If God Be for  Us
By Travis K. McSherley

I feel no qualms about building a Biblical connection with the United States and its current tensions with Iraq --- because so typically, those with whom I would disagree are the first to play the "religion" card.

For example, I've heard the argument raised on occasion that this West/Middle East battle is one comparable to David versus Goliath.  In this analogy, the United States is typically depicted as the sinister and overpowering Goliath picking on the tiny, helpless David of Iraq.  How dare the global superpower flex its military muscles against such an unworthy opponent!  How arrogant!

But what was the real difference between young David and his Philistine opponent?  Yes, they had different statures, different armories, and even their attitudes were unalike.  The only difference of any significance in that battle, however, was that David entered it with the power of the God of Israel.  So who was the real underdog in that fight?

My conviction is that if one wants to compare U.S. vs. Iraq to David vs. Goliath, that's fine, but he had better allow America to be represented by God's man David.  Because if we do end up being Goliath, then avoiding war will not be enough to escape our fate --- and to put it bluntly, Goliath was decapitated.  Yet it seems a stretch in my mind to actually suggest that our God would be pulling for Saddam Hussein in this fight.  Hussein, bin Laden, et al., make no bones that they believe Allah to be on their side against the evil West.  This was even evidenced during the final flight of the space shuttle Columbia, the destruction of which was a proclamation of Allah's judgment upon the United States and Israel, they said.

Read Scripture carefully.  The God of Heaven does not particularly care to have His name dragged through the mud.  That's exactly what our enemies are doing, though.  Goliath tried the same trick, to which David responded, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied" (1 Samuel 17:45).

And the bottom line is, Hussein's time is up.  In an interview for another publication, Indiana Congressman Mike Pence recently told me, "The time for debate has ended."

Indeed.  President Bush has allowed Iraqi officials and the United Nations to run around in circles for long enough.  A fair chunk of the General Assembly have shown themselves without backbone, and we need to leave those nations be for the sake of protecting our own vital interests --- U.S. citizens.  The world is free to label our actions as imperialistic or greed-driven or whatever it wants, but our cause is just, and action is necessary.  Those who despise America are free to do so, but we must not waver in standing up for that which is right.

And those who despise war must realize that they're concerns are shared.  Only a miniscule minority of the supporters of military action would actually label themselves "pro-war."  Rather, most of the so-called hawks would heartily agree that war is an ugly, brutal form of foreign policy.  And we recognize that human lives --- both friend and foe --- are extremely valuable; "collateral damage" never fails to be tragic.  But we support the intervention of the military because we also live realistically, recognizing that evil cannot always be confronted merely at the discussion table.

Goliath has thrown the whole barrage of his taunts toward our nation and our God.  Hussein and his minions have disregarded every provision set by the United States and the Security Council following the first Gulf conflict.  Even since the U.N. inspectors have been scouring Baghdad, dozens of illegal and unaccounted for weapons have been found under Iraqi possession.  And even for those who would like to believe that Iraq has no connection to al Qaeda, is that really a chance we want to take?  They certainly share a passionate hatred for all things American.

So let us go bravely to confront this evil.  Let us pray together as a nation, and let us go with the God who gave David strength to defeat the giant.  If the Lord of Israel is not on our side, then Saddam Hussein is the least of our worries.