Marine Reassigned Over Coin Flap

[unhappycamper]

Marine Reassigned Over Coin Flap
May 30, 2008
Mclatchy -Tribune News Service

BAGHDAD - The U.S. military confirmed May 29 that a Marine in Fallujah passed out coins with Gospel verses on them to Sunni Muslims, a military spokesman in the Iraqi city said. The man was immediately removed from duty and reassigned.

The coins angered residents who said they felt that the American troops, whom they consider occupiers, were also acting as Christian missionaries in a predominantly Muslim nation.

"It did happen," said Mike Isho, a spokesman for Multi-National Force West. "It's one guy and we're investigating."

The Marine was passing out silver coins to residents of the Sunni Anbar province with Arabic translations of Bible verses on them. On one side, the coin read, "Where will you spend eternity?" and on the other, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16."

Following a McClatchy Newspaper report about the proselytizing coins, a force was sent to the western gate of Fallujah and the Marines there were searched, Isho said. One man was found with the coins, removed from the gate and will no longer be working in predominantly Sunni Anbar province, he said.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/marine-reassigned-over-coin-flap.html