Petraeus draws criticism for saying Christian book ‘should be in every rucksack.’
Petraeus draws criticism for saying Christian book ‘should be in every rucksack.’
Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq who will soon take control of Central Command, has found himself embroiled in the “ongoing conflict over religious proselytizing in the U.S. military.” Petraeus’ published endorsement of an Army Chaplain’s Spiritual Handbook for Military Personnel, in which he says “it should be in every rucksack for those times when soldiers need spiritual energy,” has led a watchdog group to call for Petraeus’ dismissal and court martial. The book’s author now claims that the endorsement wasn’t meant to be published:
But the endorsement - which has spurred a demand by a watchdog group for Petraeus’ dismissal and court martial on the grounds of establishing a religious requirement on troops - was a personal view never intended for publication, the book’s author now says.
“In the process of securing … comments for recommending the book I believe there was a basic misunderstanding on my part that the comments were publishable,” McCoy said in an Aug. 19 email to Military.com. “This was my mistake.”
Mikey Weinstein, the head of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, says that it “strains credulity” that Petraeus didn’t know his private written endorsement of the book had been public since last year. But Petraeus’ spokesman Col. Steven Boylan says Petraeus was unaware because he has been in Iraq since February 2007.
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35 Responses to “Petraeus draws criticism for saying Christian book ‘should be in every rucksack.’”
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But, but, if you can Petraeus who will lead the Crusade?
And isn't the general number one on McSame's adviser list?
Oh my, what's a republiscum to do?
August 20th, 2008 at 9:38 pmIt looks like one of McSpin's "wisest men" said something extremely unwise.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:41 pmDarryl: "There are no atheists in a foxhole." Maybe not Darryl. but there's gays and minorities and Democrats. Oh my.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:50 pmI am afraid our military is no longer a military of citizen soldiers but one of Christian theocrats.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:55 pm"The GOP and GOD thank you for taking that bullet in the neck. Here's your autographed copy of the Bible; your page-turner will be here at noon."
August 20th, 2008 at 9:55 pmSeems like coordination with McCain camp.Just after the Saddleback farce, this from the top Gen in Iraq .Don't underestimate the repuke for stealing the story lines & coming up with new ones folks.Now don't be alarmed by a terror attck somewhere soon.It's the "shock doctrine" folks
August 20th, 2008 at 9:57 pmwe'll have plenty of time to read the bible when we are at home getting more "training and education"
that line is from a new attack ad against mccain on equal pay. he is utterly rediculous
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKrqzyKw0gk
August 20th, 2008 at 10:04 pmIs TP just playing to Daryll at this point? And where's bitblt?
August 20th, 2008 at 10:04 pmdbadass, ralph suspects Daryll is "shaking the devil off" at the moment.
Perhaps bit is searching for a biblical passage that explains why it's not a sin for Daryll to shake thus.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:15 pm"rucksack" is the German word for backpack. Does Petraeus think he's Rommel?
August 20th, 2008 at 10:35 pmThey already saw that weird Narnia movie. Do they really have to read the book?
August 20th, 2008 at 10:38 pmI should say that I have great respect for military chaplains. Probably more than any other preachers, regardless of denomination. Because, chaplains are about as close as most combat soldiers will ever get to legitimate psychological care in the field.
That being said, there is no more destructive human institution than a Crusading army. No men do such evil as those who Believe their violence is Blessed by God. And while the Reichwingers seem to have latched onto Russia as a projection of all that's not appropriate "in the 21st Century", I have a message for them.
EFFING RELIGIOUS CRUSADES ARE INAPPROPRIATE IN ANY EFFING CENTURY!!!
And if we don't manage to get our Crusading armies under control soon, we just might trigger the Great Bloodbath the psycochristians so desperately desire.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:41 pm"rucksack" is a perfectly good English word, although I haven't heard it in years.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:43 pmDamn. Now they even have Army Chaplains throwing themselves under the bus for the Praetorian cause. These people worship Satan, bigger than shit. If he were a true Christian he’d be doing that testimony thingy that they do.
So it is written, or something.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:43 pmUmmm, I seem to recall him making a few trips to the States.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:45 pmAnd once again the Bush appointee, who also happens to be the one in charge, will escape unscathed while the underling, in this case the author who "misunderstood" how he was to use Petraeus' written endorsement, will take the fall.
Standard Operating Procedure - move along, nothing new here.
PEACE
August 20th, 2008 at 10:50 pmWait a minute. So McCoy says the endorsement wasn't to be published, nothing to see here, move along? So in other words, Petraeus got caught stating his true beliefs but we should ignore them because we weren't supposed to know.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:50 pmDaddy, what's 'Seperation of Church and State' mean? Son,that's the way it use to be in the USA.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:50 pmAnd won't captured soldiers' bibles make for great PR in the Muslim world?
Peabrain.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:54 pmOn a related topic. C&L has a Bill Mhaer clip up that's worth the watching. As is the trailer for Religulous.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/08/20/bill-maher-vs-sen-mark-pryor-religulous-talking-snake/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB8fPJ6zds8
August 20th, 2008 at 10:57 pmI had no idea my illegal orders were going to be publicized. If I had known I would have taken greater steps to keep them secret.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:08 pmwisedup Says:
Daddy, what’s ‘Seperation of Church and State’ mean? Son,that’s the way it use to be in the USA.
--------------------------
"Son, it's what those Godless, Birkenstock-wearing liberals used to prattle on about before we sent them to those detention centers near Denver following the Democrat convention."
August 20th, 2008 at 11:16 pmDear soldier, Here is your slightly-used copy of 'The Spiritual Handbook for Military Personnel'. Please ignore all of the the previous owner's tears and blood stains. Yours truly, Dick.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:21 pmI agree with Patreus. Haven't any of you goddamn liberals been caught in the woods with no toilet paper? What better to wipe your ass with than a copy of some religious screed?
He also recommended keeping several tiny crucifixes in the old rucksack in case you are missing any tent stakes.
Pragmatic that man.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:26 pmUh... you mean THIS Col. Boylan?
A bizarre, unsolicited e-mail from Gen. Petraeus' spokesman
This guy is an A-#1-Freak who spends his time proselytizing for Jebus and planning for endless war.
Read the Glen Greenwald piece on Boylan and ALL the subsequent articles about Glen's interaction with him. It'll scare the crap out of you.
That this kind of person could rise to the level of Colonel in our military is a disgrace.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:33 pmPetraeus is a grasping, soul-selling climber.
As for Col. Boylan, it is obvious from his emails to Greenwald that he has a problem with getting drunk and angry before hitting the send button.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:30 amBut Petraeus’ spokesman Col. Steven Boylan says Petraeus was unaware because he has been in Iraq since February 2007.
Boylan is a dishonest piece of scum. Glenn Greenwald has already nailed this lying sack'o'sh*te (particularly here).
Cheers,
August 21st, 2008 at 12:35 amPetraeus is just another "Christian" hypocrite who happens to kill people.
Hey buddy, "Sanctity of life", heard of it?
August 21st, 2008 at 2:18 am.
Onward Christian soldier... KILL, KILL, KILL!
.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:04 am.
Will Betray-us have the Ten Commandments redacted?
.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:05 amOops... forgot the link to the above post:
Onward Christian Soldier... KILL, KILL, KILL!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPniJnbJkck
enjoy!
August 21st, 2008 at 3:08 amSometimes the cannon fodder needs blind faith and a little extra motivation.
August 21st, 2008 at 3:38 amAnd to think, some folks are still skeptical about the degree to which the Christianist psychos are trying to take over the U.S. armed forces.
Lots of these wackjobs have put in quality time on bases in Texas (esp. Ft Hood) and Colorado (esp. Colorado Springs).
August 21st, 2008 at 3:27 pmSo, we need to train people to kill other humans without conscience, while providing them with spiritual guidance,
August 21st, 2008 at 5:00 pmwhich points to the conclusion that we are all one.
You are indeed transcendent, General Petraeus.
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