Saving their Souls in Fallujah?

**Danny** · 05-29-2008

Whomever is doing this should stop, and even as a Christian I can say this with certainty. Constabulary authority doesn't mix well with evangelism. Some well-meaning but unwise young man just needs to be counseled. Good job for a 2nd Lt. Ten or Fifteen minute conversation, everything cleared up.

However ... I doubt that the story is as big as made out to be in this article. It sounds to me like someone was searching for a story to write.

**Ken White** · 05-29-2008

failure, pure and simple. I have little doubt his first line boss knows he's doing that -- and NO doubt that he should know and should've never let it happen.

If, of course it happened at all...

**selil** · 05-29-2008

You have no idea how this is playing in the bayous and backwoods of the bible belt. Oh my gosh the absolute riot that any muslim who takes offense should be crucified (direct quote).... Ouch...

**Adam L** · 05-30-2008

Can anyone tell me about what exactly those being deployed to Iraq are being taught about Islam's views on converts? Specifically what is being taught about those who convert from being Muslim. From what I've read, this is the most evil of actions. Infidels are apparently better than those who convert away from Islam. (This isn't meant to sound critical. I am actually curious about what troops are being taught.)

Adam L

**Schmedlap** · 05-30-2008

You cannot single-handedly accomplish the mission. But you sure can screw it up.

Flagrant stupidity should be an offense meriting judicial punishment under UCMJ. It is certainly more damaging to the mission than smoking pot during leave or getting a DUI (both candidates for UCMJ action).

Target practice with a Koran in Iraq (a Lithuanian Soldier and two ANA Soldiers were killed in Afghanistan after people freaked out over this) and handing out coins with bible verses in Fallujah (thanks for reinforcing the AQI propaganda) seem to fit neatly into that category.

**Adam L** · 05-30-2008

Originally Posted by Schmedlap

You cannot single-handedly accomplish the mission. But you sure can screw it up.

Flagrant stupidity should be an offense meriting judicial punishment under UCMJ. It is certainly more damaging to the mission than smoking pot during leave or getting a DUI (both candidates for UCMJ action).

Target practice with a Koran in Iraq (a Lithuanian Soldier and two ANA Soldiers were killed in Afghanistan after people freaked out over this) and handing out coins with bible verses in Fallujah (thanks for reinforcing the AQI propaganda) seem to fit neatly into that category.

You are absolutely right. It's hard to get things right, but it is too easy to screw things up. Incidents like this have almost unlimited utility as propaganda for our enemies. It actually plays into their long running propaganda that we have been waging a holy war against them. On your point of judicial punishment, you have a good point. I am not familiar with the UCMJ. As far as I am concerned, with it being all but impossible for someone not to know how people have reacted to similar incidents in the past, this is reckless endangerment at minimum.

Adam L

**120mm** · 05-30-2008

Ironically enough, this "Christian" gets a FAIL for "obeying the authorities God has placed over him...."

We have an idiot on post who tries this crap with our COBs. He hasn't been UCMJ'd.... yet.

**Sarajevo071** · 05-31-2008

Originally Posted by Danny

However ... I doubt that the story is as big as made out to be in this article. It sounds to me like someone was searching for a story to write.

Originally Posted by selil

You have no idea how this is playing in the bayous and backwoods of the bible belt. Oh my gosh the absolute riot that any muslim who takes offense should be crucified (direct quote).... Ouch...

You should see what Salafi sites saying on all this... It is not that small incident for them.

This story remind me on time when Catholic "humanitarian" organization (CARITAS) refused to gave food and milk to people unless they can show them that one is Christian... So, I guess, story is big in many different circles regardless on polarity and with different reasons.

**Tom Odom** · 05-29-2008

Originally Posted by Danny

Whomever is doing this should stop, and even as a Christian I can say this with certainty. Constabulary authority doesn't mix well with evangelism. Some well-meaning but unwise young man just needs to be counseled. Good job for a 2nd Lt. Ten or Fifteen minute conversation, everything cleared up.

However ... I doubt that the story is as big as made out to be in this article. It sounds to me like someone was searching for a story to write.

All true...

but it was in the Ebird so Ken is prolly right about E-ring reverberations...

**RTK** · 05-29-2008

2 COAs.

1. Someone really believes it's his duty to convert the Fallujah people to Christianity.

2. Some one or some platoon got their seventh care package from a Christian group and thought it would be funny to hand all the coins out.

"I'll take 'Second and Third Order Strategic Effects of Tactical Actions' for 2000, Alex."

**Ken White** · 05-29-2008

and the rest of the day off...

wm · 05-29-2008

Originally Posted by RTK

2 COAs.

1. Someone really believes it's his duty to convert the Fallujah people to Christianity.

2. Some one or some platoon got their seventh care package from a Christian group and thought it would be funny to hand all the coins out.

"I'll take 'Second and Third Order Strategic Effects of Tactical Actions' for 2000, Alex."

How about "Monty's Cookie Jar (a variant on Door Number 2)--
Some evangelist gave the young stud a bunch of coins prior to deployment--sort of like the lady who got on the bus I was taking from San Fran International to Travis AFB en route to places Oriental. She gave me a handful of religious tracts and said, "Read this son and pass some out. It will comfort you when your plane crashes into the Pacific, like mine did."