From Inside the Ring by Bill Gertz & Rowan Scarborough of the great Washington Times: We received this request for help from Capt. Lyle Shackelford, a chaplain with a transportation battalion that will be delivering voting machines to villages and cities throughout Iraq for the upcoming elections.
Election day is expected to be violent as insurgents and terrorists try to disrupt the elections with attacks on voting stations and voters.
"Our convoys are prime targets for the insurgents because they do not want the equipment to arrive at the polling stations nor do they want the local Iraqi citizens to have the chance to vote.
"Encourage your friends and family members and those within our churches to pray specifically for the electoral process," Capt. Shackelford said.
The chaplain noted that Saddam Hussein's regime did not allow people a democratic vote and that "democracy will not be realized in Iraq if intelligent and competent officials are not elected to those strategic leadership positions within the emerging government; freedom will not have an opportunity to ring throughout this country if the voting process fails."
"I will pray with my soldiers before they leave on their convoys and move outside our installation gates here at Tallil air base, he said. "My soldiers are at the nerve center of the logistic operation to deliver the voting machines and election ballots. They will be driving to and entering the arena of the enemy. This is not a game for them. It is a historical mission that is extremely dangerous. No voting machines or ballots, no elections.
"Your prayer support and God's intervention are needed to give democracy a chance in this war-torn country," he said.
We only have the Philadelphia (En)Inquirer here which is why I have a daily subscription to the Wash Times.
Blessings on all our troops and your loved ones--you are our treasure!
Thank you so much, GoldwaterChick for that inspiring message from someone on the front.
We pray that our brave soldiers will feel us joining them in prayer and praying for their success and safety, just as our beloved President feels the prayers of those who pray alongside him.
May all Americans of faith be in prayer this week for this perilous and vital mission and for our brave military who are carrying it out.
Prayers for our troops delivering voting machines and watching over polling places. Dear Lord, watch over every brave member of the armed services therre and over private contractors who are helping in this great effort. May the Iraqi people rally to elect a new democratic government that will bring them out of decades of tyrany. May all be safe in that country, especially at this time when the enemy is attacking, may peace and prosperity flood the land, and may the people gain the inspiration of hope and the strength of freedom. In Your mighty name I pray..