Chaplain John (CH Morris) DIARIES from IRAQ
Grateful Web is pleased to reprint here
his public internet diaries*
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Good Friday post from Chaplain John (4.9.04)
TEXT FOLLOWS:
FWIW
all,
Hot and sunny on Good Friday...quiet in Fallujah and
Ar Ramadi. The Coalition has announced a pause in
offensive operations. Humanitarian aid is being
searched and then allowed into the city of fallujah.
Defensive operations continue 24/7..it is all war,
all the time.
The bad guys are regrouping. So are the Marines.
The brawl will begin again...probably tonight.
All intel points to the bad guys redistributing
ammo, enlisting kids in the fight and moving for
new cover. Convoys are limited..danger of ambush
is high. Life in Blue Diamond continues, with
an edge.
Imagine a place the size of Lakeland Shores
with 5 times the population. One asphalt street,
two dirt roads. Due to the siege..no sanitation
service for three day..that includes pumping
satellites...
We are on the edge of the town..we see the
minirets of the city and we hear the immams
sermons as they rail against us....good thing
few here understand ARabic cause I can tell
you the preachers weren't teaching the golden
rule today. Morale, sky high...extra intensity
..friends are on the line. the senior nco's
and officers here,
feel the pull the most. They have served with
or trained everyone on the line..The Corps is
a small community. This is very personal.
If a person can do something to help the outcome of
the fight..they'll find a way..it's that kind of day..
all for one, one for all. I divide the day; Holy Week
service planning, convoy prayers, and COC intercessory
prayers.
First, I go to the DIV Chaplain office to meet with
the command Chaplain, CHaplain Divine..the fighting
Irishman. What a man. RC Christians...be proud..you've
got a great priest here. He spares nothing to get to
his marines. He loves marines and he loves God. He
waded into Ar Ramadi during the fire fight, three
days ago...to provide ministry at the aid station...
came back weary but satisfied he was where he was
needed. He's on the road, to all the FOB's ministering
to marines. I had the privilege of praying for him,
this morning. If he goes down the morale in this
Division would take a huge hit. They love him.
Second, I work to coordinate Good Friday, Easter
Sunrise and Protestant Easter Service. Having services
in a war zone is a little different.
A)we have to worry about getting large numbers of
people in one place. One mortar round into the right
place and you could kill alot of marines.
B)organists are in sort supply and we don't have an
organ. Music?
C)We are going to worship and it will be well
attended...we need Easter..because we live in the
valley of the shadow of death..we need the resurrection.
Third, twice a day I go to the 'Cave'..the combat
operations center..which is housed in a former
palace..poorly lit and the hub of fighting the
battle...I stand in the corner and pray for each
person/position and those they represent.
I don't know many of them, but God does. I pray for
wisdom, strength, mercy,endurance and God's presence
for each warrior all those they serve or represent.
I cover the Cave and the battle field as I look at
live imagery projected on the wall. I don't know how
the marines do it..but the COC is loaded with strack
looking marines. The senior NCO's all look like NFL
lineman.
The junior officers look like marathon runners and
the mid-grade officers look like NFL halfbacks...
the senior officers are lean, tanned and serious..
deadly serious. The place exudes the warrior spirit.
If you are a civilian I can't explain it and won't
apologize for it. If you are a veteran you don't
need to have it explained..the warrior
spirit. These marines are in a street fight. They
don't have the word 'lose' in their vocabulary.
They've been bloodied and their anger is up.
The intensity in the COC is contagious. This is
a tribe of warriors. They exist to close with and
destroy the enemy. They have their tribal mores,
rituals and rites. Their enemy has desecrated members
of the tribe and taunted the marines. They've asked
for a fight. The marines are in full pursuit and
absolutely determined to annihilate their foe.
I'm sure that sounds harsh to politically correct
ears and those for whom this type of violence is
anachronistic. It does not sound foreign here...
it is status quo. We are in a violent land, with
an evil element and they are having violence visited
upon them. There is no room here for half measures.
This is a test of wills...one side will prevail.
That is clearly understood and never discussed..
it is obvious. We aren't playing paintball...we are
at war.
Fourth, Convoy prayers...convoys go out of here
regularly. I hunt them down..pass out a small card
with a convoy prayer on it and then gather whoever
wants to pray and we pray. The number of prayers
is going up, hourly, as the ambushes continue. Here's
how intense it has become..today's standard
preconvoy brief now includes the following: "If you
drive into the kill zone..two options..drive through
and on, or reverse and drive out. Do not stop. If
you are blocked into the kill zone..displace from
the vehicle, find cover, fix the target, engage,
manuever and destroy the hostile forces. Target
selection..rules have changed...avoid civilians,
if possible. Hostile forces are now using civilians
as shields. We are not interested in losing more
marines. If you can avoid putting civilians in your
line of fire, avoid it. If not,fire to take out
the hostile forces." Implication? Chilling...we've
entered a new dimension. We are fighting an enemy who
respects no laws of humanity, knows no rules of
landwarfare and gives no quarter. How do we fight,
without become barbarians ourselves?
Fifth, ministry of presence..in a place this small..
I walk from shop to shop and just say, 'hi'..can't
tell you the number of times someone says...
"Hey, chappy..it's great to have you here."
Something about seeing a chaplain is calming to
folks this close to the fight. Good Friday in Ar
Ramadi..while you're having lunch I'll lead the
evening Good Friday service.
We will remember our Savior who willingly laid down
His life that we might live..and we'll be thinking
about young marines and soldiers who are willingly
putting their lives on the line so Iraqis can be
free....no great love hath a man than to lay down
his life for his brother....
Good Friday to you,
John
4/11/04 Easter
All,
Hope yours is a wonderful EAster, mine has been. Up
at 0500 to prep for sunrise service. Father Devine
(the fighting Irishman) and I combined to offer an
ecumenical (I had to explain that word to alot of
marines) service at 0630....45 in attendance with
the two trumpeters from the band serenading us..
outside the chapel..under a beautiful dawning sky...
quite a moving service.... All participants were
moved as we remembered our fallen marines, soldiers,
sailors and airmen..many tears shed...then we shared
the Word of Life...death doesn't have the last word...
Jesus does! Hallelujah! What a Savior.
I will long remember that service. Then a 1030
Protestant service at the Blue Diamond chapel.
Our local florist had the place decked out in flowers
(actually the wonderful navy chaplain assistants went
around the installation and plucked every flower they
could find --five of them--and decorated the place...).
It was beautiful.
We packed it with 127 marines, sailors and soldiers
and we raised the roof with praise and song. The
walls held the posters with the names of our fallen
and wounded comrades..very little between us and death
this morning..so the word of Life was so well received.
Such a joyous crowd....lots of Hoo-rah's for this
country preacher's sermon. Man, a hoo-rah tacks on an
immediate 15 more minutes to the message! God was all
over that chapel....many, many tears shed..tears of
frustration at losing loved ones, tears of joy in
knowing that God is present. I had the privilege of
telling the congregation how much you love them,
are proud of them and will never flag in your support
of them...not a dry eye in the place!!!
Thanks, America..we love you too. so many marines
stopped me to thank me for the services today..chappy
we need you here with us..can you stay? Can you join
the corps? CAn't tell you how that tugs at my heart..?
Hope you can understand how much I love these great
americans and would do anything I can to help them
accomplish their mission and get home alive.
But I have to go..and it is so hard to say 'good bye'.
Pray that God sends another chaplain for them, will
you? Then onto a convoy to Junction City..another
divine appointment or two. I have a friend from the
MN ARNG (COL Terry Dorenbusch) whose son is serving
here., he asked me to look up his son. Now you do
the math...how likely is it to find one soldier out
of 125,000 in a country bigger than California? Not
likely unless you have a big God..we do, and I did.
So fun to tell CPT Dorenbusch 'hi' from his folks.
How cool is that?! Now, on to meet up with my
psyopers here..for their own personalized Easter
service. (special ops soldiers get special treatment!)
..overnight here and then Father Devine and I are
going to take EAster to Saudi Arabia. we are going
to helo out of here to forward outposts...where
chaplains rarely go...no distance too far to share
Jesus with troops. Hope to be back to Blue Diamond
by the weekend and then to who knows where? Expect
a break in commo this week as the outposts rarely
have internet links... All, God is alive, here
and where you are. Death has no final hold on us.
That is why the Christian can offer their life in
the service of freedom and is prepared to make the
ultimate sacrifice...we serve the Risen Lord and
He has defeated death and guarantees the triumph
of life, liberty and justice.... Praise the Lord!
Christ is Risen!
______________________________________________
4/19/04
Subject: God sightings from Camp Victory
All,
The day began real early, 0230..kaboom! Haji was
sending a rocket message our way. I got the message..
no one hurt..another wild shot. Early morning convoy
from the Green Zone to Camp Victory. We tried to
Beat the morning 'rush hour' traffic..convoy brief..
"Watch out as you go under overpasses...kids are
dropping grenades into trucks..swerve when you get
to the overpasses...make it hard for them to hit you."
That's one more thing to worry about. This commuting
is getting challenging. I offer to pray for the convoy...
for the first time..every member of the convoy joins
me for prayer... all 18 soldiers!
Off we go, speeding through Baghdad and out to the
Camp. Once there my first divine appointment. I see
an SF soldier (easy to spot..they have santizied
uniforms...no insignia)..I approach him, as I do all
Spec Ops soldiers, make introductions and thus begins
a wonderful time that ends with public prayer. The
CW3 has extended to serve here. He wants to help
Iraq and the first 4 and a half months weren't
enough. Never mind that he did 6 months in
Afghanistan before that. He wants to see evil end
here and the good guys to be free.
But first, he's grieving the lost of a senior NCO on
his team. He was killed in an ambush. The NCO was a
publically professing Christian, "The most
inspirational man I've ever known." We reminisce
about his friend and the void he's left. "But you
know Chaplain. It is easier knowing he's in Heaven
and that he died doing something he believed in."
That's the hope of the resurrection, isn't it? Do
you have that? This CW3 does. So we bowed in prayer,
in front of the entire US Army, and gave thanks for
the NCO, lifted his family in prayer and then asked
God to help this CW3 as he goes back into the fight,
tonight.
That's your Special Forces, America..be grateful for
them..they are Great men. On to link up with my guys...
an overwork, under appreciated psyop support element.
They do the behind the scenes coordination work. Not
glorious, but essential. They were so happy to see
the chaplain. "Chaplain, you came out here to see
us? wow! That's cool!"
Bibles, devotionals, st michael's medals, rosaries,
etc, delivered and Then one on one ministry. Lots
of things to share with the chaplain; family concerns,
job concerns, concerns about the mission, about folks
back home supporting the mission, about the future of
Iraq, etc...
As I move from one building to the next I spy, of
all things, the state flag of Minnesota..can you
believe it?! There it is flying below the Engineer
Flag. I go into the building and inquire as to the
owner.
Turns out the General is the owner..and would you
like to meet him? Folks, you don't just get to walk
in on generals..but I did! It's been that kind of
tour of duty. BG Pollman is a reservist from Minnesota
and is the J7..he is in charge of all the engineering
that is behind the bases and camps in Iraq. Big job
for a wonderful man. He is a proud Minnesotan and
took 10 minutes to meet another guy from Minnesota.
We ended with me asking if I could pray for him.
"Yes, I'd like that chaplain." So we bowed and asked
God's blessing on him. Not everyday I get to lay
hands on a general...but I did.
Then off to find 1LT Ryan Cochran, who is out here
somewhere. I came very close today...I've got his
building and directions..tomorrow..time on target.
It's so wonderful to track down the sons that many
of you have over here. To be able to look them in
the eye and tell them of your love and then to
email the parents and share how good the sons look
and how proud they Can be of their service is a
source of real joy to me.
Finally, I continue to be blessed and awed by our
soldiers, sailors, Airmen and marines...while so
many people at home seem to take the easy path and
shirk responsibility here are a group of young men
and women that step up to the plate every day, in
heat, dirt, and in the face of evil, shoulder their
rucks and carry their rifles forward for a mission
and a cause. To say that it is a privilege to serve
them is an understatement..it's an honor.
4/23/04
Subject: Waiting for the fight to resume
All,
If you are following the news from Iraq you know things
have quieted down, a bit. What you may not realize is
how much the situation has shifted here. All the good
work done by the civilian contractors has come to
grinding halt. That's bad. All the big name companies
have pulled up stakes and sent their American employees
out of the country. That means work on electricity,
water, infrastructure is on hold. Pray that the bad
guys don't blow up, pillage and wreck what has been
done. In the meantime the Army has stopped the outflow
of troops, reversed course and beefed up. Everyone that
came into country in the last month and a half is on
line and in a battle rhythm.
The guys that were leaving are back. They are unpacking,
refueling, rearming and moving out to guard convoy routes
and provide extra security. In short...a fight is brewing..
a test of wills is shaping up. In Najaf we are backing
away and letting Ayatollah Sistani police Sadr...that
will probably work and has a lot less blowback potential
then if we had invaded the holy city, killed alot of
Sadr's militia and probably triggered a huge Shia
uprising. But Fallujah remains the focal point of
everything in Iraq. It is a very complicated situation.
On the tactical level the marines are poised to take the
entire city. Imagine taking St. Paul,MN, block by block.
That's what they have to do....and I think..in a couple
of days..or less..will start to do. They are primed,
loaded, prepared and ready. The bad guys have dug in,
in depth. They have prepared kill zones, ambush alleys,
fall back positions, deception points and 'alamo' sites.
They don't plan to surrender. They want to make Fallujah
the shining symbol of Iraqi and Islamic resistance to the
Great Satan. They want the whole Islamic world to see a
prolonged, urban fight, day after day on Al Jazeera TV.
They want to have the 'mother of all battles' with the
US.
They know they will lose but in losing they hope to win.
Sounds odd, but it is true. They want to spark an
uprising in Iraq and throughout the Muslim world. They
want to show Islami-facists that we can be beaten, that
we bleed and die like other humans. They plan to
capture and display on TV tortured marines.
This is a made for TV war and they intend to win the
ratings game.
Meanwhile we have to consider the international audience.
The EU was planning to send in economic development aid
after the transition of authority in July. They do not
support a full fledged take down of Fallujah. Do we
heed their warning and back off in order to secure their
aid, which we really need? Many Arab governments want us
to back down and they fear uprisings in their nations.
Do we risk regional instability in order to take one
city?
Many moderate Sunnis in Iraq, who want to work with us,
don't want to see the sunni city of Fallujah destroyed,
a further humiliation of the sunnis. Do we risk losing
their support, which we need for the future of Iraq,
to make an example of Fallujah.
Surprisingly some Shias in Iraq (the majority group)
don't support the take down of Fallujah. Do we risk
losing their support, which we need? On the other hand,
do we allow the insurrgents to claim Fallujah as a
symbol of resistance and use it against us as a
propoganda piece to rally more insurrgents? Now you
see the difficult dilemma our leaders and the Iraqi
leadership faces.
They need your prayers. Every course of action has
serious long term consequences. No human has the wisdom
needed for these decisions...we need God's guidance.
Meanwhile we prepare to resume offensive operations.
That means staffs plan from the hightest level (CJTF-7)
to the platoon level. Battle captains work 20 hours a
day..generals huddle with their staffs, gunnery sergeants
go over logistics, ammo plans, battle drills, snipers
move into new hide positions, special forces teams make
night rides to grab a key leader for intel purposes,
satellites take pictures, remote controled aircraft
hover over Fallujah..looking, looking, looking...intel
analysts note changes in the town.
Trenches being dug, enemy sniper positions, ambulances
unloading rpg's and guns....the chess match is being
played and the tension level is edging higher and higher.
The individual soldier or marine looks to his mates for
support. Is everyone ready for this? Do we know our
mission backwards and forward? Do we have everything we
need? The focus gets real narrow..this block, that
house, my job... Rehearsals, sand tables, over and
over..until everyone can repeat back the mission,
in detail. But privately they know this will be very,
very bloody...urban combat is. The enemy has the
high ground..it is his neighborhood. He has all the
tricks...it is up to the marines to learn the game
and gain the upper hand..that is costly....costly
in terms of blood and lives lost.
So, as I stand on the edge of the battle with 130,000
other soldiers watching the marines in Fallujah prep
to resume the offensive..I pray. I pray for our
President and his staff, for the UN, for the EU, for
the Arab World, for Paul Bremer and the CPA, for the
Iraqi leadership, for the enemy and for the marines..
from the rifleman in nw Fallujah to GEN Conway....
join me will you?
4/25/04 AM
Subject: Worship in a War Zone
All,
Hope your worship was blessed. Mine was. I worshipped
today at Victory Chapel at Camp Victory, outside
Baghdad. The chapel was packed, with standing room
only. The praise band was good, very good. All officers
from a multitude of branches; signal, engineers,
military intelligence, infantry.
Pretty unusual to have the team lead music while
packing pistols. Made me want to sing loud and do
what I was told to do! God showed up for me
when I saw a one star, standing on the side, due to
lack of seating, receiving communion from a PFC...the
ground is level before the Cross of Christ! Plus..how
great of that GEN to take time for his soul. all of
you type A's who are too busy for bible study, prayer
and worship..this GEN has a war to fight and he took
time for church..what was is your excuse for missing
worship? So moving to survey the congregation and see
Korean officers from our coalition, Australians,
British, hispanics, blacks, whites, officers and
enlisted..a taste of heaven..when every tribe and
nation will praise him.
Today is ANZAC day...the Australian/New Zealand day of
rememberance for the landing on Galipoli in WW1..we
observed it here and took time in worship to honor our
allies' war dead..very somber in this environment..
particularly after losing 5 men very near here
yesterday. Why is chapel so important in a war zone?
Because it represents so much of what we cherish, what
we miss and what we are fighting for. Everyone comes to
chapel to seek inspiration.
It is a time when we are lifted from the baseness and
cruelty of our environment. It is a reminder of peace
in the midst of war. IT is a beacon of hope in the
midst of chaos and confusion. It is a reminder of home,
friends, family and the familiar in a foreign land
surrounded by people we don't know. Chapel helps us
remember Jesus in a land that has preachers who
threaten to kill Christ-followers. We remember his
death and ponder our own. Our time of worship lifts us
from hate to love and from self to service. As I receive
communion today I am particularly aware of the host of
saints around me. I'm not alone in Iraq...I have, on my
right and left, brothers and sisters in Christ. We don't
know one another well and we only have this fleeting
service to remind us of our bond in Christ..but that
is enough to sustain me for another week. You know,
worship at home is really no different. But oh, how we
take it for granted don't we? How we complain when
the music isn't just right and the preacher is too
boring....brothers and sisters..every Sunday you can
go to church and noone is sending rockets your way....
it's a great Sunday! Every Sunday you can worship and
the minaret next door isn't spewing out your death
threat..is a great Sunday.
Every Sunday you get to choose your worship style,
service hour and flavor of preaching is a precious
Sunday. Go out and hug your preacher or priest and
tell them youlove them. Hug your choir, your acolytes
your ushers and your church staff....cause I tell you
what....they are precious, very precious.
Fresh from Worship,
John
------------------------------------------------
4/25/04 PM
Subject: God-sightings at BIAP
All,
I've moved, again. I'm staying with a psyop company at
an undisclosed location near BIAP (baghdad international
airport). Great guys, with tough missions. Here's God at
work....walking out of a huge chow hall, with about 1,000
of my closest friends I see a soldier with a bible. "Hey,
soldier, what ya readin?" "Ah, sir, the Bible." "Cool,
can I see it?" Thus begins an amazing divine appointment
with SPC French of 4/5ADA, 1CAV DIV. Turns out his wife
of one year is 5 months pregnant and living in.........
Owatonna, MN. "Ever heard of Owatonna, sir?" "Yes,
French, in fact I have. I pastored a church in Kasson,
14 miles away." "Wow...." Big smile. Well, as the
conversation continued SPC French revealed that he got
his bible in chapel today. It was his first
church service in years. He grew up in a Christian home,
went to youth group and felt called to ministry. After
school he got a job, got wrapped up in money and then
joined the Army. He drifted and drifted and drifted from
God. When he got here, learned his wife was pregnant and
realized the implications of fatherhood he realized he
needed God. so today marked a turning point..back to
church... and who should he run into after church..at
the chow hall... a circuit riding chaplain from
Minnesota. "Sir, I want to get back with Jesus..but
how?"
"Well, French let's talk..." And we did...for a long time...
then we bowed, in the middle of the 1st CAV,
in prayer....and then I gave him some material to help
him and ended with this.."French, no accident I'm here.
God sent me to tell you He never left you. He loves you
and He has a purpose for your life. This cross I'm
going to give you is a symbol of our meeting.
Everytime you look at it...remember what I told you.
I probably won't see you until Heaven. Now go fulfill
your purpose."
Off to hitchhike to my next place. When I get there...
a lone soldier in the safe house. PV1 Cunningham....
my next divine appointment. a very troubled youth,
lots of discipline problems in the army...but
he knew about Jesus...just isn't connecting...
We had a good afternoon together, sharing how
to grow in Jesus. Then, hitched a ride to
another location and lo and behold the driver,
SPC Deaton....chicago, Il.....was baptized in
basic training a year ago. " He shared his life
story with me...a painful one. "Deaton, why do you
think God sent me here tonight?" "Sir, I don't know."
"I do...to tell you he loves you, he has you on his
radar screen and he has a plan for your life."
Late tonight we'll do a bible study together.
Well, God was real busy here today...how about
where you are at? He's at work friends...if
you'll look, listen and be willing to be used..
He's at work and He'd love to work through you.
With the 1st CAV in Baghdad..
4/27/04
Subject: Through Garbage City
All,
the day for me began with the 1SG waking me up
at 0430.."Sir, get up. We SP at 0515."
"Roger, I'm up." We were convoying into the Green Zone
and then meeting ups with Wolfpack for our mission
north.
Because of our thin skinned, bullet magnet HMMVVs we
need protection to convoy to our TPT's...that is where
Wolfpack comes in. Those of you who are military
history buffs should recognize the name and concept.
We join up with 'guns for hire'...guys from the
California Army Guard who run convoy protection for a
living..if you are going there..they'll protect you.
So at first light we linked up with them and their
guntrucks. Trucks with names stenciled on them like
"widowmaker', "avenger", "Beast of Death", etc... I
prayed with my guys, before we left our compound.
But what about Wolfpack? I don't know them. They aren't
'my guys'. But they are God's sons...
so I swallow my inhibitions and go up to these tough
guys and start making small talk and asking if anyone
wants prayer. ALL want prayer. We pray. some want
bibles, crosses and devotionals.... spiritual hunger
knows no unit affiliation. Lean, mean looking soldiers
who put over 2,000 miles on their trucks in the last
15 days! IED's, ambushes, mortar attacks..you name it..
they've seen it.
Off we ran up the west side of Baghdad and north...
flying through early morning traffic. The news of the
fight in Najaf last night raised our alertness and
tension level. We expect blowback, in a big way.
We run the first two legs of the without a hitch.
One IED cordoned area impedes us. We take an
alternate route. Get to our destination..do
our business and start to fly home... something's
not right...traffic isn't flowing normally.
We run into another IED cordoned area...
soldiers have it sealed off and are awaiting
EOD to blow the suspicious object. We pass around.
We pull off, into a FOB and no sooner clear the gate
than a huge explosion sounds in the distance.
A plume of smoke and dust shots 100-200 feet in the air.
It looks to be a mile or two behind us, on the route
we just took. A huge convoy behind us was hit....
we weren't. One convoy passes safely, another gets
hit....how does this work? Is this God's protection?
Some guys say, "luck". I say, 'answered prayer'.
All give thanks.
Off on the second leg...the NTV (non-tactical vehicle--
you know as a SUV--a bigger bullet magnet than an HMMV)
blows a tire at 75mph...they fight it to the side of
the road. This is serious. We are in a bad
neighborhood..far from home. We circle the wagons on
the freeway...pull security and workhard to change that
tire. We made a Nascar pit crew look
sorry....we pull, change and replace with spare in 10
minutes...fear of death will do that for you....And
we are back on the road. Our route leads us through
a huge landfill. Rosemount sized-landfill. smelly,
filthy and populated with a village in its midst!
In the middle of the garbage of Baghdad is a
town...people whose home is made of the garbage of
others.
People who raise families in the filth of others.
People who make a living picking over the remains
of others. I see five women filling their water
buckets in the fetid, pool of stagnant water that
edges the landfill. What kind of life is this?
I only see two types of women in rural Iraq...the
child and the old woman..no one in between.
Life appears to be so hard that children grow old
prematurely. so beneath the abiya's and burkhas
are old women, broken by hard labor and diseased
by the filth of the garbage city.... If all we do as
a nation, in Iraq, is to get one child out of that
garbage dump and onto a life of learning, health
and productive labor...we've done something noble.
Who lives in a dump near you? Maybe not a garbage
dump...but a mess of pain, depravity, lack
of opportunity.....what will you do for them?
Me, I prayed for the garbage people....and I offered
my service, for His glory and their welfare. And you?
John...
From outside Baghdad...
please pray for the soldiers in Najaf and Marines
in Fallujah...this is an ugly day for them...and
a long night ahead.
___________________________________________________
4/28
Subject: The toughest job in the world
All,
As I write you the fighting rages in Fallujah. Can I
give you a perspective you won't get on TV. the marines
have a very tough fight on their hands; urban fighting
in the middle east. That means going down filthy
streets and narrow alleys into flat roof homes that
are tailor made for ambushes.
Many roof tops will have snipers. They are walking into
an elaborate defense that the bad guys have had weeks to
prepare. It is hot, dusty, unbelievably noisy and they
live with constant stress. They will have hours of
vigilant boredom, followed by minutes or hours of
unceasing mayhem. Every step the marines take will
be on CNN and Al Jazeera. When the bad guys act badly
they lose nothing in the world opinion polls. Why? we
expect fanatics to do fanatical things. But when the
marines are pressed into shooting up a mosque or bombing
a house with a family in it because 10 bad guys are
killing them from that house well,then the marines
lose cool points because marines aren't suppose to
shoot mosques or kill bystanders... They will be
thirsty, hungry and dirty. They may not get
resupplied for two to three days, depending
on the part of Fallujah they fight in.
They will call fire down very near themselves via
the air or artillery. I don't know if you've had
artillery come down near you, but it can upset your
equilibrium pretty fast.
They can be certain that if captured they
will be mutilated, tortured and murdered.
They will hear the enemy taunting them from
some of the local mosque minirets. They will
be fired on from mosques and they will know
that ambulances will resupply the bad guys
with ammunition. They will face children with
guns and women as human shields. They have
the toughest job in the world. But every
soldier here has tough job as well.
You are asking us to be 'peacekeepers'
in a war zone. We were trained to close with,
engage and destroy the enemy. You are asking
us to close with, engage and ?????????? what?
Befriend, beware of, apprehend, kill the enemy,
occupied, friend???? If is very, very confusing
for this 48 year old chaplain..what do you think
a 19 year old turret gunner on a bradley fighting
vehicle thinks?
Our well trained warriors are on edge. They get
fired on, mortared and attacked by a small
percentage of the population but are never
certain who is friend of foe. They are asked
to balance the alertness of a warrior and
the kindness of a humanitarian relief worker.
That is an impossible task. We can be one or
the other...but not both simultaneously.
But we try..and most of the time get it right.
But sometimes bad things happen...we roll through
on patrols..tense, not certain who is good and who
is bad..and someone doesn't heed our commands...is
it a language problem? hearing problem? We don't
know. And we can't take the time to find out.
Why? because that may be a suicide bomber barreling
down us.
That may be a guy with an rpg on his front seat
waiting to blow us away so....we shoot them.
American weaponry is very leathal..a bradley main
gun can turn a toyota pick up into hamburger in
seconds,... did we kill an innocent person?
Sometimes we do. After a while hardness sets in...we
don't want to shoot innocent people...but who knows
which is which? I don't want to take anything away
from the marines in Fallujah or the soldiers on the
line in Najaf..they are the point of the spear today
and deserve our respect and prayers. What I do want
to do is help you be mindful that every soldier here,
that goes outside the wire, and convoys, patrols or
moves among Iraqis has the world's toughest job..the
toughest job..warrior/peacekeeper. We need your
prayers..the job is getting tougher and summer
hasn't even begun.
God bless from Iraq,
Subject: more from the war
All,
The rear echelon...I've been far, far forward and
way, way back in this war. Although, technically,
there are no 'fronts' in this war, and all of us,
irrespective of locati