While most Religion Dispatches readers are familiar with the growing influence of Christian Zionists and their close relationship with Israel, few are probably aware of the penetration of American evangelicals into Northern Iraq.

Shortly after the invasion of Iraq, a number of fundamentalist Christian organizations announced plans to participate in the future rebuilding effort. At the time, the Rev. Franklin Graham indicated that his organization, Samaritan's Purse, would lead the way.

Graham, the son of the Rev. Billy Graham, who shortly after September 11, got himself into a bit of a pickle by lashing out at all Muslims, famously calling Islam "a very evil and wicked religion," was now poised--with US troops about to march into Baghdad--to organize welcome wagons stuffed with Bibles and bandages.

Around that time, while working on Bad Faith--a yet-to-be-completed book focusing on the financial forces behind the religious right--Mike Reynolds* got wind of the Nashville, Tennessee-based America 21, a nonprofit political action committee that hopes to bring America to God by encouraging "moral leadership from our churches" to be heard "in the halls of Congress and across this nation."

-Article continued off site, courtesy The Smirking Chimp.