Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
GQ, of all magazines, has a slideshow of cover letters that were attached to intelligence updates sent from Donald Rumsfeld to President Bush in early 2003 as the administration prepared to invade Iraq. The mixture of military imagery with Bible verses is appalling, especially in the buildup to a war the administration tried so hard not to have perceived as a religious war.
The first, from March 17, 2003, has a picture of soldiers praying and says:
Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?"Here I am, Lord, send me." Isaiah 6:8
The second, from March 19, 2003, has a picture of a jet fighter on an aircraft carrier and cites Psalm 139: 9-10:
If I rise on the wings of the dawn if I settle on the far side of the sea even there your hand will guide me your right hand will hold me fast, O LORD.
The third one, a day later, says:
Their arrows are sharp, all their bows are strung; their horses' hoofs seem like flint, their chariot wheels are like a whirlwind Isaiah 5:28
The fourth one is even more appalling, quoting Ephesians 6:13:
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand
Maybe that's why they didn't bother up-armoring the vehicles against IEDs for so long, forcing the troops to improvise their own protections; they thought all the soldiers were wearing their "armor of God."
The fifth one says:
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed Proverbs 16:3
Number six is similar:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
It all sounds remarkably similar to what the Muslim terrorists who brought down the World Trade Center were no doubt telling themselves before takeoff, doesn't it?
Politics
Comments
I wonder... were these biblical quotes added according to how Rumsfield himself felt, or were they intended to butter up, kiss up, influence, the presidential evangelical mentality?
I believe it is the latter:
Bush reads a little Ephesians 6:13 on the cover sheet, gives the whole thing his stamp of approval, and Rumsfield slinks away, chuckling.
Posted by: Rodney | May 18, 2009 9:47 AM
Come on everyone, you know the words:
"Onward Bushie fundamentalism, Marching as to war!
To make the Cross of Jesus, just one more political whore.
Bush, the royal Master, drags the nation low;
Forward into battle, our morals take a blow!"
Oh, wait... You mean those aren't the lyrics?
Posted by: mercurianferret | May 18, 2009 9:53 AM
I saw this over at "Jesus' General" this morning and thought it was photoshopped. Fuck KKKristianity and all of it's adherents.
Posted by: democommie | May 18, 2009 10:01 AM
I'm betting they actually thought citing scripture would guarantee success, Rumsfeld included. No wonder the Iraq war failed miserably.
Posted by: Owen | May 18, 2009 10:03 AM
I think so. It all strikes me as cynical, dog-whistle management of a detached, incurious President by playing to his presumably-real religious viewpoint.
Posted by: carlsonjok | May 18, 2009 10:08 AM
I seriously doubt that Rumsfeld is a religious person. My guess would be that these were intended to influence the religious nuts in the White House.
And, apparently, they succeeded.
Posted by: Wes | May 18, 2009 10:09 AM
So, uh, God? About those plans succeeding...?
Also, in addition to getting our political commentary from comedians, are we now going to rely on magazines a half-step from Maxim for important leaks?
Posted by: phisrow | May 18, 2009 10:10 AM
phisrow:
"Also, in addition to getting our political commentary from comedians, are we now going to rely on magazines a half-step from Maxim for important leaks?"
Well, maybe if "National Review" started running an "Unintentional Porn" feature...
Posted by: democommie | May 18, 2009 10:25 AM
We need a new version of Godwin's law to cover people invoking communism/socialism/Marx/Stalin/Lenin, etc.
Posted by: dogmeatib | May 18, 2009 10:56 AM
well at least these cover sheets KEPT US SAFE
Posted by: jake | May 18, 2009 11:08 AM
I can't tell if I'm more offended by the use of the Bible verses or the horrendous quality of the slides' designs. You'd think that a military that spends something like 45 percent of the entire world's combined military budgets would be able to afford a graphics designer.
Posted by: Technogeek | May 18, 2009 11:27 AM
Oh, I don't know, Technogeek. The poor design is a startlingly accurate approximation of many wackaloon fundangelical websites. It makes me wonder whether the intelligence updates had RANDOMLY CAPITALIZED AND STYLED WORDS!!!1!
Posted by: Aaron Golas | May 18, 2009 11:44 AM
God caused the Orlando Magic to beat the Boston Celtics last night, according to one of the players on the Magic, who was voluble in his praise for God's defense, albeit a little critical of his passing and 3-point touch...
Posted by: Woody | May 18, 2009 12:13 PM
Personally, I thought the worst one was the Isaiah quote: "Open the gates so that the righteous nation may enter. The nation that keeps faith." paired with a picture of a US tank rolling into Iraq beneath the saluting swords of two statues.
I can't imagine a more insulting or foolish sentiment for someone in the midst of invading a Muslim country. I'm betting the leaders of the Crusades quoted exactly the same passage during their campaigns.
Posted by: Drew | May 18, 2009 12:21 PM
Woody - I thought the Christian god didn't like magic, (except when he allowed one of minions do it, of course). ;) - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | May 18, 2009 12:34 PM
Hmm, I had rather the opposite reaction. I was a bit offended that they would try to get all glitzy with intelligence reports at all. Just screams "sales job!" and, to my mind, undermines the report's credibility.
Posted by: Scott Hanley | May 18, 2009 12:51 PM
I just got a copy of the REAL "Sermon on the Mount":
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' Yea, verily, I tell you. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to your artillery commander and say, "Drop some Willy Peter on those raghead infidel mofos" or call in your Avenging Angels of the USAF and say unto them, "Now rain hellfires and mavericks on their asses from manned aircraft and Predator drones and fuck them up mightily." And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well (the one that's been sprayed with anthrax spores). If someone forces you to go one mile, make him pay for the frikkin' limo. Give to the one who asks you (as long as he is already obscenely wealthy), and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you--not unless those fucking pussy liebrals get a bill passed limiting interest rates. Let us Prey."
That's my "Kick-ass JESUS"!!
Posted by: democommie | May 18, 2009 1:13 PM
I am sure faithful will claim just boisterous, good-natured, stress relief, perhaps with a sprinkling of bad judgement. "Nothing to see here, just move along."
Posted by: sirhcton | May 18, 2009 2:18 PM
- The Bible and the Third World War - the 1000 Year Kingdom...
- The Nostradamus Code:World War III (2009-2012):
http://cristiannegureanu.blogspot.com/2009/04/times-israel-stands-ready-to-bomb-irans.html
Posted by: Naum | May 18, 2009 3:02 PM
I've seen at least one report asserting that the invasion was the worst thing to ever happen to Iraq's Christian community in their entire 2,000 year history. I don't think many of them will be feeling ecumenical towards American Christians anytime soon.
Posted by: Jon Lester | May 18, 2009 3:13 PM
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9"
Ah, Book of Joshua. They should've followed it up with
Failing that, they could have, y'know, used pretty much everything else from Joshua.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | May 18, 2009 4:19 PM
Including Joshua 7:3-4: "And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai."
Okay, so the US hasn't exactly fled from Iraq (yet), but the theme of overconfidence and underpreparation sounds awfully familiar. As does the careless assumption that God has always been on your side.
Posted by: Scott Hanley | May 18, 2009 5:14 PM
Aside from the as-inappropriate-as-can-possibly-be Bible quotes...the president was receiving reports with colorful COVERS? With PICTURES and CAPTIONS? Someone was bothered to DECORATE the president's war briefings? WHAT?!? Did Truman get decorated book reports briefing him on the A-bomb?
And when did we start using MySpace pages as a template for top secret war briefings?
Posted by: cm | May 18, 2009 6:58 PM
Conspicuously missing from the photos are the "Jesus Color By Numbers" cover sheets on the briefings the president used to receive.
Posted by: Robert Faber | May 18, 2009 7:30 PM
The fact that GQ has access to these slides, despite the security and info disclosure caveats on them, is a great example of why persistent government-based conspiracy theories are not credible.
Posted by: Ex-drone | May 18, 2009 7:43 PM
"You'd think that a military that spends something like 45 percent of the entire world's combined military budgets would be able to afford a graphics designer."
I have some experience in that area, as one of my duties in one three-year assignment was to provide technical assistance to staff officers preparing weekly briefs for a 4-star. In other words, I showed 'em how to use PowerPoint, which gives a clue as to part of the "graphic design" problem. (Just convincing them not to overuse animations was hard enough without trying to teach them aesthetics.)
The other part was that most of the staff officers were troops recognized for their high level of field and command skills by putting them in an assignment where they could use neither, as a "check-the-box" aid to promotion - and then reassigning them back to the field as soon as they learned their staff jobs and forgot most of their field skills.
I'm sure that the folks who prepare Presidential briefs are a step up from that - but that still leaves a LOT of room for improvement.
Of course it is possible that these covers had exactly the aesthetic effect that was desired - they bear a certain resemblance to comic books, which might be the literary level of their target audience.
Posted by: BobApril | May 18, 2009 8:21 PM
Posted by: Bill Poser | May 18, 2009 8:47 PM
A book named "My Pet Goat" runs through it.
Posted by: democommie | May 18, 2009 9:07 PM
This was Keith Olberman's lead story this evening.
BTW, this was not GQ reporting the story as it was their publishing the story. Robert Draper, who reported the story* on behalf of GQ that ran with the slides and was the reporter who secured the slides, has reported on President Bush since he was a Texas state politician. Draper also published what I think was the best biography to date on Bush during his presidency, "Dead Certain". As far as I know, Draper's book is also the only one published to date where Bush was directly interviewed by the author.
*The link is the intro page to an 11 page article, where each page is relatively short. I couldn't figure out how to collate the entire story into one page, Esquire used the Web 1.0 email and print commands so no collated link there either.
Posted by: Michael Heath | May 18, 2009 9:15 PM
All I can think of when I read those:
Mark Twain, The War Prayer
Posted by: Benjamin Geiger | May 18, 2009 9:57 PM
I agree with commenter #14 that the Isaiah one was the best.
For kicks, ponder why they chose Isaiah 26:2 instead of Isaiah 26:5.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=29&chapter=26&version=31
Posted by: Douglas McClean | May 18, 2009 11:41 PM
I can't get over how generally amateurish those coversheets were. I have experience with government briefings, and down this way the coversheets are full of pertinent information (title, purpose, author and manager's contact information, priority and secrecy) rather than pointless photographs or quotes. The only graphical elements are the agency's logo and the government's crest. Both are discrete and tasteful.
Posted by: James K | May 19, 2009 1:38 AM
Perhaps the title page should have had a group photo of George the Least and his handmaidens-in-chief captioned with Jeremiah 8:8
- :) DJPosted by: DingoJack | May 19, 2009 3:19 AM
I think a quote that would fit any Pentagon report would be "As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly."
Heck, it's practically the Pentagon's motto.
Posted by: El Christador | May 19, 2009 5:33 AM
James K. said:
Part of good presentation is knowing your audience.
I think these cover sheets say much more about what the presentees responded effectively to, rather than what the presenters actually believed. I'm not defending them - its still appalling - but I can conceive of how rational and honest military folk might be driven to using such rhetorical devices to get their leaders' attention.
Posted by: eric | May 19, 2009 9:34 AM
good point, eric. Bush probably liked the MySpace aesthetic.
Posted by: cm | May 19, 2009 3:38 PM
I think one with 2 Kings 18:27 should have been sent, just to freak the president out.
Posted by: Robert Faber | May 19, 2009 4:41 PM
CM:
Thank you. Of course if it turns out that the content in the briefs is as bad as the cover, my hypothesis will be blown out of the water :)
Posted by: eric | May 19, 2009 4:56 PM
All the decent graphic designers work for NASA.
Posted by: twincats | May 19, 2009 6:48 PM