December 24th was Christmas Eve, but it also marked the first day of Hanukkah — a day celebrated even by the US troops stationed in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan:

At sundown on Saturday, Navy Lt. Lauren Sucher of Annapolis, Md., and Navy Chief Petty Officer Kent Frosch of Washington, D.C., stepped outside at Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah.

The short Stars and Stripes article is a reminder that regardless where the US military sends its troops, it generally supports their ability to practice their religion — even if some people might find it uncomfortable.

In this case, these Jewish US troops are surrounded by an Islamic nation and an adversary that, some would say, would try to make significant propaganda out of US troops of the Jewish faith. Even so, the US military protects their right to exercise their faiths. Neither critics nor the enemy are the standards by which the US military should — or generally does — govern the rights of its troops.

Not that certain people haven’t tried.

Chris Rodda, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF research assistant, might even say these Jewish troops are “putting the safety of their fellow troops at risk” because they are “flaunting” their faith. At least, that’s what she’d say if she was consistent — since she’s said precisely the same thing about Christians celebrating their religious holidays. But consistency and principle aren’t traits often displayed by Rodda or Weinstein. Rather, their goal is to attack Christians.  That other religions do exactly the same thing is irrelevant to their mission.

In the meantime, US troops will try to enjoy their Hanukkah, Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, etc., hoping their leadership will protect them from hate groups trying to deny them their rights simply because of their religious beliefs.

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