[03.03.08] According to a survey by the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) most evangelical leaders believe the U.S. should stay the course in Iraq. Even those who felt the invasion was not initially justified supported continued U.S. presence in Iraq.
“Iraq represents that existential threat we have from global Islamic Jihadists,” said one unidentified leader. “We must defeat it in Iraq, Afghanistan and then act pre-emptively to destroy it wherever it emerges.”
Though the majority of respondents supported the war, the NAE reported that many leaders voiced serious reservations.
“I am also very concerned that the ardent support by evangelicals for the war in Iraq, and unquestioning support of President Bush has made evangelicals appear as if we are ‘pro-war.’
The increasing battle cry among evangelicals to fight radical Islamists is also troubling to me,” said one leader.