An official Army press release notes that senior members of the American military participated in Islamic Iftars in Iraq, sharing meals that broke the Ramadan fast with Iraqi locals and military servicemembers.  Leaders described the meals as an opportunity to display unity, understanding, and respect for Islam:

LtCol Mark Olds, the planner for one of the Iftars on Basra, said the dinners were an opportunity for US forces to show their unity with Iraq.

“We wanted to show our understanding and respect of Muslim traditions and practices by hosting an Iftar dinner for our Iraqi partners and friends during the Ramadan observance,” Olds said. “It’s a way to sustain the strength of the partnership and foster continued mutual respect for each other’s traditions, customs and practices.”

Major General Vincent Brooks attended as well, noting:

God willing, this will be a time of fellowship and friendship tonight.

Interestingly, Brooks has previously been criticized for being photographed near Christian imagery; likewise, military officers were recently derided for participating in Christian religious events.  To this point, no one has complained about this recent association between senior US military leaders and Islam — not that they should.

“Religion and the military” is not the anathema that some try to make it out to be; the US military has no obligation to avoid association with religion at all cost — something that could actually be a strategic impediment.  The US military should be a bastion of religious freedom.  As these and a host of other events show, it most often is.