A group of legislators, led by Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) have gathered some 160,000 signatures on a petition to urge President Bush to issue an executive order “protecting the right of all military chaplains of all religions to pray as they see fit.” Jones announced in October he was organizing a petition drive to repeal recently announced religious expression rules that came out of an investigation into proselytizing at the US Air Force Academy.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
