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An unpopular, costly, and supposedly failing war, with no end in site. Did you imagine the Vietnamese War? Nope. I’ve just described the opinions regarding the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States started this war with good intentions, attempting to seize the nuclear weapons held by Iraq, and capturing Osama Bin Laden, yet no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq and Osama Bin Laden is now hiding somewhere in Afghanistan. As American opinions of the war wane one has to wonder, will we repeat the mistakes of the past?

What is the War on Terror?

The War on Terror is simply described as the war on militant radicals around the world who are harming defenseless civilians. These radicals are fighting against many of the laws the United Nations prescribed to modern warfare. But according to Chuck Roots, pastor and Retired Military Chaplain, the term is something of a misnomer. “Terror is an emotion. Terrorism, on the other hand, is an action brought against a person or nation. Because of the events of 9/11, and the thirty years of other terrorist activities brought against the United States and our people/interests around the globe, it was determined that we needed to take the fight to the enemy. “

Why Don’t the Terrorists Like Us?

So what did we ever do to them? Roots explains there are three basic reasons why the Terrorists seek to destroy Americans and their interests.

1. First, there are people who have ideological, philosophical and theological differences with us as Americans. Because of the culture of Islam, everything in life is religious. There is no such thing as the “separation of church and state.” In their perverted thinking they have justified the killing of anyone who is not like them or doesn’t think and believe like them. Even if we as Americans all converted to Islam, they would believe they are in the right to kill us because we were infidels prior to our conversion. Thus, our acceptance of Islam could be called into question.
2. Second, because we are Americans, we have a far superior life as far as enjoying the blessings of this world. Our citizens are wealthier than anywhere else in the world. Muslims live in arid lands that are primarily desert, wind-swept, desolate places. Only with the discovery of oil in the Persian Gulf and its surrounding environs has this people managed to enjoy anything remotely close to the comforts and abundance we enjoy in the USA. This truly angers many Muslims who feel they should be the ones blessed by Allah instead of the infidel Americans.
3. Third, this is a war that will never cease until either Muslims are thoroughly defeated, or Jesus comes back first. Why do I say this? Because Muslims believe it is their mission in life, based upon the teachings of the Koran, to engage in conquering all nations for Islam. Every country is to be subjected to Allah, Sharia Law, and the final example of jihad.

Occupation vs. Liberation

The United States, unlike any other country, approaches war in a very different way. Rather than permanently occupy a nation that violates UN sanctions, the U.S. is a liberating force. “The United States is not an occupying force, except in the sense that we enter a nation to destroy their army, then we sit there until the folks of that nation can get themselves put back together,” explained Roots. “Once that has happened to our satisfaction, we leave. Take Japan and Germany at the end of WWII. Once these two military powers surrendered, we established a military jurisdiction until such time as the government of that nation could function in relative safety. Once that occurs, our boys come home.”

If the United States really is a liberating force, shouldn’t the citizens of that country reflect attitudes of gratitude? According to Roots, that is exactly what he’s experienced in the Middle East. “ I’ve had Iraqis tell me they were glad the Americans came when I was there. They hated Saddam, but they were powerless to remove him. He was a ruthless, murdering thug.”
“ Our military was uncovering mass graves of people killed by Saddam’s henchmen. What was their crime? Nothing. Saddam’s ego was so large that he killed just to show that he could do it. Where the First Marine Expeditionary Forces Headquarters was located was in Babylon. Saddam used to visit this ancient biblical city 45 miles south of Baghdad a few times a year. He would cruise around the neighborhoods and have his thugs take women and girls that he selected, bring them to his nearby palace and then have his way with them for the next few days. Then they would be beheaded, their bodies dumped in the nearby tributary of the Tigris River.

“Then in Afghanistan the Taliban had a torturous rule, wantonly beheading people because they could. Women, who showed even a tiny bit of skin, say on their wrist, could be dragged away from their husbands and children, and into the soccer stadium and publicly executed. Such insanity was commonplace. Until our military showed up, there was no one to put a stop to it. It is these same creeps who train to kill Americans in our streets.

“If you were an Iraqi or an Afghan wouldn’t you want to see us come in and stay until the bad guys were eliminated?” says Roots.

What’s A Christian to Do?

Still, opinions of the United States war on terror are generally are strong. Many believe we must draw out of these militaristic quagmires at once, while others call for staying the course until the country is stabilized and a safe pullout is possible. But what exactly should the Christian response to terrorism be?

Roots believes there are God ordained responsibilities we cannot ignore. “As Americans we are to protect our nation and its people. This is a biblical principle. God expects me to protect and care for my family. To be able to do that, my town and community must be protected. For my community to be protected, my state needs to be protected. For my state to be protected, my country needs to be protected.

“Now, while we’re engaged in this war, we need to follow the teachings of scripture by praying for our enemies and doing good to those who persecute us. One of my favorite pictures is of a young Marine doing a fireman’s carry with a wounded combatant – only this combatant was the enemy. The Marine carried him off the battlefield and into our field hospital where our military medical personnel treated his wounds! Do you think for a moment that this Marine would have received the same kindness if the situation was reversed?

“Our nation was founded upon Christian teaching and morals. Even non-Christians in our country act in ways that reflect those Christians values. I frequently prayed for Iraqi soldiers, terrorists, and Saddam Hussein while I was over there. If they were to allow the Lord Jesus into their hearts I would rejoice, and praise God. But the Christian still has an obligation to protect and defend our nation.”