Tag Archives: Iraq

US Troops Celebrate Easter in the Middle East

US troops celebrated the resurrection of the Jesus Christ around the world, including in the Middle East:

U.S. Army Soldiers deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield greet the Easter morning sunrise on a hilltop in Jordan less than 60 miles from where many Christians recognize as the resurrection site for Jesus of Nazareth, April 4, 2021. (Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Suzanne Ringle, Task Force Spartan Public Affairs)

A few years ago, Chris Rodda claimed Read more

A Muslim Became a Christian US Soldier. Mikey Weinstein Isn’t Happy.

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, self-described defender of religious freedom in the US military, returned to rare form yesterday and excoriated the US military because it published a story about a US Soldier — and she’s a Christian.

In what is likely an intentional Public Affairs and recruiting effort, the military has long had a practice of publishing personal interest stories on its troops. While there are many “average Americans” profiled, there are also many stories about US troops with relatively unique and significant experiences. There are many stories about growing up in impoverished or oppressive countries, living in fear or struggle before coming to America, and wanting to “give back” to the country they feel has given them so much.

About a week ago, the US Army published such a story about US Army SPC Zahraa ‘Katya’ Frelund, who, as an Iraqi teenager in 2009, ran away from what she knew and into the arms of US troops on a US Army base in Baghdad. The Army Captain she met there told her Read more

Indivisible: Movie Will Tell Story of US Army Chaplain (Video)

In 2012, this site noted the story of US Army Chaplain Darren Turner — a chaplain who had served a 15-month tour in Iraq and then returned home to face the very demons he’d tried to help his Soldiers survive. His struggles would eventually lead to separation from his wife. Finally facing reality, he quit the Army and worked to reconcile with his wife. They were soon back together and, as a couple, agreed to rejoin the Army to serve the troops in their calling from God.

Chaplain Turner’s story is the subject of a new movie, Indivisible, which will Read more

Mikey Weinstein: Southern Baptists are Terrifying, Existential Danger

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF recently had a case of the vapors when they read the Southern Baptist Convention’s chaplaincy website, which includes the 1941 quote from Alfred Carpenter that

Every chaplain is a missionary in uniform, and an evangelist at large…

Weinstein’s group let loose the vitriol:

MRFF’s Constitutional [sic] civil-rights [sic] battle for separation of church and state in the U.S [sic] military faces vicious opposition from fundamentalist evangelical Christian dominionists hell-bent on ensuring military chaplains function as “government paid missionaries”…

As previously discussed, every Christian Read more

American Ally Bans Public Display of Israeli Flag

The Iraqi parliament “unanimously” voted to reinstate a law that bans the public display of the Israeli flag — an apparent response to Israel’s support for the recent Kurdish independence referendum:

Israel was the only country to publicly support the referendum for an independent Kurdish state in northern Iraq that took place in September…

In a show of gratitude for Israel’s support, Kurds proudly waved large Israeli flags at massive rallies held ahead of the vote…

Israel had long supported Kurdish uprisings against former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

For those keeping track, the United States of America has expended vast amounts of money, effort, and human life in “liberating” and then rebuilding Read more

Aviation Museum Celebrates First F-16 Air to Air Kill

The Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor recently rolled out a freshly repainted F-16A with the name of retired Air Force Gen Gary “Nordo” North on the cockpit. Gen North — then a LtCol and squadron commander of the 33FS — was flying an F-16 when he shot down a MiG-25 violating the Southern No Fly Zone over Iraq in 1992.

The kill marked the first-ever air-to-air kill by an F-16, and also the first-ever air-to-air kill with an AIM-120 AMRAAM — much to the chagrin of the F-15 Eagles whose sole role was air combat, and who carried the AMRAAM as their exclusive active radar guided missile.

There’s one issue, however. We can forgive Read more

1 2 3 … 24