Part 2: A Solution

Disclaimer: This is a solution, and a rather radical one at that. There may be others, but I cannot see them.

The rejection of Mission Accomplished(ing) and Cut and Run ideas (see earlier entry) means that any solution is going to be much more complicated than the more basic decision of whether or not to stay. I believe the necessity to stay in the short term is vital for the future of the Iraqi people; however, strategy must change. Instead of imposing western solutions, the United States should go to the Iraqis for the solutions. Americans may not completely agree with them, but in recent months the Iraqi people have shown a willingness to work together in their own self-interest. They have helped coalition forces capture out of control insurgents from the Sadr Army and somewhat peacefully coexisted with each other during a relative lull in the fighting.

However, the hand of occupation is beginning to weigh heavily on their backs once again. There must be a movement to convince the Iraqis of the good intentions of the coalition forces. This is a movement which must embody the words of Jesus in Matthew 9:13- “I have called you to compassion, not sacrifice.” For too long, coalition forces have sought to sacrifice for the ideas of democracy and western freedom in Iraq. The act of sacrificing inherently places the focus on the one doing it. When the person sacrificing sees no fruits to their labors, frustration is understandable if not expected. Compassion, on the other hand, is an inherently unselfish thing. When someone shows compassion they do so for the sake of the receiver, becoming merely a vehicle of the action. While sacrifice depends on the actor, compassion depends merely on the need of the receiver. It is time to show compassion for the Iraqi people. I realize that it is almost impossible to tell some one to show compassion while they have orders to kill. This is why I have come to believe that the solution to the situation in Iraq must come from outside the military.

True Christians must take the lead and show the love. Imagine an Iraq flooded by American citizens standing, unarmed, between the American soldiers and the Iraqi insurgents. What a ridiculously glorious picture that would make!

For all of you laughing at my idiocy or intellectual simplicity right now, I don’t blame you. I can’t, for I would have joined you a few short months ago, maybe even a few short minutes ago (though by the time you read this I will have had time to reconsider my thoughts and arrived at the same conclusion). For those appealing to my obviously short-circuited logic, let me make an appeal to your more refined reasoning abilities. Consider the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since the birth of modern Israel in 1948 it has been engaged in a destructive cycle of violence. The history of the state can be summarized as follows; terrorist attacks followed by fiercer military responses followed by fiercer terrorist attacks followed by fiercer military responses with brief wars to break the cycle. What in the shared histories of the American and Iraqi peoples would lead you to see anything else in their shared futures if the current course of events is allowed to continue? The specter of Senator McCain’s “100 years if necessary” now looks rather gruesome, does it not?

The church must move if the sacrifices of soldiers and insurgents are not to be wasted. Without the church, policy makers will be forced to decide between hundreds of thousands of lives now and hundreds of thousands of lives over the next century. Lord, give us compassion.

Note: I realize that many people are not able to reach Iraq to show Christ’s radical love, but there are more ways to show compassion than walking into the middle of a firefight. One suggestion I would have is to send a care package to an Iraqi family as we so often send them to our soldiers. Does God not love them both equally? Other than that get creative, but do not put off taking the responsibility to love like Christ.

Part 1: The Problem

Warning: This entry is political. I use broad terms to describe divided factions of the debate on the Iraq war. They are not meant to be offensive and are not meant to judge those who hold such positions.

When the war began I supported it. As I begin to own my faith, however, I find myself loath to support war in almost all situations. But now it seems that regardless of where people placed themselves at the beginning of the war all are now split into two camps, what I will call the Mission Accomplished(ing) camp and Cut and Run camp. Wherever you look, be it the conventional media or that eccentric individual in your local coffee shop you will hear one of the two earlier perspectives on the war in one form or another.

So everyone is perfectly clear as to what I mean when I split the camps, Mission Accomplished(ing) folks claim that while the mission was not accomplished when president Bush said so some four years ago, it is being accomplished and will be if only we are patient with the process of state-building. Cut and Run people will tell you that we (the United States) have failed and it is best for us (the American People) to leave Iraq before more of us (Americans) die. Each of these views has a rather painful error.

The problem with the Mission Accomplished(ing) camp is that no occupation force has ever birthed a successful democracy, or even a non-tyrannical government, for that matter. That is the trick of state building. Regardless of the original intentions of the US government, its presence in Iraq has become occupation. Unless something is done to change the nature of the US presence in Iraq, or at least the perceived nature among the Arab community, any one taking power in Iraq will be signing their long-term execution orders.

The problem with the Cut and Run camp is that their view is plagued with either ethnocentricity (a focus on one’s own culture) or a blind adherence to pacifism without worry for the human cost. If you notice in the earlier description of the Cut and Run camp, every time a group pronoun appears it represents the American* people. This viewpoint is often plagued by an unwillingness to see the effects that a rapid withdrawal would have on the Iraqi people. If the troops quickly pulled out in the current situation it is likely that the destabilizing effect would reignite ethnic violence between Shiites and Sunnis in the vacuum of power, and Turkish reprisal on Kurdish separatists based in Northern Iraq would be swift and violent. Such a strike against people Americans would call terrorists inevitably results in large civilian casualties, as has been proven in America’s own war on terror. These two probable conflicts would likely cost hundreds of thousands of lives that need not be spent. I believe that most pacifists would agree with me that such a cost in human lives is unacceptable.

So what is my solution? Check back soon.

*I realize the military efforts in Iraq are a coalition effort, but the coalition is often ignored by the Cut and Run perspective. I also realize that the American continents hold many people other than US Citizens, but for ease of linguistics I am using the terms interchangeably.

James 1:27 – This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself undefiled by the world. (NASB)

As a result of the ongoing conflict in Darfur, Sudan more than 200,000 people have been killed. They are survived by over 2.5 million widows and orphans who have been displaced from their homes. This tragedy is being watched by the world, a world also watching to see how the church will react. In the above verse James speaks of a religion by action. In chapter 2 he asks, “If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?” (in case you’re not sure, there is no use) We are called as followers of Christ to go to those in distress and care for their needs, regardless of their religion. One should note that the two groups engaged in the Darfurian conflict, as well as the majority of the displaced people, are Muslim, but James says we are to care for orphans and widows in chapter 1, he doesn’t limit the statement to Christian orphans and widows. By not limiting it, he calls us to go to all orphans and widows. That includes those on the other side of the world as well as those in our backyard.

Thus far the Church’s response to the crisis in Darfur has been notably shameful. At this point you may think I am ranting. I might be, but if I am I hope never to do so without proposing a solution. So, rather than continuing my complaint I have a proposition; why don’t we respond? When the early church faced a problem they fasted, they prayed, and then they acted (that’s why their story is call “The ACTS of the Apostles”). We should do the same.

The displaced Sudanese have basic needs that need to be met, including clean water and hygiene kits. A group called Mercy Corps is providing for these needs. They are improving sanitation in the camps as well as providing clean water and relief items while protecting children from the roaming militias. To continue this work Mercy Corps needs our support. Since most of us as college students and young adults cannot afford to go and physically provide for these people it is our duty to support those who can.

On August 15-19 we as the Lighthouse Collective will be fasting to raise support for those working in Darfur. During this period of fasting we will raise financial support for the work of Mercy Corps in Darfur by donating the money we would have otherwise used for food as well as meeting to pray for the region. Lord willing we will be able to make an impact on this region for Christ. This will culminate with a feast on the 19th at Belle Isle Park in Detroit where we will be feeding the hungry as well as ourselves.

In James 2:18 it says, “some one may well say, ‘You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’”

Lighthouse has long been known as a group of Christians by proclamations of our faith. It is time for us to show that faith by our works.