Having just experienced a change in leadership in the United States without any violence, without any intimidation, without any major police activity of any kind during the Inaguration and its attendant festivities, we're pretty blessed as a nation. No one I know and love was in harm's way as a result of the election or the swearing-in of the new Administration.
Iraq presents a completely different picture for its upcoming election this weekend.
Many friends of mine at the 26 different Camps, FOBs, COPs, COBs, JSSs, and PBs will be directly in harm's way as a result of the Iraqi election over the next few days. I would very much appreciate prayers, good thoughts, or whatever you can muster for the Iraqis, and especially for my sisters and brothers in uniform who are putting their lives on the line for people, many of whom are extremely unhappy we're even here.
I now have too many friends/parishioners/buddies to name, but if you'd remember SPC C (the poet), SGT J (his buddy), CPT M, CPT M, and SPC J (just to name five off the top of my head), I'd very much appreciate it.
Blessings and peace to one and all,
Fr. Tim, SJ
2 comments:
Wow. Way to kiss the new President's butt there. Hey, if you can't get on board the mission - why are you in the military? How can you support the soldiers if you don't believe in their work? And what about those unborn babies that Obama is directly contributed to their demise. Great catholic ministry there father...doctor...more pompous holier than others Tim.
Actually - I'm one of the one's who provide the security for you. You cry because you have a few rockets coming at you. Try riding a convoy when you don't know when the next IED is going to be going off right under you or some sniper is going to start zinging rounds off the side of my hummer. Try riding a turrent with you head open and visible. You stress "bunch of folks don't want us here". Well I'm here to tell you that for the few that throw the rockets at you, there are many more who do want us here, are glad that Saddam is out, do not want their country ran by militants, fear a promise to rip our forces out just to win an election. Your observations only continue to misinform our citizens and make my job that more dangerous.
I love my chaplains. Most of them will jump in a hummer and go right along with me. Most of them would pick up a weapon and defend themselves or me if necessary if they were allowed. (By the way, the Geneva convention does not prohibit your carrying a weapon - you fall under the same prescriptions as medical personnel. You should read it some time. It is a command of the service chiefs that prohibit your weapon). I'd rather not have you as my brigade chaplain.
I impugned your military service? You impugned mine and hundred's of thousands of others when you want to focus on the negative situation in Iraq rather than the amazing amount of progress we have made and the likely progress we will make if we are allowed to finish the job. I fought my butt off (along with my fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines) to win this war - only now we may just give it back to those embedded radicals that are trying to impact public opinion by throwing a few unguided piece of crap lucky to hit anything rockets at you. Your comment trashes the work I and so many others have sacrificed for. You can sit in the relative safety and comfort of your FOB and celebrate your mass and say your prayers and feel all good about the amazing contribution you are making because you are some old guy who joined the military and got took in because the military can't find any priests. Feel good about yourself? How was the parish father?
ps. I'm on duty Sunday and getting ready to leave my family again for a year to serve the security of our nation. I volunteered to go. I hope we can win this war before we give it away and have to do it all over again.
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