Watch where you put that bumper sticker soldier

It would appear the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff is only too aware that the politicization of the US military needs to be addressed. In the lead article of Joint Force Quarterly, Admiral Michael Mullen lays it on good and thick. He makes no bones about it: If you wear a uniform you will stay clear of politics. Period.

Given the politicization of the US military that has taken place under the Bush administration, particularly at the hands of Rumsfeld, who demanded fealty over military and naval expertise, Mullen is clearly giving the reins a good yank. He ends his column with a line which spells it out very cleanly.

The only thing we should be wearing on our sleeves is our military insignia.

Of course Mullen isn't in a position to issue orders to politicians but his message to the likes of John (Bomb 'Em!) McCain is clear. After having sent out a fundraising letter which clearly involved active duty troops serving in Iraq and contained a photo of General David Petraeus, Mullen expect the politicians to keep their hands off serving members.

Mullen could have gone a little further. He might also have told US service personnel to keep their religious beliefs to themselves as well. Want to attend religious services? - fine. Want to worship next to your bunk? - fine. Want to force-feed Iraqis with your Christian fundamentalist beliefs like some 10th Century crusader? - You're in violation of the US constitution.

Mullen may not be fully aware of what some members of the US military in Iraq are up to, but now there are a bunch of them bent on converting Iraqi Muslims to Christianity.

Some U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq appear to have launched a major initiative to convert thousands of Iraqi citizens to Christianity by distributing Bibles and other fundamentalist Christian literature to Iraqi Muslims. A recent article published on the website of Mission Network News reported that Bible Pathway Ministries, a fundamentalist Christian organization, has provided thousands of a special military edition of its Daily Devotional Bible study book to members of the 101st Airborne Division of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, currently stationed in Iraq, the project "came into being when a chaplain in Iraq (who has since finished his tour) requested some books from Bible Pathway Ministries (BPM).” “The resulting product is a 6"x9" 496-page illustrated book with embossed cover containing 366 daily devotional commentaries, maps, charts, and additional helpful information," the Mission Network News report says. Chief Warrant Officer Rene Llanos of the 101st Airborne told Mission Network News, “the soldiers who are patrolling and walking the streets are taking along this copy, and they're using it to minister to the local residents.”

And soon, they'll be spreading the word in another theatre.

"Our division is also getting ready to head toward Afghanistan, so there will be copies heading out with the soldiers," Llanos said. “We need to pray for protection for our soldiers as they patrol and pray that God would continue to open doors. The soldiers are being placed in strategic places with a purpose. They're continuing to spread the Word.”

And, yes, it is against military regulations to "spread the word".

"Such fundamentalist Christian proselytizing DIRECTLY violates General Order 1A, Part 2, Section J issued by General Tommy Franks on behalf of the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) back in December of 2000 which strictly prohibits "proselytizing of any religion, faith or practice," said Weinstein, a former Reagan administration White House counsel, former general counsel to presidential candidate H. Ross Perot, and former Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG).

It gets even better, especially if you like the idea of comic books depicting Muslims and Mohammad burning in hell because they didn't accept Jesus as their saviour.

The answer, of course, is to round up those who are proselytizing and court martial their asses off.

Mullen has a lot of work to do.

H/T Cat