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Onward Christian Soldiers
...No one likes to see people murdered in cold blood. But the very presence of fundamentalist missionaries in Iraq (as part of the official relief effort, no less) is a cultural and political abomination, as well as a classic example of just how seriously the Bush admnistration takes the struggle against terrorism -- which is to say, not very seriously at all.

This issue has been simmering away since shortly after the invasion, when groups such as the Southern Baptist International Mission Board and Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse began mobilizing to follow the advancing U.S. Army into Iraq. That's the same Franklin Graham who once described Islam as "a very evil and wicked religion."

...In general, I think the Southern Baptists should be free to preach their cult-like beliefs to whomever they like -- just as long as they stay away from my door. If they want to sneak into closed countries in search of a martyr's death (or, more likely, a martyr's explusion) more power to them. Personally, I think proselytizing is culturally and morally obnoxious. But so is religious repression....

But the missionary presence in Iraq -- as part of a conquering infidel army, no less -- unquestionably has been an enormous propaganda gift to the jihadists. It's hard to imagine a better way to reinforce the idea that the war on terrorism is actually a Christian crusade to subjugate Islam than to let a bunch of noisy right-wing religious bigots set up shop in the heart of an occupied Arab country -- holding badly needed relief aid in one hand and a Bible in the other. Like Jesus's general, my-God-is-bigger-than-your-God Jerry Boykin, these people are literally helping Al Qaeda promote its core message to the Islamic world.

For the Bush White House, this is simply an extention of the 'faith-based" pork barrel to foreign shores -- yet another way to cultivate the Christian conservatives. And it appears the short-term political advantages of pandering to the base outweigh the long-term damage the missionaries are doing to the administration's alleged goal of stabilizing and pacifying Iraq. By their works ye shall know them....