US calls for rapid deployment to Haiti after missionaries killed

The murder of two U.S. missionaries in Haiti this week by powerful gangs underscores the urgent need to deploy an international security force to the troubled Caribbean nation, the U.S. Department of State said.

Natalie and Davy Lloyd, a married missionary couple, were ambushed and killed Thursday night along with a third person as they left church.

“Unfortunately, this serves as a reminder that the security situation in Haiti cannot wait — too many innocent lives are being lost,” U.S. Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement released late Friday.

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US calls for rapid deployment to Haiti after missionaries killed

The murder of two U.S. missionaries in Haiti this week by powerful gangs underscores the urgent need to deploy an international security force to the

americanmilitarynews.com

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

My denomination has officially had missionaries in Haiti since 1978, but unofficially/cooperatively with other Lutherans before that. We're in altar and pulpit fellowship with Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH).

 

[CarlA]

 

[Tall Timbers]

I disagree my dear brother. Someone does need to get involved at this point.

I understand. We want those missionaries to be safe and not to be threatened or harmed. We want their work to flourish. We want them safe and healthy along with the people they are ministering to.

But, should any country be the world's policeman? Aren't sovereign nations responsible for what happens within their borders? There's a lot of disagreement on those questions. I believe the USA has a military presence in about a third of the countries of the world. For decades after WWII the USA was the defacto policeman of the world. In more recent years, as corrupt US govmints have meddled in unrighteous ways, the Arab Spring being just one example, the US has lost much stature in the eyes of the world. I for one believe our soldiers, sailors, and airmen should face danger when defending the USA, but not when defending or attempting to make a change in other countries of the world (Israel being an exception).

When I was doing Missionary work in Colombia, S.A., is was during a time when at least a couple of communist guerilla groups were very active in the back woods and jungles, right in places where I lived and worked. One was the FARC, I think. I don't remember what the initials stand for, and I don't remember the name of the other dominant group. Many times the Holy Spirit helped us/me to avoid trouble by rerouting. I will always remember one night: I was with my host family in El Otro Mundo and we ended up running through the jungle for a couple of hours before hiding in a dugout in the ground. They never mentioned what we were running from but, being locals, had better tuned eyes and ears than I did. If I had been captured and held captive, or killed while doing Missionary work, that would have been a worthwhile way to go. But God had further plans for me. Here I am today holding a ban wand and still trying to figure out how to use it. I would need another one in order to use them as chop sticks, but the boss only issued us one...

During the Millennium the Ruler from Jerusalem, along with all His helpers, will manage the entire world. It will be a righteous govmint that doesn't make mistakes. Nations that don't do what they're supposed to do will pay a heavy price, with drought, for example.

 

[Cheeky200386]

I wonder if any of the US hostages taken by hamas are still alive. If we're going to be using the US military in such a way, maybe the US should conduct a hostage freeing operation in gaza first. There are probably US citizen kidnapees/hostages in a half dozen different countries at any given time, and US citizen Missionaries in peril in more than one location in the world at any given time.

People who've been saved from their own choices have balked when given a bill for the cost of saving them. A typical military operation would likely run over a million dollars even before the actual rescue began, and then the bill would go much higher. Who should pay that bill?

I agree with your points. It’s unfortunate but I agree that it’s not practical for our military to attempt to rescue every American trapped or kidnapped in foreign countries. It stinks.

We are told to count the costs. Of course they need prayers and any aid we can provide, but risking our military men is not realistic.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

I agree with your points. It’s unfortunate but I agree that it’s not practical for our military to attempt to rescue every American trapped or kidnapped in foreign countries. It stinks.

We are told to count the costs. Of course they need prayers and any aid we can provide, but risking our military men is not realistic.

This is going to sound cold, but every missionary knows the potential risks involved when in foreign countries. This is part of why we did such a horrible job in the 10-40 window. Many areas were deemed too dangerous by various mission and church organizations, and even if they were willing to send missionaries to some especially hazardous places and had a way(s) in, it's hard to recruit people for many areas.

Tourists, are less aware, even if they read the State Department warnings, advisories, etc. And students, even less so.

A line gets crossed, though, when individuals are taken hostage as an act of war. Especially by a force/entity that is hostile to the U.S. and host nation, where the missionaries/tourists/students are. At that point, the kidnapping and imprisonment is an act of war against the U.S., as well as the host nation.

There is precedent for rescue of civilians. When Cuban forces invaded Grenada, U.S. military rescued American students there attending medical school.
The difference in this situation is the hostile forces are Haitian gangs, so it's more like everyday violence/domestic terrorism/civil war than an outside force attacking Haiti.

 

[Cheeky200386]

This is going to sound cold, but every missionary knows the potential risks involved when in foreign countries. This is part of why we did such a horrible job in the 10-40 window. Many areas were deemed too dangerous by various mission and church organizations, and even if they were willing to send missionaries to some especially hazardous places and had a way(s) in, it's hard to recruit people for many areas.

Tourists, are less aware, even if they read the State Department warnings, advisories, etc. And students, even less so.

A line gets crossed, though, when individuals are taken hostage as an act of war. Especially by a force/entity that is hostile to the U.S. and host nation, where the missionaries/tourists/students are. At that point, the kidnapping and imprisonment is an act of war against the U.S., as well as the host nation.

There is precedent for rescue of civilians. When Cuban forces invaded Grenada, U.S. military rescued American students there attending medical school.
The difference in this situation is the hostile forces are Haitian gangs, so it's more like everyday violence/domestic terrorism/civil war than an outside force attacking Haiti.

I am in awe of missionary families that go to scary parts of the world. I wish I was that fearless. That’s why supporting them in prayer and financially is the least we can do.