Holy War in Fallujah

[Ivo Skoric]

Fiercely Evangelical Marines

During the wars of Yugoslav succession, a lot of people in the
formerly atheist society turned to religion and found solace in God.
This was particularly true for the young who fought in the wars. The
pattern was identical in Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia. Only the clergy
was different (orthodox christian, catholic christian, and muslim).
In 1991, with the arms embargo blocking of importation of weapons,
Croatian ill-conceived "special forces," that were supposed to fend
of Yugoslav Army with 4 bullets per man, did not have much to rely on
except their faith. Often mixing rock music - their generational
identity, and also their western cultural distinction from the
alleged backwardness of the Yugoslav East - with the "fierce
catholicism" (term used by the New York Times). The same permeates US
forces in Iraq today. Rites of passage described below may help
individual soldiers morale, but they also do describe the present
attack on Fallujah as a crusade against the infidel. As with the
Balkan wars, one has to ask the question, what then is the real
difference between the two sides?

ivo

Published on Sunday, November 7, 2004 by Agence France Presse
Holy War: Evangelical Marines Prepare to Battle Barbarians

NEAR FALLUJAH - With US forces massing outside Fallujah, 35 marines
swayed to Christian rock music and asked Jesus Christ to protect them
in what could be the biggest battle since American troops invaded
Iraq last year.

US Marines of the 1st Division dressed as gladiators stage a chariot
race reminiscent of the Charlton Heston movie-complete with
confiscated Iraqi horses at their base outside Fallujah, Iraq,
Saturday, Nov. 6 , 2004. For U.S. Marines tapped to lead an expected
attack on insurgent-held Fallujah, the bags have been packed, trucks
have been loaded and final letters have been sent, leaving one final
task - the 'Ben-Hur.' (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

The marines drew parallels from the verse with their present
situation, where they perceive themselves as warriors fighting
barbaric men opposed to all that is good in the world.

Men with buzzcuts and clad in their camouflage waved their hands in
the air, M-16 assault rifles beside them, and chanted heavy
metal-flavoured lyrics in praise of Christ late on Friday in a
yellow-brick chapel.

They counted among thousands of troops surrounding the city of
Fallujah, seeking solace as they awaited Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad
Allawi's decision on whether or not to invade Fallujah.

"You are the sovereign. You're name is holy. You are the pure
spotless lamb," a female voice cried out on the loudspeakers as the
marines clapped their hands and closed their eyes, reflecting on what
lay ahead for them.

The US military, with many soldiers coming from the conservative
American south and midwest, has deep Christian roots.

Comforting

In times that fighting looms, many soldiers draw on their evangelical
or born-again heritage to help them face the battle.

"It's always comforting. Church attendance is always up before the
big push," said first sergeant Miles Thatford.

"Sometimes, all you've got is God."

Between the service's electric guitar religious tunes, marines
stepped up on the chapel's small stage and recited a verse of
scripture, meant to fortify them for war.

One spoke of their Old Testament hero, a shepherd who would become
Israel's king, battling the Philistines 3 000 years ago.

"Thus David prevailed over the Philistines," the marine said, reading
from scripture, and the marines shouted back "Hoorah, King David,"
using their signature grunt of approval.

The marines drew parallels from the verse with their present
situation, where they perceive themselves as warriors fighting
barbaric men opposed to all that is good in the world.

"Victory belongs to the Lord," another young marine read.

Their chaplain, named Horne, told the worshippers they were stationed
outside Fallujah to bring the Iraqis "freedom from oppression, rape,
torture and murder ... We ask you God to bless us in that effort."

Holy oil

The marines then lined up and their chaplain blessed them with holy
oil to protect them.

"God's people would be anointed with oil," the chaplain said, as he
lightly dabbed oil on the marines' foreheads.

The crowd then followed him outside their small auditorium for a
baptism of about a half-dozen marines who had just found Christ.

The young men lined up and at least three of them stripped down to
their shorts.

The three laid down in a rubber dinghy filled with water and the
chaplain's assistant, navy corpsman Richard Vaughn, plunged their
heads beneath the surface.

Smiling, Vaughn baptised them "in the name of the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit."

Dripping wet, corporal Keith Arguelles beamed after his baptism.

"I just wanted to make sure I did this before I headed into the
fight," he said on the military base not far from the city of
Fallujah.

© Copyright 2004 AFP

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Ivo Skoric
19 Baxter Street
Rutland VT 05701
802.775.7257
ivo at balkansnet.org
balkansnet.org