The deaths of Saddam Hussein’s sons — Uday and Qusay Hussein — will bring increased peace and closure for the Iraqi people, said United States Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld July 24.
In an article from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Rumsfeld said he hoped the brothers’ deaths, along with the release of photographs of their dead bodies, would convince Iraqis that the Hussein regime is gone, and therefore end attacks on troops by regime holdouts.
The DOD had also announced just the day before, July 23, its plans to reduce the number of troops in Iraq by bringing more troops home.
With the tension of the attacks on U.S. soldiers possibly calming and the relief of more soldiers coming home, it could be easy for Americans to think of the soldiers less and less. But many say the remaining troops need prayer and support now more than ever.
Maj. Tom Bryant, a public affairs officer with the Army’s 5th Corps Headquarters, returned to his parents’ home in Grand Bay June 6 after being stationed in Baghdad.
“Even though the major combat is over, the war is still on,” Bryant said, noting soldiers now have more time to reflect and worry. “They’re not as busy, so they have more time for the mind to wander and worry about themselves and home and going home.”
Although many soldiers have said the Iraqis they meet are thankful for their new freedom and even helpful, attacks on U.S. and international military forces by Iraqis and militants of other nationalities continue.
Still Bryant, who grew up in First Baptist Church, Grand Bay, was quick to point out
that he and the other soldiers counted it an honor to be able to fight for their country. “We are 100 percent committed to our job, and our job is to fight the nation’s wars,” Bryant said.
Bryant, who was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany, with his wife and two children prior to the war, said the biggest source of support for soldiers is prayer and mail. “We always love to get mail; it’s a great morale booster,” he said. “But the number one thing we need is prayer.”
While anxious to not be perceived as complaining, several soldiers have shared prayer concerns through e-mails and phone calls.
Al Blankenship, a deacon at First Baptist Church, Clanton, said in an e-mail to First, Clanton, Pastor Larry Michael that the military is fighting 120-degree daytime temperatures as well as bacteria and parasites caused by open sewage in the cities.
However, “This is to be expected and we do not have it any worse than anyone else in this country,” Blankenship wrote.
Another soldier stationed in one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces in Baghdad said his unit did have access to the swimming pool and an air-conditioned TV room. However, these amenities did not overshadow his need for prayers from home.
Peace from prayer
Remembering the effect of prayers from home, Bryant said prayer and his faith were the two things that sustained him during the five months he was in the Middle East — first in Kuwait, then Baghdad.
He noted a specific time he felt the prayers of his family and members of his parents’ church, First Baptist Church, Tillman’s Corner. It was during the sandstorms that hit the troops in late April and early May.
The 5th Corps headquarters was responsible for coordinating the troops of not only the 5th Corps, but also the 3rd Infantry and other divisions as they moved toward Baghdad.
During the sandstorms they were having trouble getting supplies to the forward divisions of the 3rd Infantry, he said, noting frustration was high.
“All of a sudden, I had a peace that came over me,” Bryant said. “It’s easy to forget the Lord is in control, but no matter how hard or difficult the situation is, He’s 100 percent in control.”
Another prayer concern the soldiers shared is prayer for their leaders, both civilian and military, as well as their spiritual leaders — the chaplains.
Bryant said the chaplains were essential to his unit in terms of the counsel and prayer they provided, as well as the counsel they gave and services they led. “Talk about a morale boost, when you walk into church in uniform and with your weapon on, it’s weird,” Bryant said. “But you soon forget all of that and are singing hymns and worshiping.”
He added that it was a blessing to serve under military leadership that went regularly to church. The commanding officer, Lt. Gen. William Wallace, attended church every Sunday and set a tone for the entire unit, Bryant said.
“To look over and see three stars on his uniform and know [he has] the weight of command for tens of thousands of soldiers, and know that he’s turning to the same Lord I’m turning to is such a comfort,” Bryant said.
He said he hoped the presence of such Christians would bring the Iraqis to know God, although the language barrier made it difficult to witness to them. He asked that churches pray for the Iraqis’ salvation.
Blankenship also requested prayer for those Iraqis involved in attacks on the troops, as well as those who are trying to get revenge on the Baathe Party. “The population is well aware of our duty and [we] have not found very many that challenge us, however the people are extracting vigilante justice on the members of the Baathe Party that carried out Saddam’s brutal regime,” he explained.
“Please pray that these people will cease this activity,” he said. “It is promoting loss of life that is not necessary [as well as] causing the progress of growth to be stifled.”
Blankenship also mentioned that individuals from Iran and other countries are entering Iraq and trying to incite conflict.
Bryant encouraged churches and individuals to also pray for the families of those who have died during the combat. “They have suffered a great loss and need love and support,” he said.
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