we are betting on freedom. It might not work. But I think it's worth a try. I would do it over again.

Worship and Leaving

2007-07-31T07:09:00.000+04:00

Sunday was the last worship service for me here in Iraq. It was bittersweet. On the one hand I'll miss everyone a lot- we've seen our Sunday evening service grow from around 25 people to over 120 in the last few months. And I'll miss seeing all of them each week.

On the other hand, I'm going home!

I feel good about what I've seen and done here. I don't know what is being said back in the United States, but there seems to have been a dramatic shift for the better here in Iraq in the last few weeks. I can't speak officially, but we've seen a huge drop in casualties. Things have quieted down a lot. Remember, the surge only reached its full strength about a month ago. I went through a period of skepticism, but I'm leaving here feeling like we are on the cusp of some very good things happening. It's going to be a matter of time and patience, but the results of the surge from this guy's perspective is a matter of burgeoning optimism.

As far as returning home... obviously I've got almost unrestrained excitement! There is no way to describe it for someone who has never been here. Going back to my family feels like winning the lottery. I can't wait to see my family and friends back home.

I'll be taking some time off when I get home. I'm beginning a call with a new church (Zion) this fall, but I will have some time to spend with my current church, LCC, and I can't wait to see everyone, and share my experiences with you. I had the blessing of having a member of LCC at my last service here in Iraq (how cool is that!), as we shared communion and worshiped. Nice way to finish out the tour.

I can't be specific about when I'm leaving Iraq, or what the return will entail, but I will probably not blog from Iraq again. We'll see. I'll try and update as I get to Kuwait and on to the demobilization site.

Stopping Mail

2007-07-14T11:30:00.000+04:00

To everyone back at home: please don't send any more postal mail to me, as my time is getting "short" here. Most of you know that I can't be specific about dates, but suffice it to say that I'm in the process of starting to get near to leaving. So... no more incoming mail. :)

Purpose

2007-07-09T23:53:00.000+04:00

I'm just finishing a book a few of us have read here. It's called Bullet Proof, and it's written by Chuck Holton, a former Army Ranger and helicopter pilot. He explores the ways in which God works His purposes and plans in our lives. Essentially, he argues that we must desire to take risks for God. Here is a quote from page 55:

"God wants to give us important, meaningful work to do here on earth. But we have to decide how much we are willing to participate. He will accomplish His plan with or without us, but He wants to include us. The bottom line is that a long life doesn't have much appeal if it has no purpose."

He discusses risk and safety. We are not called to live "safe" lives and the reality of Christianity is that to walk in God's will necessitates taking some risk to our mortal, temporal safety. Eternally, tough, we are held in God's protection. On the other hand, to walk outside of God's will is to invite true and lasting spiritual danger. Here are a couple more quotes, from pages 90 and 91, talking in this case about families:

"....endeavoring to keep your family in God's will may require the assumption of some objective risk. And without a proper, well-exercised faith, fear will always follow."

A few sentences later he explains that real risk and real danger is being outside of God's will, and this bring danger to those around us:

"...when I disobey God, I'm not only putting myself in danger; my family is in it with me. Shrapnel in physical combat doesn't discriminate by guilt or innocence, and neither does the fallout from my spiritual failings."

This book resonates with me because his uses his Army experience to weave stories throughout the book.

But it also resonates with my experience here. From a temporary, mortal perspective, I'm in danger here. God doesn't promise I'll survive. I think about that when I fly. Tonight I flew to another base and back, and we were moving and grooving. Up and down like a roller coaster, over power lines and back down, sharp turns and all kinds of fun stuff. :) Before I fly I have to make peace with the possibility of death. After that I enjoy the flight.

That isn't bravery by the way! It's just believing that Jesus has a placed prepared for me in heaven (John 14:1-7). I take God at His word that death isn't the end. It's on Him.

Real danger is walking outside of God's will. If I falter spiritually or fall into gross sin... that is true danger. It is the type of danger that brings down families, churches and communities.

The point? We have a short time on earth, and we're called to step out in faithful service to God. As long as our mission is unfinished, we are physically invincible. Once the mission is done, the reward is heaven.

Those are two pretty good options if you think about it. If a mortar hits my room while I type this, I go into the presence of God. If not, I get to preach next weekend.

God is good!

Proud of My Nation and Thankful to God

2007-07-04T09:32:00.000+04:00

It's the 4th of July today!

Right now patriotism has sort of gone out of fashion. I just finished watching the NBC Nightly News (from last night) and I was struck by the sheer negativity of the vast majority of the news.

But I don't care. I still want to express why I'm thankful to God to be an American.

Before I do that, I want to explain the proper Christian attitude toward government. On the one hand, we don't worship our nation! We may love it, but our eternal king is God. Martin Luther spoke about the idea of "two kingdoms." We're citizens of the United States, but also citizens of heaven. So Christians should keep the finite nature of this world in mind.

On the other hand, the Bible teaches that governments are instituted by God, and we owe them proper respect (for example: Romans 13:1-7). We are called to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2). And many of you remember Jesus saying "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's."

So it's ok to thank God for good government, security, peace and prosperity. In fact, it's necessary. We ought to thank God for blessing us. With that said, I'm thankful to be an American for these reasons:

-I can practice my Christian faith without interference from the government.

-I'm free to express and exercise my political and civic opinions.

-People from all ethnic and racial groups can become Americans by subscribing to an ideal- that is, the American concept of freedom. Being the son of an immigrant, this is even more important to me. We are not a nation defined by an ethnic group, but by ideas and values.

-My kids can go to school, for free, and receive an excellent education.

-We can go to the mall, to sporting events, to museums, to youth activities, and be reasonably certain that there will be no violence or civil strife.

-Our nation was founded by the idea that human beings have certain inalienable rights, endowed by our Creator.

-I can own property, and be a steward of what God actually owns, with a minimal amount of interference from the government.

-We have a powerful military that is ready to defend our nation from attack.

-We live in prosperity unheard of in 99.9% of human history.

-When the leadership of our Congress or Presidency changes, it is always a peaceful transition.

I'm also thankful for more "superficial" things such as football, shopping malls, fast food, road trips, having a beer with friends, or a glass of wine with my wife, and all the other little luxuries we have.

We Americans believe that all people have rights granted to them by God- regardless of their race, religion or gender. The role of the government is not to grant rights, but to protect our God-given rights. These ideals are based on the Bible and have served us well for 231 years.

The United States is not perfect. But you know what? There is not a single other nation, past or present, in which I would rather raise my children.

And for that, I thank God.

The University of Baghdad

2007-06-30T12:24:00.001+04:00

Here are a couple of pictures of the University of Baghdad. They aren't very clear, but in the top one, you might be able to see a tall structure in the middle of the picture. At the top of this it says "University of Baghdad." I have flown close enough to read the words, but we're too far away in these pictures to even be close to reading it.

Things You See From The Air...

2007-06-29T07:11:00.000+04:00

Last night as we were flying across town, we took a sharp bank at one point, and I was looking straight down at.... a guy moving his sprinkler across the lawn.

As I saw it, my first thought was "Hmm.... how odd." Why is it odd? I don't know. It's just strange the normalcy of how much of what I see on the streets of Baghdad from the air.

We fly low enough to see things like what the guy in his yard is doing, or which kid is kicking the soccer ball on the field, or looking at the various people walking around the streets or to the market.

Interesting. A guy watering his yard.

We're Gonna Try

2007-06-28T09:42:00.001+04:00

This picture was taken from the air last night. As you can see, it was hard to see anything. In fact, if I didn't tell you this was taken from a helicopter, you might never even guess I was up in the air.

It was bad weather yesterday. As we were getting ready to take off, I was speaking to one of the crew, and I asked "Do you think we'll be able to fly in this weather?" His response was "We're gonna try!"

Hmm... and his statement didn't bother me. I guess that's the faith thing. It worked out fine (obviously, since I'm writing this). The men and women flying our helicopters are incredibly professional and do an amazing job. I personally really appreciate them.

My Faith in Iraq

2007-06-27T15:50:00.000+04:00

In my last post, I spoke a little about what I’ve learned from deployment. An even greater effect, however, has been on my faith.

I want to preface my words, though, by referring to an article I read a while back about chaplains in Iraq. It was Newsweek, I think, and to be fair, I’m sharing my memory of the article, and not quoting it. Anyway, the article seemed to focus more on the loss of faith by a chaplain or two, than on what I believe happens to most chaplains.

My experience is that my faith has grown stronger than it was when I arrived. That isn’t to say my faith wasn’t strong to begin with, but it has been molded and shaped, and God has made Himself manifest in the ministry here. I have a greater sense of peace with God, a deeper trust in His ways, and a heightened urgency to love the people around me.

I can’t point to one event, or even a series of events that has changed me, but it’s more of a gradual awareness of an increased presence of His activity in my life.

I feel it especially in worship on Sundays. I have always enjoyed worship. However, the atmosphere of a combat zone has made Sunday stand out in a way that it has not in the past. It feels like the pinnacle of my week. Seeing the faces of people who come to the chapel seems to energize me, and as we worship, I have a deep sense of the Spirit’s moving.

Seeing the people of my church has always been one of the greatest highlights of worship, whether back home or here. It’s kind of like a weekly homecoming. But in a combat zone- for me at least- it takes on an added sense of urgency. As our chapel attendance has grown over the past six months, the faces have not always stayed the same. In the military, people are often on the move. For example: for a long time, the front row of my chapel service always had two Air Force NCOs, who greeted me each week with a joyful “Hey, Preacher!” They have since redeployed. Also, there was a civilian contractor who was a faithful attendee and has now moved back to the States to pursue full time missionary work. And the list goes on… people arriving into theater, people redeploying home, people leaving for R&R.

So… the sense of a homecoming that I have every Sunday at church back in the States is no different, but here there is the uncertainty as to who will still be here next week. This added sense of urgency deepens my joy at being in worship. I see it in the people who come to chapel as well, as many of them are eager to bring others along.

In the midst of the violence and all of the terrible things happening here, I need people to know that there are those of us who are growing deeper in our faith, and seeing God at work!

I think I've learned two things...

2007-06-26T00:27:00.000+04:00

I'm getting down to the last "months" of my deployment. As many of you know, we can't ever talk in a non-secure form of communication about dates of movement (such as leaving for Iraq, or coming home, etc.). It's for operational security purposes. So... suffice it to say that my time is no longer measured by "next year." I think in months at this point.

I've been spending a lot of time thinking about how my deployment to Iraq has changed me, how I've grown, how I've been stressed or strained, and what I'll take away from it. More of that in another post.

But there are two things I think I've learned:

The first is the realization that this very question no longer has the focus it used to have. I came into this deployment wondering what I would learn. I guess I've realized that none of this is about me, and my greater concern now is wondering what impact I've had. I could spend pages writing about that, and I won't, but I'll simply say that God has shown me that most of us, including me, spend far too much time thinking about what it all means for us, and not what we mean for all of it.

It's about humility. Many of you have heard this stated in various ways, but the truth about humility is this: humility is ceasing to make the comparisons. Humility isn't about being modest, just like it's not about being arrogant! Humility is ceasing to feel the need to make the comparison.

The second thing I've learned is that we Christians don't always practice what we preach in the most important area of faith: love. As a Christian, I'm sad to say that we're not always a very loving bunch. I wish I could put that differently.

I speak from my actions and my experiences. I've got the doctrine and the theology down pat. Well, I think I do, at least. I know the Bible, and I can quote chapter and verse in much of it. That's foundational to our faith! I'm just not sure I've got the loving part down like Jesus expects.

I believe this is the greatest weakness in God's people, and yet it's the very area that Jesus focused on so clearly. The most important commandment? Love God, love your neighbor. And we're not talking cheap grace love. We're talking about deep, abiding and unceasing love.

Do I really reflect Christ in that respect?

How many of us do?

And yet this is one of the areas of our faith which is NOT optional. For example, John wrote this in the New Testament: "Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him." (1 John 4:8-9)

I think about this today because I was emailing with another chaplain. He had asked about the growth of our chapel service (the attendance has quadrupled in 6 months). I answered with a thorough analysis of the worship style, the format, and the preaching style.

But I think I missed the big reason: people love each other and the Word is proclaimed. I wanted to make the growth something that had to do with the band or the preaching, but the reality is that when we do those "well," all we're really doing is getting out of the way for God to do his work.

So often we Christians are more interested in building our own kingdoms, and we miss the foundational call to just love each other.

Now... why did I have to go to Iraq to learn that. Hmm. God is funny that way.

Spiritual High

2007-06-25T09:47:00.000+04:00

Last night we had a great time of worship. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I preach each week at the Sunday evening contemporary service at our chapel.

At the service last night we had our highest attendance yet. Not that attendance is everything, but.... certainly it's better to see more people in worship than not. Even more awesome was that there was a real sense of unity in the Spirit last night. When I took prayer requests for the time of prayer there were far more requests than usual (each week I will ask for prayer requests, and write them on my notepad as people make their requests, and then we have a time of prayer). There were some people asking for prayers for very serious issues, and there were also people offering up prayers of thanksgiving for answered prayers. It was a very cool time. The Spirit was moving last night!

I'm preaching through Jesus' letters (via John) to the seven churches in Revelation. Last night we looked at Smyrna, and the issue of perseverance/endurance. Spiritual fatigue is an issue for Soldiers (as well as civilians serving over here).

God uses time of suffering or difficulty in our lives to mold us. It's not that God causes these tests or trials- but He uses our own frailty, our mistakes, and our conflicts to make us stronger and to cause us to trust Him more deeply. (Think Romans 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.")

In a combat zone, I believe there are two general spiritual reactions that a person can have. The first is to begin to lose faith in the midst of fear, discouragement, physical and emotional fatigue and everything else we experience here. The second possible reaction- the good one- is that in the midst of the trials and tribulation, spiritual endurance and a deeper faith is built.

It's not easy being over here. But God works some really amazing things in the lives of those with ears to hear what He is saying to them.

Minnesota National Guard- Star Tribune

2007-06-24T10:06:00.000+04:00

Here is a link to a thought provoking article from Nick Coleman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune about the need to seriously support returning Soldiers. As many of you know, the Minnesota National Guard has had Soldiers mobilized for 22 straight months- 16 of those months in Iraq.

Mr. Coleman and I might disagree about the need for the war in Iraq- I don't know- and I don't agree with everything he writes in the article, but the core point is that we need to ensure that Soldiers are taken care of.

This brings me back to what I wrote about the other day: what about the effect of multiple tours? I believe we need to look at seriously enlarging the size of the Army in order to continue this current war- if it continues.

On another note: there are a lot of resources available to returning Soldiers. In my Army Reserve RRC, for example, the Chaplain's Office organizes family retreats, married couple retreats, and single Soldier retreats. All of these are paid for- so there is no expense to the Soldier- and they get paid while there. I believe similar retreats are done throughout other RRCs as well. Another excellent resource is Military One Source (www.militaryonesource.com), which is sort of an all encompassing help "desk" online for Soldiers and their families. For example, when a Soldier is deployed, a family members can contact (by phone or email) Military One Source for help with just about anything. Military One Source will arrange for free counseling for familiy members, as one resource. This is especially valuable for members of the Guard and Reserve who are not on military installations, and don't have resources readily available in the same way as the active duty.

The challenge is not only to continue to get the word out about these resources, but to step them up, and find ways to reduce the burden on Soldiers from a multiple deployment perspective as well.

Connections to Home

2007-06-24T00:38:00.000+04:00

I was talking to one of the Majors working in our building today, and found out he is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin, as am I. He had graduated a year before I started, but it was fun to reminisce about Madison with a fellow Badger.

Then later today I got an email talking about VBS at our church, which is always one of the best times of year. It made me smile to think of all the kids running around and learning about Jesus!

And it reminded me that it's little remembrances of home which are so important over here. Part of it is to remind me of what we're fighting for. I know this war is an abstraction for most Americans; it's hard to conceive of a war on "terror." That's partially due to the beauty of what we're fighting to protect: a safe secure homeland, where people of different races, religions and politics can live in peace. We take if for granted that our kids can go to VBS without harassment.

Our success, as Americans, in finding peace at home blurs our ability to see evil and understand what we're fighting. I've explained- in this last week- that I'm worried about our ability to sustain this fight without a larger Army. But do we, as a nation, see clearly enough the need for this war to end successfully? Do we see it clearly enough to do what it takes to prevail?

I can't answer that. My job is to minister to the guys and gals over here. Tomorrow at Chapel we'll be looking at Jesus' words to the Church at Smyrna in Revelation Ch. 2. He spoke about enduring the testing of Satan, saying "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer." The early Christians understood the reality of evil. Our calling is also to maintain our faith in the midst of trials and testing from Satan. Jesus called the church at Smyrna rich, even though they were poor. I fear that we may rely too much on our own riches and yet neglect our spiritual poverty because we're comfortable! The Church at Smyrna was one of two churches that Jesus only spoke about in positive terms. Are we more like Smyrna, or more like Laodicea, and its lukewarm attitude?

The All-Volunteer Army

2007-06-22T08:23:00.000+04:00

"PAGGS" commented on my last post and referred our Army as an all volunteer Army. That's true, and is something most Officers will tell you is a good thing. The reality is that volunteers will simply perform better, and that is what any command wants.

However, there is another reality to the situation of many Soldiers in Iraq. First of all, many Soldiers are being "stop loss-ed." That means that their contract is due to expire at a certain time, and they plan to retire or get out. But the unit they are with is going to mobilize, so at a certain point before the deployment, a "stop-loss" is placed on the members of that unit, preventing their retirement. Thus, they are kept on active duty longer than they signed up for in the first place.

In addition, "rules" for the National Guard and Reserve have changed. For most of the war, the National Guard and Reserve were told they could only be mobilized for a total of 24 months. That is total, and not consecutive. Therefore, if you were deployed for 18 months, you could have a sense that you would only have another 6 months if you got deployed again. It gives the members of the Guard and Reserve a sense of control- and allows them to effectively pursue their civilian careers.

That changed in January.

There is no longer a limit, and a Reserve Soldier who has been deployed away from home for 15 months can be redeployed, for example, for another 15 months not that long after he/she gets home.

The Army recently changed active duty deployments from 12 to "up to" 15 months, at the same time that a study of combat stress study said the greatest factor for mental health issues was the length of deployments. The Marines typically deploy for 7 months, btw.

Now, according to the military.com article I linked to, the length of deployments may increase again, and the Guard and Reserve may be used even more (is that possible?)

PAGGS also mentioned I want to avoid politics. I do. I can't make political suggestions on here. However, I can point out that no one has a solution. I haven't seen one politician running for President who offers any kind of workable solution.

One political party has candidates essentially saying "let's just keep doing what we're doing." Another political party has candidates essentially saying "let's totally stop what we're doing." (yes, I'm oversimplifying them both)

We need to take care of Soldiers. This current pace of operations combined with a small all-volunteer Army will not do that.

Part of what having an "all-volunteer" Army does is allows political cover. Politicians can say "well, they all signed up for this." But as the lengths and rules of deployment change, that saying becomes less true. And we recently had a US Senator suggest, twice recently, that we attack Iran.

Longer Tours? Larger Army?

2007-06-21T11:18:00.000+04:00

Today marks 10 months in theater for me. I've been deployed now for more than one year total.

Thus, it is with a little anxiety and a great deal of concern that I read the following article on the military.com website:

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,139702,00.html?ESRC=army-a.nl

Essentially the article details the possibility of extending, again, the active duty Soldiers currently serving in Iraq (I'm an activated Reservist, btw, and not active duty). Those active duty Soldiers here have already been extended once, from 12 months to 15 months, and I'm not sure what another extension would entail time wise.

I'm concerned about this. I want to make it very clear that my concern should not be interpreted as either pro-Republican or pro-Democrat. I'm also not suggesting any political courses of actions.

But I do think we need a larger Army. A much larger Army.

I'll let other people debate why and how we got into Iraq, and how long we should stay here. Personally, I think we can do much more good by staying here in Iraq rather than leaving now.

However, we must realize that compared to other wars over the past 200 years, this current war in Iraq is not a major war. Regardless of whether we stay in Iraq or not, this war should have us wondering about the overall size of our Army. We are deploying our active duty folks for 15 months at a time, with, theoretically, 12 months at home before another deployment.

And this is a small war. Statistically, it is a small war. (compare the number of deployed Soldiers, as well as the number of KIAs to Vietnam, Korea, or World War 2, and you get the point)

Iraq is a relatively small nation, of around 25 million people.

Our nation's population is about 300 million people. The active duty Army is around 500,000. 1% of our population would give us a 3 million person Army, so I suppose 500,000 means that 1/6th of 1% of our nation is in the active duty Army. Add in the Reserve and Guard and you're still looking at less than 1/3rd of 1%. Only .3% of our nation is in the Army, Active, Reserve or Guard.

The Army, along with the Marines (which is a much smaller Corps), is bearing the brunt of this war. Another way of looking at it is this: 99.7% of the people in this nation have no chance whatsoever of ever fighting in this conflict.

That won't work. God forbid we end up in a larger conflict. What China attacks Taiwan? We have promised to defend Taiwan.

This isn't about the pro's or con's of this current war. It's about the strain these two minor wars are placing on our military. You simply cannot have an all volunteer Army as small as ours is, and be the world policeman. You cannot continue to deploy active duty Soldiers every other year, and deploy Reserve and Guard members almost as frequently, and expect people to stay in the military.

When some of the members of the Minnesota National Guard return later this year, they will have been away from home for 22 months straight. That will hurt retention.

The only proposals I've seen have been to increase the Army by something like 40,000 or so Soldiers. I know GEN Casey has spoken about the need to increase the size by more than that. I'm not sure if anyone (politically) is listening. But we'd better start listening.

Opening Up The Oven Door

2007-06-20T20:51:00.000+04:00

It's hot here- as usual. But there 's something about when the wind blows here that is amazing: it doesn't cool you down. When the wind is blowing on you, it feels like you have a hair dryer blowing on your face, or it feels like that rush of hot air when you open the oven door when it's cooking.

You do adapt to the heat, though. I sweat when I'm outside, obviously, but not as much as I probably would have last year. And you begin to feel more comfortable in warmer temperatures. 115 degrees is warm no matter what, but it doesn't feel quite as uncomfortable as it would if I had just arrived here.

Memorials and Uniforms

2007-06-16T12:23:00.001+04:00

Last night I went to Rustamiyah for a memorial ceremony. I’ve been to many of them lately.

During the ceremony, the National Anthem is always played at the beginning. Last night, something strange happened. As I was standing at attention, listening to the anthem, suddenly I was thinking about being at an Iowa Stars hockey game, listening to the National Anthem. I’m not sure why my mind drifted; it was probably because the anthem was being sung by a singer last night, as opposed to an instrumental version being played over the speaker system.

But I drifted away for a little bit, and thought about the joy of being at a hockey game, and then thought about how the Anthem will always mean something a little different to me after this year.

Then, I snapped back to Baghdad, and I was at the memorial again.

I don’t think this is completely uncommon. I believe many of the Soldiers over here will drift off and think about home, about what people back home are doing, about the things we want to do when we get home, and that sort of thing. It kind of keeps us grounded in reality.

___________________________________________________

On another note, a couple people asked about the placement of the cross on my uniform. It IS there… it is above my name tape, over the left part of my chest. I have seen some chaplains wearing the cross at the place in which my rank is located (only on their body armor, though), and then they put the rank below the cross, but the correct wear of the uniform is to wear the rank in the middle of the chest, and then the cross goes over your name. In my regular uniform, my name is on the right side of my chest, and the cross is placed over the name tape on the right side of my chest. That is the standard.

As for the heat; yeah, it’s hot. Around 110-115 yesterday. But I’m not running around the streets kicking in doors, so I can’t complain! Our men and women running around all day in gear really have to struggle with the heat.

Truth be told, though, I don’t sweat as much here as back in the Midwest. It just isn’t humid most days. Every once in a while we’ll get some humidity, and then it’s miserable.

2007-06-13T09:35:00.000+04:00

The correct answer to the uniform quiz? The Flag was on the wrong arm! Raven got it correct, as did Dan (Raven's answer was submitted a little before Dan's, but they both posted at the same time, so it's kind of a tie). The picture above was taken later that night, and is the CORRECT uniform.

Here is what happened: over my upper arms are kevlar sleeves. I usually don't wear them when I fly, but only when I travel by ground. But after talking to a friend who flys, I realized that a bullet coming in through the side (you can see that the windows are NOT in place, so I'm sitting next to nothing) was not all that out of the realm of possibility. So I tried wearing them again for this flight. Each arm piece is removable. On the left arm, my unit patch should go; as you can see above, I have the 1st CAV Division patch. On my right arm should be the American flag. The actual flag I had is the correct size, standard issue, etc., but I accidentally put it on the wrong arm.

So, as we sat in the helicopter getting ready to fly back, I noticed. It was a little cumbersome, but I was able to switch the patches (they are velcro). I took the flag off and put it on the right arm, which is the right side, and I put the 1st CAV patch back on my left arm, where it was supposed to be. I wanted to make sure it was correct, just in case out Deputy Commanding General happened to look at my arms as we got off the helicopter!

Also, the yellow thing dangling in the front of my uniform is my earplugs holder. So that is correct.

Finally, being a Badger fan is always the correct uniform. Gophers fans are actually forbidden from flying our Blackhawks. It goes back to the long standing tradition of never retreating! Hawkeyes fans are allowed to even look at the helicopters, by the way...

Uniform Quiz

2007-06-12T22:58:00.000+04:00

Here's a picture of me sitting in a helicopter a couple of days ago. It was blazing hot and we were waiting to take off.

If you look at my uniform, there is something blatantly wrong, that I didn't notice until later. Can anyone figure out what the problem is? The first one to figure it out wins nothing but the pride of attention to detail.

Roosevelt

2007-06-09T17:31:00.000+04:00

Here are a three quotes from President Theodore Roosevelt that I think apply to our current situation in Iraq:

"The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life. "

and

"The boy who is going to make a great man must not make up his mind merely to overcome a thousand obstacles, but to win in spite of a thousand repulses and defeats."

and

"It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things."

It is worth noting that after the Spanish-American War, in which Roosevelt fought, there was a protracted insurgency in the Philippines. It took years for us to put it down. Roosevelt knew a little bit about courage, perseverance and finishing the job!

Flying Around

2007-06-06T16:53:00.000+04:00

My internet has been acting up the last few days, so I haven't had a chance to post.

I flew on missions both of the last two days- once to Baquoba in the Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, and then to the southern part of Baghdad. Diyala is the area that has been quite volatile lately, with insurgents fleeing the surge. However, the surge has seen success in the areas in which the troops have arrived, so I assume the same will soon be true of Diyala. I have included a couple of pictures from the air.

CAV Spirit

2007-05-31T15:08:00.000+04:00

Here is the devotional I presented at the Commanding General's meeting today:

May God bless our Soldiers and their families and our coalition partners.

“Only those are fit to live who are not afraid to die.”
-Gen. Douglas MacArthur

Gen. MacArthur was speaking to the truth that the willingness to sacrifice one’s own life, the willingness to be brave in the face of death, was a willingness that allows one to truly live.

But that’s easier said than done. Most humans instinctively fear death. While many are brave on the battlefield, far more spend their lives trying to avoid the one thing that is inevitable: death.

Billions of dollars are spent on surgeries, medicines, cosmetics, and who knows what else, all to lengthen our lives, even a little. Countless people are made rich while peddling the latest cure to aging, or promising a longer life. But in the end we all end up in the same place.

However, if we can face our deaths- and find peace- we will be free to truly live as we ought. The Good News is that, in spite of all the cures for aging and the attempts to extend life, there already exists a cure for death. God Himself has assured us that, through faith, we have eternal life and need not fear the transition from this life to eternal life.

Let’s apply this to our own lives. If we know we have eternal life, how should this change how we live this life? God frees us from the fear of death, and in doing so He makes us fit to live. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The victory over death has been won. Now we must live like we believe it.

Another Denton Quote

2007-05-30T11:23:00.001+04:00

Tactically, the wars in Iraq and Vietnam are very different. Comparisons between the wars are inappropriate in that respect. However, comparing the political, cultural and leadership climates is probably an important task. Here is another quote from Sen. Denton, in his book When Hell Was in Session. As you read it, think about substituting our current conflict in Iraq, for the Vietnam War, and see if the comparison, and the possible outcomes in Iraq, are appropriate. His words are in blue, with my comments in black:

"Sadly, I believe that the apathy and disunity at home led to the betrayal of millions of Southeast Asians. The war that was won by the heavy bombing of 1972 was lost in the following months by a mood of disunity and by a weakness in the national character. [My comment: might we also betray the Iraqis, as we did the Southeast Asians who continue to suffer? We won the war against Iraq (i.e., Saddam's government), but has our disunity and weak national character led us to possibly lose the peace?]

In a democracy, the leadership can’t just do what it wants to do. Essentially, it is governed by the mood and morality of the people and what the people will permit. I believe that we should have some consideration for the leader who tries to run the country amidst tremendous complexity and ever-ready criticism. For many years now this country has operated without a bi-partisan foreign policy, and one result has been a flood of one-sided criticism of the leadership. [My comment: does this sound familiar? How would one describe the "mood" and "morality" of the American people today?]

In our failure to pass the test of Vietnam, we ignored the nature of the worldwide communist threat and also lost our credibility. Others will be swayed by the forfeiture of South Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Angola. And they will note that since 1960, our national defense budget has fallen from 51.6 percent of the total budget to 27.8 percent in 1976. In contrast, Communist expenditure for arms has risen steadily. Those nations still undecided may choose to accept Communism as the easiest and safest course. [My comment: are we ignoring the threat of radical Islamic terrorism, and will this possibly cause more moderate Islamic states to fall under the sway of radical Islam if we leave Iraq, and seem defeated? We ought to ask the Christians in Vietnam if our failure to stand by South Vietnam has cost them? Or, we could ask if the victims of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia were betrayed by our loss of credibility in Vietnam? Thankfully we had a President who stood up to Communism in the 1980s; will we have the same courage in our fight today?]

Arms, of course, are just part of the answer; we must be morally and spiritually strong as well, and believe in our mission. And we must remember that peace is not simply the absence of war. Those in slavery have no peace, as Solzhenitsyn tells us." [My comment: very true, yet I wonder if we understand this lesson. Gen. Petraeus, our top Commander in Iraq, has wisely commented on the need to have more than just a military solution, yet, as he has pointed out, arms remain part of the answer]

Anyway, I do recommend reading Denton's book. It has given me a new appreciation and respect for him, and men like John McCain [note: that is not an endorsement for or against McCain]. I think the lessons of Vietnam are applicable today, and I hope we are open to applying those lessons learned to our situation in Southwest Asia today.

Memorial Day Thoughts

2007-05-29T06:36:00.000+04:00

Here are some thoughts I emailed yesterday to some people back home:

Hi Everyone,

I'm just finishing a book called When Hell Was in Session, by Sen. Jeremiah Denton, Rear Admiral, ret. He recounts his time as a POW during the Vietnam War. Those of you in my parents' generation have probably read this book, or know of it. Anyway, he recounts his torture and his faith in God through it all. One of the Sergents Major here at 1st CAV lent it to me; his uncle was one of the POWs in the book.

So, to remember Memorial Day, let me include this quote from Sen. Denton:

"Democracy and freedom are rarities; hard to attain, harder to preserve. The pages of history are littered with freedom's stillborn, of people who rose against their oppressor, only to have sweet victory stolen from their grasp by another oppressor."

"But we are different. The strength of our nation is more than a material strength. We are a strongly moral people, and our country is based on spiritual strength. Lose that, and we lose everything."

"The Declaration of Independence has established certain moral confines, and governs in a manner consistent wit the spirit under which our nation was founded: Love God; love thy neighbor as thyself."

"God is denied by the Communists, and this denial is reflected by the way in which they treat their own subjects. Their system derives its strength from discipline imposed by the state. Ours derives its strength from the collective self-discipline of our individual citizens."

"Such thoughts would carry me through the night, until I heard in the predawn distance the rattling sound of the Hanoi streetcars beginning their first circuit. Then my thoughts would turn to surviving another day."

Even though he is speaking about the Vietnam War, I believe these words ring true in our current fight against terror. My prayer is that the attempts at democracy and freedom in Iraq will not be stillborn. As I write, we have heard the thunderous sound of incoming mortars, a reminder that freedom is hard fought.

I also want to include this quote from Ronald Reagan, who said:

"Double, no triple, our troubles, and we'd still be better off than any other people on earth. It is time that we recognized that ours was, in truth, a noble cause."

Our nation, with its freedom, continues to fight for a noble cause. Remember how blessed we are today, and remember those who died for our freedom!

Sharing Faith and Reading Books

2007-05-28T12:51:00.000+04:00

Last night I had a very inspiring moment. We had finished worship, at our Sunday evening contemporary service. I preached on "Life and Death," in which I laid out the Biblical principles surrounding death and eternal life. As I have mentioned in previous posts, we have a wide variety of people who come to the service: American Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Sailors, but also civilians from a number of nations.

Anyway, after the service, I witnessed one of the Iraqi Christians (she converted from Islam to Christian before the Americans came), speaking to a Romanian about faith in Jesus Christ, and being saved. What an amazing blessing from God to see Scripture come alive, ("people from every tribe, nation and tongue..."), as she shared her faith with him!

On a different note, I continue to keep my spare time busy with reading and working on my Chaplain Captain's Career Course (for Reserve Chaplains, the majority of it is online).

There are a couple of must read books. One is an old book, lent to me by a Sergeant Major whose uncle was mentioned in the book. It is called "When Hell Was in Session," and is written by former Sen. Jeremiah Denton, Rear Admiral, ret., about his horrific experience as a POW in Vietnam. All I can say is that this book is an amazing read. It reminds me that Vietnam and Iraq are two very different wars. I'll post about that in the near future.

The other book is "My Year Inside Radical Islam," by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, who chronicles his journey from liberal Judaism, to radical, fundamentalist Islam, and the time he spent inside an organization that would later be implicated for terrorist activities. He eventually came to Christ and now works with various government agencies in helping them to understand Islam from an inside perspective. This too is an excellent, must read book.

Various Things

2007-05-25T17:28:00.001+04:00

Well, it's hot here. I suppose that goes without saying, but it really IS hot. My indoor/outdoor digital thermometer says it's 118 degrees, at 5:30pm. And it's May. Wow. My thermometer is not in direct sunlight, so it's been pretty accurate, when I look at the weather reports. And it's going to get much warmer.

I kind of like the heat though. We had a training exercise this morning, in our full body armor (after traveling back in my body armor from the IZ) and it got a little hot, but when I'm walking around without the armor, or even in my PT clothing, the heat actually feels nice at times. Then again, I like saunas.

It's been a relaxing week. I took a group of Soldiers on a retreat, again, to Freedom Rest in the IZ (the International Zone, also known as the Green Zone). We flew back this morning. Nothing like flying over Baghdad in a helicopter, with the windows open, at 125 mph! It is amazing how low and close the pilots will fly to certain things... such as power lines, buildings and other objects which are bad for helicopters!

I also want to say hi to the students at Haley Elementary School, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They posted some questions on my blog (see the post for 14 May, "Back to Blogging"). Anyway, to answer the students' questions: "Why don't you like spiders?" Well, for starters, they have 8 legs. I don't like creatures with that many legs. Six I can handle. Four is better. But eight legs.... ugh, that's terrible. Plus, they are kind of creepy, the way they just sort of hang out. And, some of them bite. I was bit by a poisonous spider when I was a camp counselor one summer in college. It was a Brown Recluse. It made me pretty sick for a couple of days. Of course, I didn't like spiders before that, but that made me like them even less.

Another student asked: "Were they big, and did you get bit?" No, I haven't been bit here. Yet. As far as the size... I've seen some on the bridge that are about one inch across, but the camel spiders here apparently can get about as big as a grown man's hand. I don't know what I'll do if I come across something that big. If it's by my room, I will use my anti-spider spray. (Camel Spiders are technically not spiders... they are a type of arachnid, but, they're close enough). There are also Scorpions here. I haven't seen any wild ones myself, but they don't bother me as much (unless I got stung). I'm not sure why they don't bother me as much... maybe because they have tails.

Also, I think it's cool that your class has a Spider-man themed bulletin board. I hope to see it in the movie theaters when I get back to the States.

Please keep all of our Soldiers and their families in your prayers, and keep up the great work at school!

A Good Ally

2007-05-19T08:06:00.000+04:00

Many of you know that British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is retiring. He has been a great ally and friend of the United States. Here is what he had to say about the War in Iraq, when visiting the White House yesterday. The quote is from an article on the NPR website:

He [Blair] said he is proud of the choices he has made.

"It was right to remove Saddam, it was right to give the country a chance to have the democratic process, and it's right now to try to fight people who, by terrorism, are trying to disrupt that process."

Blair has been unwavering in his support of the war, and despite public outcry, he hasn't lost patience.

"The reason why people in Britain and people in America have lost patience, to an extent, is because they see the carnage and bloodshed going on and they say, 'This is now four years after the fall of Saddam. So, if that is still happening, that must mean it's wrong, that we shouldn't be doing it.' My question is, why is this bloodshed happening?" Blair said.

He said the conflict is being driven largely by al-Qaida and Iranian-backed groups and "a small minority of extremists" in Iraq who are combining their efforts to cause as much damage as possible so people lose faith and lose patience.

[My note: some people say the Operation in Iraq is a distraction from the overall Global War on Terror. But, as Prime Minister Blair notes, we're fighting Al Qaida in Iraq. Isn't that the War on Terror?]

"If we're confronted with something that's totally evil — to drive a car bomb into the middle of a crowded market and kill a hundred completely random, innocent men, women and children — [and] we end up saying, 'Since we're facing that battle and since it's tough and ugly and we're losing our troops and our forces and that's a tremendous thing of grief and anguish' … [and] we then back away, we've handed an enormous victory to the enemy we're fighting."

[My note: Again, I agree with the Prime Minister. No one wants to stay in Iraq any longer than we have to; however, if we leave, we are essentially handing Iraq over to Al Qaida.]

Blair said that most war critics think the U.S. and British response to Iraq and terrorism provoked more terrorism, and only made the situation worse. But he disagrees with that assessment.

"The fact is, September 11 came before Afghanistan or Iraq," Blair said. "This terrorism has been a generation growing; it will take a generation to knock it out."

He's right.

APFT, Thunderstorms and Mars

2007-05-17T06:37:00.000+04:00

Yesterday was an interesting day. I took (and passed), the Army Physical Fitness Test, which is a regular physical fitness test required by the Army. We normally take it a couple of times a year, though in the combat zone you really only have to take it once. So, that's out of the way.

We also had thunderstorms last night. It sounded wonderful. The weather during the day had been quite nice... around 90 degrees, but cloudy, so it is comparable to more like 80 at home. Then around 1930 (7:30pm) it started to rain a little. Within an hour, it was down pouring, with thunder and lightning. We live in metal trailers, so the beating of the rain on the roof was soothing.

Now, this morning, as I woke up, the air has a reddish tint to it. I don't know if it's dust, but it almost looks a little like the pictures you see of Mars.

Why Winning Matters

2007-05-15T21:47:00.000+04:00

Here is an excellent article, dealing with why we need to win in Iraq: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=20705

This is an excerpt from the article:

"What we have now is just a protracted guerilla war, one that cannot go on forever, because no war ever does. If you think the war is hard on you, since you have to hear about two or three American deaths on the news each night, imagine what it is like for the insurgents and their host population. They die in far larger numbers than we do, their families suffer deprivation, they are increasingly hounded by Iraqi death squads bent on block punishment, and they see their most hated enemy (Iran, not us) growing stronger, while their Al Qaeda “allies” try to brainwash their children and take over their communities."

(And)

"But we would do well to slog this war through. The consequences of defeat are too great for anyone who loves America -- Republican, Democrat, or Independent -- to allow that to happen. The troops in Iraq are not fighting for the ungrateful Iraqis as claimed by the demoralizers. They are fighting for America. [emphasis mine] They are fighting to avoid the worst-case scenario: defeat and its disastrous aftermath."

I'd encourage you to read the full article. It's a little political at the beginning, but the overall thrust of it, about the results of defeat, is right on the mark.

The Bridge of Fear

2007-05-14T23:39:00.000+04:00

Along with the heat, something new has arrived: spiders.

I don't know why, but I really haven't seen any spiders here in Iraq until now. Why is this relevant? Well, those who know me know that I'm terrified of spiders. Not just a little afraid, not just kind of uncomfortable, but completely and utterly terrified.

Nothing else scares me like that. Snakes? No problem. Wasps? Bees? Other bugs? Not an issue. Flying in a helicopter or riding a roller coaster? Sounds good.

Spiders? Bad.

So last night, around midnight, I was walking to the Dining Facility, and there is a small bridge that crosses a creek. The creek has a bunch of fish, and turtles, and other wildlife. Along the creek are rows and rows of tall reeds... maybe 6-10 feet tall in places.

On the bridge, however, there are spiders.

You see them at night. As you cross the creek, the bridge is well-lit with small walking lights. These lights attract bugs, and those bugs attract.... spiders. As I crossed the bridge, just about every part underneath handrail was covered with brand new webs, with fat spiders sitting in the middle of the web. It looked kind of like a horror movie, with well-spun round webs, with a spider in the middle of each of them. It gives me the willies to even type about it.

I'll be honest: when I saw this, I thought about not crossing. I didn't have to get food. I mean, I'm wasn't that hungry, and the spiders would be gone by the morning. But then I realized I was being ridiculous (sort of). I'm in a combat zone, and I'm afraid of spiders. So I crossed it, and have now dubbed it the "Bridge of Fear."

For good measure, I went to the PX today, and bought some spider spray. Well, it's actually called "Bug Stop," but it promises to kill many things, including spiders, "on contact." I read the directions, and plan to protect my room for "up to 9 months" with a treatment. I have to wait until tomorrow to spray the whole room, since it has to air out, but for good measure, I covered the front steps in front of my trailer, and the door frame. At least they can't enter by the front door tonight.

Man... rockets, mortars and heat are one thing. Spiders are another.

Back to Blogging

2007-05-14T00:25:00.000+04:00

I haven't written anything in a while for two reasons: first, the Army has come out with new guidelines on blogging. Well, the guidelines aren't exactly new, but they are clarifying them. I wanted to make sure I was ok to blog, so I had our HHC Commander approve it, per the guidelines. He looked at it, and gave me the thumbs up.

The second reason, though, is that the Internet connection in my room has been terrible lately. I'm not sure why... if there is more dust, or if the heat interferes with the signal, but it's simply been very slow, and I've been unable to connect to Blogger. I could access it from my office, but, I think I should be blogging on my "own" time and not at the office.

So... I'm back up and running now. What's new? Well, it's getting hot. We've been seeing temperatures between 100 and 110 degrees. I've got the indoor/outdoor thermometer in my room, and it has been pretty accurate. At night, it gets into the lower 80s.

105 degrees doesn't feel too bad here, because it's dry, but I feel like my forehead is constantly wet. Other than that, it's much more preferable to 90 degrees and humid, like back in the Midwest.

Chapel services continue to have excellent attendance. At my Sunday evening service, I have been preaching through a sermon series on the basics of the Christian faith. When I finish this series, I plan to begin a new sermon series focused on Revelation 1-3, the messages to the churches, and how they apply to us.

Keep the Soldiers in your prayers. Most of you have seen that the media has been covering the 3 Soldiers who are missing in action, and from what I've read in the news, apparently Al Qaeda claims to have them. Pray for strength and safety for them, and pray that our Soldiers will be safely rescued.

And, last but not least, Happy Mother's Day to my Wife, my Mom, and my Mother-in-Law!

CAV Spirit

2007-05-01T19:23:00.000+04:00

Here is my devotional from today's Battle Update Assessment:

"If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning." C. S. Lewis

People often speak of their searching for meaning. Some people will say “all things happen for a purpose.” Others will look for patterns and meaning from a scientific or natural perspective.

But we all seem to be searching for meaning. In a combat zone, separated from our families, and unsure of when we’ll return, this search for meaning is even more important.

In today’s quote, C.S. Lewis makes a comparison. He says that if there was no light, we wouldn’t have eyes and we wouldn’t look for it. We wouldn’t know it was dark. Likewise, the search for meaning in our lives happens because there is meaning. Our spirits search for meaning not in a vain quest, but to fulfill the very real purpose for which we were created.

That purpose is to know God. More than anything, we are spiritual beings, created in the likeness of God, and life is not truly fulfilled or complete without Him. The key is that we cannot find God on our own. Therefore, God has come to us, not because we deserve it, but because of his grace. In Jesus Christ, God has made himself known. In Him, God has shown us our true purpose and meaning. We are called to be in relationship with Him and in Him we find this meaning.

NFL Draft and Temperature in Baghdad

2007-04-29T00:00:00.000+04:00

Well, it's hard to believe, but I've been able to watch part of the NFL Draft here in Baghdad. Of course, some of you don't know what the draft is... so I'll tell you. It is the day of the year that reminds me that football will soon return. Soon being August/September. It is the day of the year when I get to focus on football again for a while. It is a good day. It is the day when the NFL teams take turns choosing new players from the ranks of the college players eligible for the NFL.

So.... I watched my Minnesota Vikings choose the player I had hoped they would get: Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson. Nice. This was a great pick for the Vikes. When it was their selection, they had a choice of either Peterson OR Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn. I'll admit I was kind of intrigued by Quinn, but seeing how far he has fallen, and thinking about the running attack the Vikes will have now with Peterson and Chester Taylor has gotten me excited. It's just past midnight here, and it's still the first round, but I think the Vikings will probably take a Wide Receiver in the second round. Skål Vikings!

On another note: when I was in Minnesota over R&R, I bought an indoor/outdoor thermometer and mailed it to myself in a care package today. I "installed" it, and it has a little wire going outside, so it will tell me the temperature outside and inside. Why did I buy it? I don't know. Maybe the glare of the multitude of products at Target simply compelled me to buy something, anything, and this caught my eye. Maybe it's because I want to see how hot it will actually get this summer.

Whatever the case, I'll proud to say that my thermometer tells me that the temp here in Baghdad, at midnight, is 76.8 degrees. But it feels warmer than that. It is uncharacteristically humid here right now. Normally 76 feels cool in this dry place. But we had a ton of rain yesterday, and it's still humid today. In case anyone cares, inside my room it is at an almost perfect 71.6 degrees.

Worth the Wait

2007-04-26T14:19:00.000+04:00

Well, I'm finally back in Iraq after my R&R. I flew from the States Sunday and arrived in Kuwait Monday, but I didn't get to Iraq until today (Thursday), because of weather (massive sandstorm, plus thunderstorms), mainly. However, it ended up being worth the wait. We flew into Iraq in a C-130. This time, however, I got to sit in the cockpit on this flight. It was amazing. Coming down fast into Baghdad, seeing the takeoff and landing from the cockpit, learning about the navigation systems, etc., really was pretty incredible.

However.... because of missed and delayed flights, I haven't slept more than a few minutes here and there since Monday. So.... I'll keep the blog short today.

Comparison

2007-04-24T07:21:00.000+04:00

Well, last night (Kuwait time) I flew into Kuwait. Our flight from Ireland took us over London, Brussels, Germany, Austria, Romania, Turkey, and over Iraq into Kuwait. I had a fantasic view of Kuwait City coming in. I have not been to downtown Kuwait City, though I've driven through parts of it, but it looks like a great city.

What a contrast to Iraq. That is the sad part of all of this. Iraq could be a Kuwait.

Granted, there are serious obstacles. Kuwait is a small, fairly homogenous kingdom, with growing and limited democracy that has followed prosperity brought by oil. Iraq is a diverse national- in both an ethnic and religious sense- which had decades of oppressive rulers.

Yet, one cannot help but wonder, "what if?" The Iraqis have enough oil to have what Kuwait has- a high standard of living and peaceful prosperity. But they need to learn some fundamental lessons about living together with diversity.

It seems that most Iraqis understand this at some level; but enough troublemakers (both foreign terrorists and Iraqi ones) are causing enough troubles for the rest of the nation to make it so difficult.

Soon it will be off to Baghdad for me. Strange to say it, but I'm looking forward to my comfy trailer after spending a day in an airplane, and last night in a tent.

Shannon, Ireland

2007-04-23T11:57:00.000+04:00

I'm in Shannon, Ireland right now on a layover. I feel like if I post a blog from here, then it means I've really been here.

Shannon is on the west coast, almost, of Ireland. It's just west of Limerick.

It's pretty. I'd rather be deployed here than Baghdad!

Ending R & R

2007-04-23T00:32:00.001+04:00

Wow... it's time to head back to Baghdad. I left home early this morning, and now I'm sitting at the Atlanta airport, waiting to fly overseas.

R&R was great. It went by quickly... yet, time goes slower here in the States than in Baghdad. That may sound strange, but I am so busy during my work day, that it just flies by. During my time at home, I was able to enjoy being with my family. I didn't get to see everyone I wanted from church, but we also spent a good chunk of the time out of town.

However, we did make it to three hockey games and a Twins game. My youngest son rode his first roller coaster, at the Mall of America, and is ready for more when I return later this year (yea!).

It IS hard saying good bye. Not as hard as when I first left, since I know what to expect. But leaving home always creates a hole in your heart. That is the real sacrifice of this war (aside from the deaths): the families back home. Every time a Soldier leaves his or her family behind, it raises the question of whether it is worth it for what we're doing in Iraq.

My prayer is that the Iraqis could somehow, some way, realize what an opportunity is before them. Everyone- from left to right- agrees that the time is short for the Iraqis to get their stuff together. I hope they do. Maybe they won't. What a shame if they miss a chance to modernize and live peacefully because they cannot move past the barbaric hatred of some of their brethren.

But being back in the US reminds me how good we have it. Maybe the Iraqis cannot conceive of what life would look like if they worked together and stopped killing each other. Freedom of movement, soccer fields, fast food, superficial TV shows, good schools... the simple things we take for granted. We love to critique our obesity and our strip malls and our superficiality... but, it in the end, it is the result of the blessing of living in a country that is, by and large, peaceful and prosperous.

Accommodation or "Dawah?"

2007-04-19T17:17:00.000+04:00

Here is a good article from Katherine Kersten, of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, looking at the ways in which Muslim immigrants are demanding more and more "accommodations" to force their religion on others:

http://www.startribune.com/191/story/1130134.html

Playoff Hockey

2007-04-17T17:08:00.000+04:00

This is a great use of time while on R&R: attending a Minnesota Wild playoff game. The Wild lost 2-1, but it was a great game, and the Xcel Energy Center is one of the best places to see a hockey game anywhere. I think if Iraq had hockey, there would be fewer problems there!

Global War on Terror Article

2007-04-12T04:36:00.000+04:00

Here's a funny article, written by a Major, posted on military.com, speaking about how the Global War Terror is defined and what his award should be called.

Disclaimer: the guy makes conservative political remarks, so, if you don't like them, don't read the article. You are fore-warned. :) Here is the link: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,131739,00.html

Favorite Pictures

2007-04-12T04:21:00.000+04:00

As I mentioned, I'm going to post my favorite pictures from deployment so far. This picture is taken on approach to the LZ (Landing Zone) at Rustamiyah. Notice the other Blackhawk ahead of us.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

2007-04-11T15:55:00.000+04:00

It's snowing here in the Midwest! It's great. Snow isn't unusual in Minnesota in early April, but snow is still a nice surprise... as I was facing my first winter without seeing snow at all, for the first time in my life. Even when I lived in California, I would ski in the mountains almost every weekend.

Apparently, April is on pace to be the coldest April in 113 years. Keep it up! I'll be facing 90s when I get back to Iraq, so I'll take the cold weather now.

My youngest son is like me: he loves cold weather, so he's loving life right now.

Starting tomorrow, I think I will start postings some of my favorite pictures I've taken during my time in Iraq. Some of them will be repeats from past posts, but some will be new.

It will be kind of a "greatest hits" blog until I get back to posting from Iraq.

It's Cold

2007-04-09T20:13:00.000+04:00

Well, I'm home on R&R right now! I've been able to attend a couple hockey games already (whoo hoo!), and plan to go to a Minnesota Twins game this weekend.

It's great, aside from the fact that the US is getting bitterly and abnormally cold weather right now. That's ok... I'll be suffering 100+ degree weather this summer, so this is fine.

However, in the spirit of the cold Midwestern weather, here is an article written by a Professor of Meteorology from MIT. Here is the link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17997788/site/newsweek/

British Hostages Freed

2007-04-05T07:57:00.000+04:00

It's good to hear that the hostages are being freed.

A couple points on that:

1) It shows that the weakness being showed by the US and UK, and especially by the European Union, is paying dividends for rogue regimes. By weakness I'm not talking about nuking Iran or anything like that; I'm speaking of unified political and diplomatic resolve.

2) Thank God theyre being released. That's the bottom line.

Also, on a different note: There were some comments on my last few posts which got a little heated. Folks, make sure that when you post, you think about what to post as a Christian. I struggle with this, as do many people. It's part of the sin nature to say the wrong thing at times.

Just remember, there are people all over the world reading this blog (my counter tracks the countries from which the blog is read). Not everyone is a Christian, and not everyone is favorably disposed toward the US.

Anyway, I'm just glad the Brits were released. It's hard to understand the motives of Iran sometimes, and sitting in Baghdad 70 miles from Iran, it would be nice to know that there was a stable, rational regime over there.... but sadly that is not the case.

A Devotional

2007-04-04T00:07:00.000+04:00

Here is part of the devotional I presented at the Commanding General's Battle Update this morning:

“Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.” Oswald Chambers

Faith is often misunderstood or mistaken for simply acknowledging something exists. In other words, when people ask “Do you believe in God?” quite often they are meaning to ask: do you think God exists?

But acknowledging the existence of God is not the same thing as having faith! To have faith, as Oswald Chambers said, is something more. Having faith means trusting- or, as Chambers said, having deliberate confidence in the character of God. Faith is about believing that God has a plan for our lives, and that this plan ultimately works for good.

Take an example from marriage: if someone asked me if I believed in my wife, I wouldn’t respond: yes, of course she exists. I would understand that they were asking something deeper. Do I trust her? Do I trust her character and trust her actions? That is what’s really being asked.

The same is true with God. To have faith is to speak of a relationship of trust and hope. It involves obediently following God’s plans for our lives and for this world, even when they don’t seem to make sense to us. Faith is to dare to believe that God has something bigger in store for us.

Most importantly, faith saves. As the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10

More thoughts on the hostage crisis

2007-04-02T09:12:00.000+04:00

First, we all need to be praying for the hostages held by Iran. It’s hard to imagine what they are going through. Of course they're all smiles (sort of) on the video tape. Coercion will do that. The accounts of the Brits held in 2004 bears out that their conditions are probably not great. So pray for them, their families, and our allies the British.

Second, this shows why a strong United States and a strong Great Britain are crucial for peace and prosperity in this world. The rest of Europe will do virtually nothing. I hope that the British will not become more like the continentals in that respect. I am proud when I see Soldiers from the UK around here in Iraq, and it's a reminder of the special relationship our countries share. We Americans ought to act as though these British hostages are Americans. We should have the same level of outrage as when the Iranians seized our embassy workers back when Carter was President. Again I'm curious to hear from people back home: how much is the media covering this? Is it a big issue?

Finally, I want to point you to another blog, whose British author commented on my post from yesterday. His blog has some interesting stuff on it. We Americans ought to be more aware of what’s going on around the world, especially with our closest ally. Check out his blog at: http://www.elliottjoseph.blogspot.com/

Our British Allies

2007-04-01T23:08:00.000+04:00

I'm curious how much press the issue of the British hostages in Iran is getting back in the US. It is a disgrace to see the Brits being paraded around and forced to make statements. One wonders what the Iranian end game is, but at the very least it shows the instability of this government in Iran.

Here is an interesting article from a British paper: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=HOADO45SIMCEVQFIQMFCFFOAVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2007/03/30/wiran730.xml

Part of the Iranian boldness comes from the growing perception of American weakness in the face of declining support back home. It is a dangerous side affect of our cut and run mentality.

Busy-ness and Daylight Savings Time

2007-03-31T23:58:00.000+03:00

It's been busy around here lately, so I haven't been able to write as much. As you can imagine, with the surge of troops, it makes more planning for us, as part of our job at the Division level is to plan out coverage for all of our Soldiers- which is all of Baghdad. So, it's been interesting. The days go by very quickly.

We also started Daylight Savings Time on Friday night/ Saturday morning. A few weeks after the States, I understand. It's always nice to go out that first night (in this case, tonight) and realize it is light later than you anticipated! Small things, I guess, but still nice.

It's a great time of year here- I know the HOT weather is coming, but it's been pleasant... upper 70s and lower 80s still. A little rain now and then, but overall the climate isn't too bad. But summer is coming...

The nicest thing for me, climate wise, has been my allergies, or rather, my lack of allergies. Anyone back home knows that my allergies in the Midwest go nuts. I grew up in Minnesota, but moved out to California in high school, and my allergies were fine there. Going back to college in Wisconsin wasn't too bad, but the part of the Midwest I live in now seems to make my allergies bad... but it's been nice here in Iraq with now pollens, etc. Not that I want to stay here, but I haven't gotten sick since I left home. Oh well... I'd rather get periodic colds back at home than be sick-free and away from the family!

Islamic Sharia Law in Minnesota?

2007-03-27T11:10:00.000+03:00

This is an interesting article:

http://www.opinionjournal.com/cc/?id=110009832

This appears in the online Wall Street Journal Editorial Page, though the author writes for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Sights, Sounds and Smells

2007-03-24T23:23:00.000+03:00

It was a busy day today. In the evening I flew over to Rustamiyah- my old stomping grounds- for a memorial. I flew with one of our generals and represented the Division Chaplain Staff. I love being up in the air in a helicopter, and as I observed everything as we flew, it occured to me that being here in Iraq entails many different sights, sounds and smells.

Visually, there are the ever present helicopters and jets overhead; Soldiers carrying their weapons everywhere; crisp salutes rendered as I boarded the helicopter; the glare and heat of the anti-missile flares going off from our choppper as we floated over Baghdad; the street lights and homes below us as we clipped along at about 120 mph; the humvees, tanks and Bradleys, and so much more.

The sounds are so varied. Once in a while there is boom of a rocket or mortar, or a controlled detonation; there is the chopped air and rumbling from helicopters above, or the high pitched whirring and whining while inside the helicopter. The sound of volleys and the playing of taps was interspersed for me over the last couple of days. The pop-pop-pop comes from both the firing ranges, and gun battles in the distance.

The smells... the smell of Rustamiyah tonight was the most distinct. Getting off the chopper, I smelled again the strange mix of both sewage and sulfur, with a hint of gunpowder, that is so unique there. It is unpleasant- mainly- but also strangely familiar and not so bad in that respect. Or, it is the smell of the DFAC on steak and lobster night... as they "cook" the steaks in the most depressing manner possible, ensuring that the presentation of steak here will not spoil me, but only make me hunger all that much more for a "good" steak. (I should point out that I love our DFAC... as long as it isn't steak!). Then there is the ever present smell of dusty sand. Does sand smell? I don't know... but there is a dust smell that is worse as it dries out and blows.

Things You Don't Get Used To

2007-03-24T13:33:00.000+03:00

Yesterday was a busy day... it began with a return to Camp Liberty via ground... late in the night/early morning. It's always strange traveling by ground, though our route was quite secure. I got back to my room around 5am, and hit my bed for a few hours and then headed into the office to catch up with things.

Later that day I represented the Division Chaplain's Office at a memorial ceremony for 4 Soldiers. I never get used to these. I have not kept track of the number of memorial ceremonies I have either attended, or performed, but it's far more than I would ever like. (obviously zero would be the perfect number).

The ceremony follows a standard format, and ends with the final roll call, the firing of volleys, taps and the rendering of honors. During last night's ceremony, we had incoming mortars during the firing of volleys. Fortunately, the mortars didn't hit anything or anyone, but it was bizarre to have the mortars bracketed by volleys.

More from Freedom Rest

2007-03-21T22:18:00.000+03:00

Our retreat continues at Freedom Rest. Over the past couple of days we have discussed topics relating to Biblical wisdom, and how to apply it to our lives. We have spent time looking at purposes and goals, setting priorities and making right decisions, conflict resolution, communication and financial management. We've dug into Scripture, had discussions and I think it's gone well.

In addition, our discussion times have happened in conjunction with other planned activities. The staff here does an incredible job of offering a variety of activities, from basketball, to karaoke, to flag football, to a diving tournament off the high dive today (involving distance, hitting targets, and form!).

It's been a blast, and a well deserved rest for our Soldiers.

Images

2007-03-20T21:19:00.000+03:00

These pictures are taken in the moments after a car bomb near us. The bridge seen in this picture is the 14th of July Bridge. Apache helicopters are circling, and the Iraqi Police have blocked off the road by us.

At Freedom Rest

2007-03-20T16:53:00.000+03:00

Well, I'm in the midst of taking Soldiers on a retreat to "Freedom Rest," a "resort" located in Baghdad where they Soldiers are able to relax, unwind, and have some fun. We have spent some time in discussions groups, where I've led sessions on personal wisdom from a Godly perspective, as well as looking at wisdom in personal finances. We will also talk about goal setting, priorities and purpose, as well as conflict resolution and communication. But most of the time is set aside for Soldiers to relax, and enjoy the time off. We have played basketball, flag football, water basketball, tug of war, and various other things.

But we're never too far from combat. Earlier today, there was an explosion close to us and we took cover. We then saw the smoke rising nearby, on the other side of the river, and a number of us went to the top of the high dive at the pool (about 4 stories up, see the pictures), and we able to see the Apache helicopters circling, the responses teams, and other things. It sounds like it might have been a car bomb, but I haven't seen the reports yet.

All in all, though, this has been a very nice time for the Soldiers we brought, and there is still plenty to come for them.

Two Ideas

2007-03-17T11:25:00.000+03:00

Some say one of the biggest issues facing our military is the inadequate size. The reality is that one of the greatest stressors for Soldiers is the frequency of tours they are serving. So what is the solution? I’ve got two possible ones, and would like comments. Obviously I’m not a politician, so they’re just for discussion and for fun, but I think they’re decent ideas.

Solution # 1: Increase the Army through Financial Incentives

Greatly expand the size of the Active Duty Army to around 750,000 Soldiers. But rather than lowering the standards to do so, we would greatly increase the incentives. In other words: free market economics. America could show it supports its troops through an immediate pay raise: 30% for enlisted and 15-20% for Officers. We pay our junior enlisted far too little. We will attract higher numbers and better Soldiers by simply acknowledging the realities of our economy, and offering greater fiscal incentives. Yes, this would entail tax increases, or cuts in spending in others places, but it comes down to the actually supporting our troops in a more tangible manner. I believe most Americans really do support the troops and would be game for this.

Other incentives could include: lowering, or eliminating income taxes (similar to what is done in a combat zone, except do it at all times for Service Members); increasing educational incentives (there are already some good ones for members of the military, but there could be more).

Solution # 2: Mandatory National Service

Here is the concept: every American is required to give 2 or 3 years of his or her life in service of their country, sometime between the ages of 18-25. No exceptions for income, race, religion, etc.

One option is 2 years in the military. For people choosing this option, they would still have to pass the physical, moral and educational requirements for joining the military. They would get paid the normal wages and benefits and have the option of staying longer than their 2 years if they desired. The other option, for people with health issues, moral objections to the military, or desiring another form of service, would be a national job corps, similar to some of the FDR’s programs in the 1930s. They could be put to work cleaning and repairing national parks, doing road construction, helping the needy or elderly, guarding our borders, working for homeland security, etc. Those choosing national service over military service would NOT get to choose the exact form of this national service, so long as it didn’t interfere with their religious or moral convictions (this would also force diverse groups of people to work together- people of different income brackets, ethnicity, religion, etc.). The people choosing national service over military service would be provided room and board, and a decent stipend, but not the full pay of the military.

Some have said that the current War on Terror is being fought by the military, and not by the nation as a whole. This would help change that for current and future conflicts, by bringing all of us together to serve the nation in a variety of forms.

One last thing: people who know me know that I am a fiscal conservative, believing in small government and low taxes… BUT, in this case, I think spending the money to support our military, and/or national service for our young people is worth the investment. What are your thoughts?

Pop Quiz

2007-03-16T10:26:00.000+03:00

Guess who said this, in support war with Iraq, in October 2002?

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security." -- October 10, 2002

I'll post the answer in my comments section!

Drop in Violence in Baghdad

2007-03-14T20:31:00.000+03:00

This is taken from the Kuwait News Agency. Sectarian violence is down 80%, and the deaths of US Soldiers has dropped by 60%. The story is below:

Baghdad security crackdown seriously curbs killings of US soldiers

BAGHDAD, March 14 (KUNA) -- The rate of killings of US troops in Iraq has been on the decline, down by 60 percent, since the launch of the new security measures in Baghdad, according to statistics revealed by the Multi-National Force -Iraq Combined Press Information Centre.

Only 17 members of the US military in Iraq have been killed since February 14 till March 13, compared to 42 from January 13 to February 13; the rate was on the decline during the first month of the security crackdown, compared to a month before.

Two of the 17 soldiers died at US Baghdad camps of non-combat causes.

The remarkable decrease in killings among the US troops came at a time when more of these troops were deployed in the Iraqi capital, especially in districts previously regarded as extremely hazardous for them such as Al-Sadr City, Al-Azamiyah, and Al-Doura.

Meanwhile, US attacks on insurgent strongholds north of Baghdad curbed attacks against helicopters. Before the new security plan, many such craft were downed leaving 20 soldiers dead.

The US army in Iraq had earlier said that sectarian fighting and violence in Baghdad had dropped sharply, by about 80 percent, since the launch of the plan.

The statistics excluded US troops killed in other governorates such as Al-Anbar, Diyala, and Salahiddin.

As to the latest human losses, the US army announced Wednesday that two American soldiers had been killed, one in southern Baghdad and the other northeast of the capital.

What Chaplains Need To Do

2007-03-13T13:22:00.000+03:00

I want to post something a little different than what I've done lately. I'm going to write a little about what chaplains in the Army ought to be able to do- as seen from my limited experience. I am working with two Soldiers here at 1st CAV who are planning to go to seminary and becomes chaplains, and I know there are some who read my blog who are considering the chaplaincy. So, with that said, here are my opinions (i.e., this is not official... just my thoughts):

-A chaplain needs to speak well in public. This includes not only preaching, but giving various kinds of briefs, as well as speaking at Command and Staff meetings. During any given week, I will preach to my service, which has grown from about 30 people to close to 100, I will give two morning devotionals at the Commanding General's battle update, I will give briefings for Soldiers going on R&R, and I lead a Bible study for about 15-20 people. You have to be comfortable in front of various audiences, especially in tense or emotional settings like a memorial ceremony.

-You need to be able to create an atmosphere in which Soldiers feel welcome. In other words, be friendly! Love the Soldiers. Joke with people, get to know them, circulate, start conversations. Since moving up to 1st CAV from my previous FOB, I have finally started to really get to know people and have seen my counseling load increase as people feel comfortable chattin' with me. You have to be approachable.

-But you also need to remember that you're an Officer. This carries certain obligations, responsibilities and authority. As a Reserve chaplain, I'm a pastor most of the time, and this mindset has been the biggest change for me while on Active Duty. There is a certain way of speaking, of carrying yourself, and it includes times where you need to be a little "strict." This includes such things as remembering the chain of command, knowing which jobs you can do, and which your assistant can do, and not mixing them up.

-You also need to be comfortable with doing a lot of counseling as a chaplain. It's a huge part of your job. As Soldiers get to know you, they will start coming with various issues. Often times they are very difficult problems, with no simple solution. It's important to be comfortable with this. For seminary students considering the Army chaplaincy, I'd strongly urge you to take as many counseling courses as possible in seminary, especially in the area of marital counseling. Also, have your own sets of resources, a knowledge base, and examples when it comes to speaking with Soldiers about marriage. Marital issues are the largest group of issues when it comes to counseling Soldiers.

-Along with this, you need to be able to listen non-judgmentally. Soldiers have strong opinions and language, and they don't usually mute it all around chaplains (though they do try...). When I'm counseling at my church, I don't usually have people dropping F-bombs or other swear words. With Soldiers, it's sometimes a different story! You can't flinch. You'll also hear lots of complaints, and even if you don't agree with them, you have to listen. This isn't the same as condoning language, and there are times you have to stop a Soldier and call them on their language (that's part of your role as an Officer). When I was at the mob station, there was a Soldier making loud, crude comments about women, and I locked him up, and told him to stop. But for the most part you just gotta love the Soldiers and meet them where they're at.

-The last thing is that you need to be able to think theologically. I know that sounds like a given for people coming out of seminary, but this isn't as easy as it sounds. Many Soldiers come to me with theological questions, and I need to answer them as I believe, but I also have to understand that this isn't a church. In a pluralistic in environment, no one is asking me to change or mute what I believe, but you also need to know when to say certain things. This takes some theological discernment. Experienced chaplains know what I'm talking about.

Finally, two other things: you have to be flexible and you have to be organized. Both are crucial.

The Positives and Negatives

2007-03-12T12:26:00.000+03:00

Those of you following the news saw that the US and Iran met face to face at this weekend's conference here in Baghdad. I think there were both positive and negative developments. The positive, of course, was that the Iranians and Americans had a chance to meet. The negative lies in the fact that there are still serious issues dividing the US and Iran.

Iran has a radical leader who believes that the "12th Imam" will soon return to wage war against the enemies of Islam. His theology affects his stance toward the US, yet there are indications that many within Iran are not comfortable with his stances. The reality for Iran is that the US is a natural ally; if the Iranians were to have more moderate leadership, they might find that what the US is doing in the Middle East is for their benefit as well. Most people know that Al Qaeda is an enemy of Iran (being a Shia state, and Al Qaeda, of course, is a Sunni group). Iran would benefit from Al Qaeda being stamped out of Iraq and the Middle East for good.

Another big headline from this week:
-A top Iranian General defected, apparently, to the United States

Things I'll Miss... sort of

2007-03-10T00:18:00.000+03:00

I went for a long run today, around a lake we call "Lost Lake." From here to there and back, I think it was about 6 miles, and it kicked my butt. I just wasn't in a long run mode today.

As I was running along a wall that is adjacent to the outside, I had a very beautiful mosque in sight for much of the run. With a blue-tiled dome, and minarets, it was quite a nice view. They were also doing the prayer call and playing music for much of my run. I realized that it is these types of experiences that I'll miss when I head home. (don't get me wrong... I'll be more than ready to head home at the end of my tour, but there are some things I'll miss).

I also had that realization coming home tonight from the office. I leave the main division building to head home usually around midnight or a little later. I love this time of night. It's relatively quiet, the stars are bright, and the sound is broken by the occasional rush of a helicopter, barely visible, as it streaks across the sky. I enjoy it.

Along with that time of the night, walking and contemplating my day, I'll also miss being in the middle of everything. This may not make sense, though others over here would understand. But there is something about being in the mix. Being at the Division level there are things I see, know and hear of that never make the news. The media, whether Fox News or CNN, can never do justice to the experiences here in their short time slots. I'll miss seeing the human side of what is happening here.

I've still got a while until I return home. So... I'll keep writing, and continue to ask God to teach me from it all.

The Exit Plan?

2007-03-09T23:28:00.001+03:00

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20070309-124716-8568r.htm

A Good Development

2007-03-08T12:38:00.000+03:00

Iran and Syria have agreed to attend a conference this weekend, in Baghdad, in which the security of Iraq will be discussed. The government of Iraq will be hosting it, and the US and Great Britain will also attend, among other nations. This is a great step forward, and could go a long way toward ending the violence here.

The Different Views

2007-03-08T09:08:00.000+03:00

Wow... I just watched the NBC Nightly News report with Brian Williams and Richard Engel, reporting from here, with an interview with one of our Generals. Without getting into details, all I can say is that the perspective offered on their report is so biased, it's hard to believe. I especially loved how they paraded a poll showing 69% of Americans are not optimistic twice during the report, sandwiching the interview with our General. After watching this report, it's not surprising that Americans are pessimistic, considering the perspective they are being offered!

Some random things

2007-03-07T18:56:00.000+03:00

I wandered over to the bazaar today and bought this vase for my wife. It is made by an artist here in Baghdad. The Arabic writing on the vase is actually a poem. I really like the way Arabic script looks.

Yesterday I posted some quotes from an author and I discussed how certain tones affect Soldiers. One of my good friends, who is opposed to the war, emailed me and made some good points. One of them was to point out that the person I quoted is NOT one of the main authors on Daily Kos. My bad. It doesn't change the tone of his comments, but I don't want to imply that he is the creator of the post or anything.

He also reaffirmed that there are many, like him, who do support the troops, and do support the war in Afghanistan, while opposing the war in Iraq. I respect that, even though we have different opinions.

So the question is how to discuss the war in a way that doesn't involve name calling, like the gentleman I quoted, or the demonizing of the administration, and, instead, how to discuss solutions for victory. It's not an easy balance to strike.

In the meantime, I am trying to absorb as much as I can here- from other Soldiers, from the Iraqis, from what I'm seeing, from my own learning process. It has clarified my resolve that we need to see this thing through, and I hope that we as a nation can come together on that.

How the Tone of the Debate Hurts Soldiers

2007-03-06T09:01:00.000+03:00

Many say "I'm against the war, but I support the Soldiers." Ok... I understand that, sort of. But take a look at some of the words emanating from the left, this coming from an influential liberal blog (Daily Kos). Tell me if claiming our government is fascist and accusing our troops of "war crimes" is supportive? Tell me how we're not going to be similar to the vets coming back from Vietnam? I'd rather have someone spit on me than call me a war criminal. Aside from supportive magnetic ribbons on cars, how is the tone different from that era? Here is the quote (from http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/3/5/122612/0828); all the words in blue are his words:

"If the Democrats fail (to end the war), the only option left is revolution and foreign intervention. Tyranny is but assured because Congress cannot and will not exercise it's Constitutional power to end this fascist Coup d'etat.

This is outrageous! The only two options available to Congress, Impeachment and cutting the funds, are now both off the table. What now Democrats? What other magic powers will you invoke? You have taken the only constitutional means you have available to end this fascist train off the table.

"We don't have the votes to do it,"

You don't have the votes to do it because every Democrat is silent on the WAR CRIMINALS that have infested this country. And furthermore, "So what?" Put it up for a vote. Then do it again and again and again. Twenty six times if you have to just like the Arctic Wildlife National Refuge oil drilling agenda.

What up Speaker Pelosi? Are you to be known as the first woman Speaker and last Speaker of the semi-free republic in America? The avarice, the complicity, the cowardice, infidelity, disloyalty, and dishonor on display is a discredit and a disgrace to all Americans and True Patriots.

It is truly nauseating to think that, as this nation sinks down into tyranny and breathes its last gasps of democracy, the democrats have, of their own free choosing, removed from themselves the only two viable options at gaining back liberty.

This is not oversight. This is complicity in war crimes." -- wolverine 06"

Ok, for the more liberal readers of my blog, I want to hear from you: do you believe that "war criminals" have "infested" our country? Seriously? Do you believe that revolution and foreign intervention is necessary?

Here is how you can support the troops: let us win the war. Let us do what we have trained to do: take the fight to the insurgents. Rather than talking about cutting funding, as Murtha was doing, how about INCREASING the funding? Send more troops and let's get this thing finished.

Calling us, and our leaders, war criminals is not supporting the troops. Claiming this is a "semi-free republic" is sheer insanity. Who believes this?

Another interesting link

2007-03-05T18:59:00.000+03:00

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_article_id=440049&in_page_id=1965

The Sun Is Shining

2007-03-05T12:26:00.000+03:00

Yesterday morning I went for a “fun” run. By this, I mean that I ran slower but went a longer distance, and ran outdoors around parts of Camp Liberty and Camp Victory. Running around a couple of the lakes over at Victory was really quite pleasant- the weather is just about perfect right now (upper 70s, dry, not too dusty, but not rainy season either)- and it’s interesting to see the sights. What we now call Camp Victory has a number of artificial lakes which have “lake” houses that were used by Saddam’s friends, Generals, etc. It’s also a place where you will run into Soldiers from a number of different nations. Just an all around pleasing jog for my Sunday run.

I should also note that things are looking more positive over here on the war front. The number of Soldiers killed in action has dropped recently, and there has been a dramatic decrease in the amount of sectarian violence in Baghdad. In addition, and this is VERY important, US and Iraqi forces are setting up the first JSS (Joint Security Station) in Sadr City. Many of the worst death squads and various militias (the Mahdi being the largest and most imfamous) have come from Sadr City, and we are finally tackling this issue.

Does this mean that all is rosy? No… but I feel positive. These are important steps, and people back home need to know about it. Getting the security situation settled will open up the door to getting business and industry going as well as so many other things.

One anecdote: there is a vendor at the bazaar here who makes small stained “glass” windows, with pictures of Iraq, Army unit symbols, personalized with your name, and your dates in Iraq and other things you want added. For a long time, he hasn’t been taking orders, because his shop was in a dangerous area and he didn’t fel safe traveling there. The other day, I went in to the bazaar, and asked if he was taking orders yet, and he said “Yes!” The wait is about two weeks for these. I didn’t order one that day, but I’m going to.

Finally, speaking of the bazaar: I have been buying little souvenirs here and there. There are certain things which are way overpriced, but other things- especially the unique gifts- are much less expensive. I bought a painting a couple of weeks ago from a local artist. It is really quite pretty, and includes Arabic script on a beautifully colored background. And the art is very inexpensive. These are the types of things I want to bring back: things that not only are truly unique to Iraq, but also directly support Iraqis. I personally think it’s part of my duty to spend some of my money in ways that will benefit people here. I can’t do much, but a few dollars here and there will help. I plan to buy some handmade bowls from this same vendor as well. If my wife doesn’t like the art, it will end up in my office! :)

A little jealous...

2007-02-28T18:14:00.000+03:00

This is not a picture of Iraq, unfortunately. It is of trees with snow in Minnesota, where they are going to get yet another foot of snow today. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I kind of miss the snow there. Kind of.

I can't complain too much, because it's been beautiful here... in the 70s lately. Great weather in which to do PT. The hot weather will be coming, but it has been pleasant most of the 6+ months I've been here.

Still a little snow wouldn't be so bad!

The Brits in the South

2007-02-27T12:57:00.000+03:00

The other day I was walking past the DFAC (Dining Facility) and became enthralled in watching a British helicopter flying overhead. I have to admit, that no matter how many helicopters I see a day (many), or how often I fly in one, I still remain fascinated by them.

As I watched the chopper fly overhead, with doors open, one of the Brits cast a friendly wave our way. I've thought about what great allies we have in the British, as well as the Australians. (in fact, there are troops from many different nations here, but you won't hear that on the mainstream media).

Hence, it disappoints me to hear about the way people are reacting to the British pulling troops out of the southern part of Iraq. The media has played this off as a negative thing. Yet... aren't the American people wanting us to leave as soon as security is stabilized? Seems like sort of a no win situation with the media. They (the media) demand a pull-out as soon as possible, but spin it as negative when we're able to turn areas over.

The reality is that, though far from perfect, the situation in the south, like the far north, is much better than Baghdad. The British have lost about 170 Soldiers down there, over 3+ years. While their contingent is smaller, it is still a far smaller number of casualties in comparison to the situation in Baghdad. The truth is that the situation in the south is stable enough for the Iraqis to take over. Folks, this is good news.

Moreover, the Brits aren't quitting. They're actually sending more troops to Afghanistan, in anticipation of an expected spring offensive by the Taliban. It's good to have allies like them. You have to love any nation which gives us TV programming such as "The Office," and "Trigger Happy TV," authors like C.S Lewis, and is willing to stand by us in one of the great fights of the 21st century.

One last aside: I read that Sen. Joe Lieberman was reading the book America Alone, by Mark Steyn, a book I recommended a while back. I wish every US Representative and Senator would read this book. Again, I recommend it to anyone seeking a better understanding of what we are facing in this global struggle against terror.

Some good links

2007-02-25T11:09:00.000+03:00

Here are a couple good articles to read for an alternative view to the situation here in Iraq:

"Shhh... the surge is working"
http://townhall.com/columnists/PatrickRuffini/2007/02/24/shhhh_the_surge_is_working

Comments from a chaplain (Colonel) touring Iraq and Afghanistan:
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/02/when_chaplains_.html

Now, this is not to suggest that all is perfect here, but to point out that there seems to be an obsession with the negative in the US that doesn't quite match the reality on the ground here. This IS a war and that means terrible things are happening; but this situation is not intractable and not beyond resolution by the US and Iraq. The divisiveness of the media is, I believe, harming our nation. It is skewing the perspective of a population that is by and large bored and annoyed at the reality of what it takes to win a campaign of this sort.

Here is a different, fun kind of link:
A pictorial view of the various empires in the Middle East:
http://www.mapsofwar.com/images/EMPIRE17.swf

The Dichotomy

2007-02-24T01:01:00.000+03:00

How does it affect me if Americans don’t support the war?

I asked myself that last night. You see, as I write this blog, I think that sometimes my comments come across as more “political” than they are intended. You see, at some level, it’s hard not to believe in what we’re doing over here- it would make things much more stressful if I didn’t. And yet we’re in a time when very few Americans believe in what we’re doing over here. Thus, it creates a bit of a mental hurdle to overcome.

As an example, think about your job or schooling: let’s say you enjoy your job. It’s stressful, but you believe it’s making a difference. You’re proud to be a part of the company. But you see that polling conducted by a consumer firm shows that most people think your product is useless, or even possibly unethical. You would begin to have a bit of a mental split inside your own head, trying to reconcile something you know, with the opinions of others about the same thing, though those opinions might be at a variance. You see your business from the inside, and you see it in ways that others do not.

I think this is the dilemma for many Soldiers. It is for me, to be frank. Don’t misunderstand: my job, as a chaplain, can be effective even if I personally don’t support the war. I am called to nourish the living, care for the wounded, and honor the dead. I can do that regardless of what I think about the politics behind the war. Yet, I also happen to think the war is the right thing to be doing. That doesn’t make my job worthwhile, but it certainly makes it more worthwhile. I hope that makes sense. It would be much more difficult to do my job if I thought what we were doing was wrong, or evil.

Yet, this is what the public projects on us. If you say the war in immoral, and that we came for the wrong reasons, and that we’re doing the wrong thing, you have to understand that it will affect those actually conducting the war! (and I don’t say that to change the opinions of those against the war; I say it to explain some of the stress some of the forms the debate causes Soldiers)

I don’t offer any of this as a solution or even to suggest a solution. I just know that I’m a former news junkie who has by and large stopped watching the news. There is too much of a disconnect between what I see/hear here, and what I see reported on the news. And what is being reported has captured the hearts and minds of the nation, and we can’t contend with that.

Dinner with a Congressman

2007-02-21T17:27:00.000+03:00

Last night I had dinner with a newly elected Congressman from Iowa, Rep. David Loebsack (D-Iowa). Members of Congress come here on a regular basis, and the Division tries to get them face to face time with Soldiers from their state. There were four of us from Iowa with Rep. Loebsack, though I am the only one actually living in Iowa (well, Iraq right now, but you get the idea... the other three were active duty and not in the Reserve or Guard).

Rep. Loebsack was friendly, and seemed genuinely interested in what we did, and what we were experiencing. He asked us what we thought of the surge, and admitted that he had voted against it, and asked for our honest opinions. While I don't think he was going to change his mind simply by what we said, I thought that he was sincere and truly wanted to know what we thought. I told him that as a chaplain, I wasn't the best one at the table to talk about the tactical issues, but I expressed my belief that since we're here, we have an obligation to make sure we don't leave this place in a chaotic state. I expressed my opinions about our moral obligation to Iraq, as I have done on this blog in the past, and he seemed to listen and even offered some of his opinions; he seems like a good guy. (note: this post should not be read as an endorsement either for or against Rep. Loebsack, as it is neither)

This afternoon, I had time to go for a run. I normall run the large man made hill here, which has concentric running paths around it, going up, but today I ran along the two lakes between here and Camp Victory, which is adjacent to Liberty. I ran over to Al Faw Palace and back... about a 4 mile run, with the various paths I took.

Wisconsin is #1.. no, literally!

2007-02-20T06:27:00.000+03:00

Well, I just got online this morning, and saw that my alma mater, the Wisconsin Badgers, have jumped to #1 in the AP Poll for Men's Basketball. It doesn't really matter if we're number 1 right now... it's who is number 1 in the last poll that matters. And, we DO have to go on the road to face the #2 team in the nation, Ohio State, on Sunday. We beat them at home earlier this year, but it will be tough to do it again on the road.
Still, it's better than a kick in the shin! On Wisconsin!!

Different Sights, Juxtaposed

2007-02-17T23:56:00.000+03:00

Earlier today, I was standing outside the building in which I work, talking on my cell phone to my son, and I saw Fox Report Geraldo Rivera in the parking lot. After finishing the conversation, I went over and got a picture with Geraldo. It's interesting the different people and sights you see over here.

This evening, while walking home, around midnight, I saw what looked like flares overhead. I assumed they were coming from a helicopter, but I then heard the roar of a jet engine, and saw a a jet streaking across, just overhead. I couldn't tell what it was... whether a fighter like an F-16, or something larger like a B-1. But there was a certain beauty as it turned and streaked past, with part of the underbelly lit up by the flares. I don't know what it was doing, and, well, wouldn't say if I did, but it was an interesting sight to end the day.

One last thing. In my post from yesterday, someone asked "how do we win the war." I wrote up some thoughts, but I'm going to wait to post them. I want to be careful how I word it. As an Officer, I cannot promote political causes online (and may have tread on thin ice a few days ago by highlighting the plights of Iraqis), so I need to think about how I word it. I didn't promote either political party in my response, but I want to still be careful how it is worded. But essentially here are my points: 1) Prepare to have troops here for a long time- show we have fortitude to see it out, 2) Use the tactics we have just begun to use with this troop surge, 3) Spend money to build infrastructure and the economy in Iraq as we did in Europe after World War 2, 4) De-politicize the war, and finally, understand that we have a moral obligation to see this thing through. We may all disagree about why we came here, but we're here, and it won't work to simply leave.

View of Liberty

2007-02-17T10:28:00.000+03:00

Here are some pictures from Camp Liberty. They are taken from a hill on the base, which was made from soil removed to make the artificial lakes you see in the pictures. This area surrounds the Baghdad airport, and used to house Saddam's own private game reserve, where he would hunt. There are a number of palaces, as well as various homes for his henchmen.

Also, I want to include a link to a good article relating to the question of how long we can "sustain" the current number of troops in Iraq. There are many rumors floating around that the Army cannot sustain this type of rotation, and so on, but much of it is misinformation. Click Here.

My Non-Binding Questions

2007-02-15T23:52:00.000+03:00

In the spirit of the non-binding resolution being debated in Congress, here are my additions:

When will Congress demand we remove our troops from Kosovo, which have been there for around 10 years?

When will Congress demand we remove troops from Turkey? They have been there since the Gulf War in the early 1990s.

When will Congress demand we remove troops from South Korea? They have been there since the early 1950s. President Truman assured us it would be short conflict, yet we're still technically at war. When we will be able to stop chanting Truman lied, troops died?

When will Congress demand we remove troops from Japan? Certainly Japan can handle its own self-defense, and the troops have been there since 1945. We all knew the Japanese wouldn't be able to "handle" democracy because of their history, right?

When will Congress demand we remove troops from Germany? They have been there since 1945. The Germans and French have fought each other for hundreds of years, and our presence won't change that.

When will Congress demand we remove troops from Italy? They have been there since 1944. I think Italy is capable of revisiting its conflict with Ethiopia now.

When will Congress demand we remove troops from Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guam? The Spanish-American war was over more than 100 years ago. Speaking of which, why do we continue joint exercises with the Philippines, also a product of the Spanish-American war?

You know, there is only one war, that I can think of, in the last 100 years in which our troops didn't stick around for a while. Vietnam. The anti-war movement got our troops out of there, and thank God they did. Vietnam might have ended up like Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, South Korea, or any of the other disastrous places where our troops stuck around.

We can't afford to keep troops in Iraq, and let it become another Japan.

An update on yesterday's blog

2007-02-15T10:58:00.000+03:00

Yesterday I wrote about my concerns for the Iraqis who have worked with us and what was going to happen to them (see below). Just this morning I read some interesting news, which represents a good first step. Take a look at the legislation being considered regarding Iraqi refugees (go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/15/washington/15refugee.html). It changes the current program, which allows 50 immigrants a year, and allows up to 7,000. I am not certain if that is 7,000 total, or 7,000 per year. Regardless, it's the first time I've heard about it, and it's good news.

As an aside: I'm highly in favor of increasing legal immigration to the US. Granted, I'm biased because I'm the son of an immigrant, but, this is what our country was built on- people seeking to come here for a new life. Our country has more than enough space to accomodate folks coming here, legally. What makes our nation great is that we are united based around an idea, not an ethnicity.

I also think churches should take the lead here. I would encourage churches, or members of churches, to contact their local representatives and ask about this legislation, and offer to sponsor anyone who might come to the US under refugee status.

One last note: I believe this troop surge has a good chance of working. I know there is a lot of negativity out there. I would say this: let's be patient. Let's also show the Iraqis that we do indeed have a concern for how their country turns out. Sponsoring refugees, continuing to rebuild their economy (it has grown tremendously in the last year, which often isn't reported), and standing with them militarily are all important components.

Our Moral Obligation

2007-02-14T00:25:00.000+03:00

As our troops move forward with the new Baghdad security plan, the politicians back home- of BOTH parties- are trying to find new and creative ways to oppose the plan. I can’t really comment on their motives or their purposes, but there IS something we have a moral obligation to talk about:

What will we do with the Iraqis working on American bases when we leave?

After my Bible study today, I was speaking with an Iraqi woman who comes to our service and attends the Bible study (she became a Christian 7 years ago when Jesus came to her in a vision). She works here on the base and was talking about the persecution she faces. I asked her “What will happen when the Americans leave? Will you go back to your home town?”

She said “No. They will kill me. I will have to try to get to Jordan, maybe.” She went on to recount for me that other friends of hers who went home after working for the Americans were murdered, one man in front of his four year old daughter and wife. There are worse stories.

Friends, you may not agree with the war, and I serve in the Army to make sure you get that right, and get to voice it out loud. But we’ve got a moral obligation to figure out what we’re going to do with those working directly for us when we leave. We didn’t do that well enough in Vietnam and when we left, and there were thousands of people who suffered torture, imprisonment and death.

I believe we should offer them the chance to come to America, as did many Vietnamese after the Vietnam War. I have come to love and respect the Iraqis I have met here. They are good people. The vast majority of them want peace, but a small element, mixed with foreign fighters, is determined to ruin it. I don’t believe America has the patience or guts to see this out, but we do owe it to those working with us to take care of them, if nothing else. I’m not talking about the politicians or the wealthy folks, but the average every day people- working as translators, working in the shops on base, cleaning up the base, and so on.

As an active member of the military, I cannot advocate political causes directly while in uniform. But I believe everyone reading this should begin to talk to their political representatives. Feel free to cut and paste what I have written and pass it around via email. Or send people a link to this blog. If we’re going to cut and run, as it appears, I think we ought to at least make plans for those who stand to get hurt. Our country can handle bringing in more immigrants. We don't need to be afraid because they're different or have a different religion. Instead we should recognize we have an obligation to help them.

This blog has gotten over 35,000 hits since I started writing- which isn’t all that many when you compare it to other web sites. But what if we start emailing our leaders and making some noise about this? Can we at least do that?

Talking About Faith

2007-02-12T10:14:00.000+03:00

Last night we continued our sermon series on the book of Hebrews. This is the second week; last week we began by examining the Biblical definition of faith. We will go through chapter 11 in the book of Hebrews for the next 6 weeks. exploring the various characters shown for their exemplary faith. Last night, we discussed Abel and Enoch, which is an interesting start.

It was a great time of worship. The praise band really has a great sound, and we had 86 people show up- which is our largest group thus far. We have continued to grow each week. One aspect that is cool is the universal nature of the worship music; we have a very diverse congregation, with people from all over the world. One group that is largely represented is people from the Philippines. One of them remarked last night that the music was the same music they played in their church back home. As many of you know, I have remarked in this place that the music we play is the same as at my home church. It makes the world feel a lot smaller thinking of Christians around the world gathered in every place imaginable to praise God.

Victories and Defeats

2007-02-11T14:43:00.000+03:00

Here is an interesting article on the attitudes of victory and defeat regarding Iraq:

http://www.chieftain.com/editorial/1171182535/6

Speaking of victories and defeats, my Badgers beat the Iowa Hawkeyes in basketball last night, by 12 points, completing the season series sweep. Including their victory in football, that gives the Badgers a 3-0 record against Iowa in the two big sports. Iowa's three losses to Wisconsin equal the total of ALL Badger losses in both football and Basketball (the Badgers are 24-2 in basketball and finished 12-1 in football). :) If we keep it going, we should be on pace to get a number one seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

Should Religion Matter?

2007-02-08T10:04:00.000+03:00

On a tangent that has nothing to do with Iraq...here is a question:

Should the religion of a Presidential candidate matter? That's a question that has surfaced in the past, and will be at the fore-front, I believe, in this next Presidential election.

In 1960, many Americans wrestled with the question of whether or not we could elect a Roman Catholic as President. Eventually, Kennedy became the first Roman Catholic President. The sky didn't fall. And today, the majority of the members of the Supreme Court are Roman Catholics, and they represent the more conservative viewpoints, by and large.

So what about this next Presidential election? Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, is a Bible believing Christian. Many people do not know that, but she has been involved with a somewhat controversial Evangelical group called "The Fellowship." Along with Hillary is Barack Obama, who I believe will be her running mate. He too is an Evangelical Christian, having come to faith in the 1980s. He is not, contrary to urban legends, a Muslim.

What about on the Republican side? Rudy Guiliani is a Roman Catholic, John McCain is a Protestant, and Mitt Romney is Mormon. If elected, Mitt Romney would be the first non-Christian President in US History (note: whether the Mormon religion is considered Christian or non-Christian is subject to interpretation, but for sake of simplicity, let's just say the Mormonism is not within the boundaries of traditional, orthodox Christianity). Yet, Mitt Romney is probably more in line with the values of most Evangelical Christian than Rudy Guiliani.

It's just interesting to think about. I do think that there are some very good people running for President from both parties. While I do not agree with many of Hillary Clinton's policies, I believe that some of us in Christian community have unfairly demonized her. (And many on the left have done the same to President Bush).

For me personally, I won't vote simply based on the candidate's religion. I'm not going to endorse anyone on here, but I'll end up voting based on what I think the person will do as President.

A Little Down Time

2007-02-07T16:39:00.000+03:00

I've had a little down time, so I went out for a run. It's actually a beautiful day outside today, although I went to the gym to run. The Army does not allow the use of headphones while running outside, so I find myself running the gym more often than outside.

I ran my two miles, and did it on the treadmill in 15:15. That's ok... nothing special by Army standards. But I always feel good after running.

As I mentioned, it is a beautiful day out there today. It almost makes you feel like you're not in a combat zone, aside from the occasion rumbling, and the poof of smoke in the distance.

That's the crazy thing about war: it is so close to "normal" in many ways, and it causes one to stop and think "We can't we just stop?" In other words, why can't we "all just get along?"

If only it were so simple. There are hatreds here going back 1400 years here. It makes the differences among Christians seem quite trivial. While there has been warfare- at times- between Catholics and Protestants, it is really a very short period of time in Christian history, in comparison to the overall history of Christianity. On the other hand, Sunni and Shia Muslims have been fighting going back to just a couple of decades after the death of Muhammed. Another way of saying it is that I'm not hopeful these rivalries will be solved soon.

As a Christian, I pray daily for the people of Iraq, that they might know Christ. That may seem naive to some, but that is what will make the only difference, in the long run. I know an Iraqi woman here, who comes to our service. She converted to Christianity 7 years ago, after being visited by Christ. She faces persecution from her family, and said she fears that her brother would kill her if she went home. Those types of stories seem unbelievable to some in our world, but it's precisely the sort of thing that has happened throughout history. People willing to die for their faith- how different that is than people wanting to kill for their faith!

The Amazing Unpredictable Internet

2007-02-05T09:58:00.000+03:00

We had another great Sunday last night. Attendance was strong for worship, again, and it was communion Sunday.

We have an incredible chapel in which to worship; it was built by an Iraqi Christian family.

On a different note: my internet has been moving at an incredible speed this morning. Not only could I upload this picture, but I uploaded a bunch of pictures to a myspace site. Personally, I think myspace is quite tacky (sorry!), but I opened a page there, and you can view a bunch of pictures that I have uploaded. Go to: www.myspace.com/chrisiraq and under my little picture in the upper left corner, click on the link that says: "pics"

Also, I can't help mentioning that I was glad to see the Colts win the Super Bowl. You can't help but like Peyton Manning. Not sure why, but maybe it's because he looks like an average guy, and people can relate to him. Winning a Super Bowl will begin to cement the argument for him as the greatest Quarterback of all time. Plus, the Bears lost, and Vikings fans are always happy about that!

A Typical Day

2007-02-04T09:53:00.000+03:00

A few days ago, one of the comments asked about a typical day for me.

Well, I normally work a minimum 12 hour "shift." I typically will spend my day doing a mix of visiting with Soldiers, administrative duties (such as overseeing chaplain movement by air), preparing my sermon, or Bible Study, or BUA briefing. I do the BUA (Battle Update Assessment) twice a week. This is the meeting the Commander (in this case, the Major General) holds for assessments on how things are going. For the chaplain portion, I present a short devotional that I write. Other duties include various other briefings, such as preparing Soldiers to go home for their two weeks of leave

Some days are longer than 12 hours, more like 16 hours. On those days, especially, I pretty much get up, go to the office, work, and go back and sleep and repeat the drill the next day.

We are also expected to stay active in PT (Physical Training, i.e., exercise). We are required to take an Army Physical Fitness Test in theater. Most Soldiers incorporate PT into their day; our boss, in the chaplain section, however, forbids this, so PT is done on our "own" time. This means I have to fit it in, somewhere outside of the 12-16 hour workday!

Sunday, thank God, is usually the slowest day. The highlight, of course, is our Sunday evening worship service. Today I am beginning a new sermon series, from the book of Hebrews, on faith. Tonight we will explore a Biblical view of "faith" and over the coming weeks we will look at faith as depicted through the lives of the various people mentioned in Hebrews 11.

Email, Internet and Blogging

2007-02-01T06:45:00.000+03:00

Hi everyone. I wanted to comment on the internet accessibility over here for a moment. One of the blessings of the internet is that I get quite a few emails from family and friends back home- which I love! However, it also takes me a long time to return emails. The problem is that the internet is incredible unreliable. Some days it is non-existent (e.g., if we get a dust storm, or strong winds... which is fairly common here). Other days it is just plain slow. Yesterday, for example, I returned 4 emails, and it took me about an hour. It wasn't that I was writing a lot... it's just that the web browser kept freezing as my internet connection would fade in and out. Plus, I'm in the office 12-16 hours a day... and they're not real excited about me sending personal emails from there. I send some but mainly to my wife. :)

So... if you email me and don't hear back for 1 week, or even a month, it's not that I don't love 'ya... but it's the reality of the internet here. I have about an hour in the morning where I know I usually have a pretty good connection, and my wife and I will IM during that time, and I send off a couple of emails as well.

Also... with my blog. This is a way for me to communicate what I'm doing here, as well as my thought, opinions, things I'm reading, etc. I appreciate and love comments on the blog. However, now that the blogger has made it easier for me to block individual comments, I am making sure to block out comments that include ad hominem attacks on individuals who post, authors I quote, or myself. (ad hominen refers to personal and/or emotional arguments/attacks) Bottom line: with this blog, I'm not trying to recreate 7th grade debate club. Some people will like what I post, some will disagree. That's ok. And I don't mind comments to that effect. I might be wrong, or my perspective might be limited. But the main goal of this blog is to communicate what I'm seeing, thinking and experiencing, and not to be the center of all internet debate.

One thing I know: while I appreciate the "easy" internet access from my room, I also constantly forget how much I miss the internet speeds back home.... even on dial up computers, and the reliability. My wife and I got DSL a while back, and so I have been especially spoiled. But it's nice just to have access... even if it is inconsistent.

History

2007-01-30T08:22:00.000+03:00

One of the least understood events in history is a period of time popularly called the "Crusades," though this term is only about 150-200 years old. There is a lot of talk about this era, but not much information. Here is an interesting section from the book "The Great Divide," by Alvin Schmidt. It's a long quote, but those of you interested in history will find it interesting:

"The verb “crusade,” as Thomas F. Madden, a historian of the Crusades, has rightly noted, is a modern, not a medieval, word. The same is true with the noun “Crusades.” The latter is commonly used to refer to the European military expeditions in the Middle Ages that were launched in November of 1095 with a sermon by Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont (France) and ended in 1291 with the fall of Acre. Both the verb and noun are derived from the Latin crucesignati- “people known by the sign of the cross.”

For some time, the word “crusade” has been a highly negative term- both in the West and in the Middle East. The negative connotation of the word is currently being reinforced by many Muslims and by some of their defenders. They accuse the United States and Britain of being modern “Crusaders” in their response to the Islamist terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. There is a certain twisted logic in renewing the negative tone of the word Crusaders by applying it to the Americans and the British fighting terrorism, for it was not they who destroyed the lives of nearly 3,000 people on that tragic day. It was the militant Muslims.

Even before the events of September 11, many in the West have for some time had primarily a pejorative understanding of the medieval Crusades. They believe the Crusaders were evil because they fought the “peace-loving” Muslims in Palestine and neighboring areas in the Middle Ages. This has a lot to do with the fact that there is much about the Crusades of the Middle Ages that has not been told in history books and articles…..

Chapter 2 mentioned some of the many conquests and foreign wars (jihads) that the Arab Muslims engaged in, immediately following Muhammed’s death in 632. These Islamic jihads, it will be recalled, included invading Palestine in 633, Yarmouk in 636, Syria in 637, Jerusalem in 638, Egypt in 641, Persia in 642, the northern part of Africa in 643, and Spain in 711. Then another invasion took place, but it failed to gain a foothold in France in the Battle of Pointiers/Tours in 732.

Even after 732 the Islamic aggressions continued, spreading to other parts of Europe. Sicily was invaded in 827 and eventually conquered in 902. In 846 the Muslims entered the city of Rome, where they plundered the churches of St. Peter and St. Paul. In addition, there were intermittent attacks against Christians in Spain during the 10th and 11th centuries… in 1091 Muslims drove the Christian priests out of Jerusalem."

It certainly gives one a different take on the motivations and driving forces behind the Crusades. The author (Schmidt) doesn't defend the Crusades, but he does try to help us understand the defensive nature of the Crusades, and he makes the case that the Crusades are an exception to the norm in Christianity- a conclusion with which I concur. I'm personally fascinated by studying history because I find that so much of what the popular culture understands about history is simply not accurate. The same is true of the Crusades. Anyone interested in this topic will find an interesting exploration of it in parts of Schmidt's book.

Another Great Sunday

2007-01-29T06:09:00.000+03:00

We had a blast at worship last night. I can't tell you how much our Sunday evening service is the highlight of my week. I wrapped up a sermon series called "All Things New" focusing on the transformation God wants to work in our lives. Attendance has been up as well, which is wonderful to see.

I'm proud of the band leading worship. I, myself, am not musical- I can't sing to save my life. They, however, do an incredible job. Last night was another excellent time of worship, and I'm always on a spiritual high after the service.

I also have to add, for my Iowa friends, that yesterday was a double bonus because my Badgers beat the Hawkeyes, 57-46, to improve to 21-1. That doesn't compare with worship, but it's a nice bonus to cap the day! :)

The Iranians?

2007-01-27T06:19:00.000+03:00

I've watched with interest as the news media has reported the decision by President Bush to go after the Iranians operating in Iraq (see article). I find it amusing at one level, because the decision- which is a no-brainer- is being reported as some kind of stunning news.

Iranian operatives in Iraq? No kidding! Iran is one of the most oppressive and horrific regimes on the face of the earth. They have a lot at stake in Iraq, and having a western-style democracy crop up next door in not in their self-interest. Anyone who has followed the news knows that Iran has been helping the insurgency since the beginning; they have been reported, for example, to be manufacturing the advanced roadside bombs killing our Soldiers.

But we, as a nation, are not willing to admit what Iran is really all about. We're not willing to admit that this nation has been waging a cold war against us, and Israel, for 28 years. Beginning with the hostage crisis in 1979-1980, and continuing through various terrorists attacks, through the funding and training of Hezbollah against Israel, through the partnership with Syria against the United States, and now, as they openly develop nuclear weapons with North Korea, Iran has continued to prepare for an outright fight against us.

But we cannot bring ourselves to admit it. Americans are prone to a self-loathing that is almost comical. Certainly, we think, no one in this world can hate us without a good reason. We must have done something. We must be at fault... or maybe it's the President... or maybe, some other reason.

The Iranian issue, however, transcends all of that. They are led by a particularly repressive form of Islam that believes in the imminent return of someone they believe to be the "12th Imam" after Muhammed. The 12th Imam is a messianic figure who will wage warfare against the enemies of Islam. The President of Iran has stated this philosophy time and again, yet we're unwilling to face this reality.

Added to this are the constant threats against Israel AND the US. Iran IS developing nuclear power and their statements indicate a willingness to weaponize and use it.

Therefore, we need to view these news reports in a different light. No sane nation would allow the operatives of a hostile nation to operate on the battlefield. The fact that it's noteworthy news only indicates that most Americans haven't paid attention to the huge role Iran has attempted to play in Iraq since the beginning of the war. Leaders of both Iraq and the US have warning about the Iranian threat since day one, but some people have not been able to believe it.

Bottom line: I think it's a good step, but... it doesn't really represent anything new. It simply how we should operate. We have to protect our men and women.