For God and Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire

by James Yee and Aimee Molloy

Book Overview

In 2001, Captain James "Yusuf" Yee was commissioned as one of the first Muslim chaplains in the United States Army. After the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001, he became a frequent government spokesman, helping to educate soldiers about Islam and build understanding throughout the military. Subsequently, Chaplain Yee was selected to serve as the Muslim Chaplain at Guantanamo Bay, where nearly 700 detainees captured in the war on terror were being...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1586483692
• ISBN13: 9781586483692
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: PublicAffairs
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

moving and educational

This book gave an eye-opening account to the list of misconduct inside the prison cells in Guantanamo Bay. Despite the unfortunately distateful information learned, I thorougly enjoyed this book not only for the accounts James Yee gave, but also for the clear way he educates readers on Islam. There were times through the book where I was moved to tears and felt the intensity of the situations that James and his family went through. It was a book I couldn't put down. Get it to not only hear a good narration but also to know how a truly strong character like James Yee reacts to the good and bad tides that turned in his life in the army.

An eye-opening and riveting account

Once you start reading this book, you cannot put it down. James Yee talks about his experience in Guantanamo Bay as a Muslim chaplain and his subsequent arrest being (falsely) accused of espionage and terrorism. I appreciate the fact that he can narrate a very candid and level-headed account of his ordeal. And even though he is angry at what the government put him through, he still remains a loyal American and devout Muslim. The government and media like to make it seem like the two are mutually exclusive. However, Joseph Yee is living proof that they are two qualities that can co-exist very harmoniously. It was very disheartening to read about the treatment of the prisoners in Gitmo, although somehow I was not surprised by it. The government has managed to create loopholes so that normal international law does not apply to them. I can only pray that one day TRUE justice will be served to all of those who have been falsely accused of heinous crimes, including James Yee. This book is an excellent read and I recommend it highly. James Yee's story should NOT be forgotten ever.

For God And Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire

I knew Chaplain Yee before this incident took place and after it. He is the same humble God fearing man now that he was then. It was a painful read to see how one of my junior officers was treated at the hands of fellow Americans who should have been seeking justice and the truth. It was even more painful to see how they let the process get out of hand and then get vindictive to cover their wrong doings. In short, criminal. Until they can provide information from their side of the story, until someone on the inside has the courage to step forward with their truth good or bad my position will be unchanged. Chaplain Yee's is one a very few people I know who has the strength, faith and courage to overcome an ordeal like this and continue on as a Great American. I'm proud to know him and call him a friend. This book was very enlightening about how people misused their authority. It is sad to know that this actually happened to a Chaplain that is a U.S. citizen. The book creates a lot of questions that still need to be answered, a lot of actions that still need to be accounted for. I look forward to Part 2 by any author. Prejudice is based on a lack of knowledge and truth. Unfortunately many who have that lack of knowledge about Muslims don't take the time to learn and react out of fear of he unknown. The basic reason for all that happened to chaplain Yee was prejudice. Doesn't necessarily mean racist or anti-Muslim but thee were many pre-judgments made that were not based on reality. From the guards to the "Intelligence" officers, commanders and several other government agencies false assumptions that could have been easily verified by talking to those who knew him most or reviewing he information gathered from those who knew him most. All of he facts were overlooked which allows one to correctly state that this was a witch-hunt. Because Chaplain Yee and others were Muslims they were presumed guilty...of something. It would be wrong to assume that all individuals involved were racist. At most you could say they were unprofessional in their duties. It would be equally unrealistic to say that none of the individuals involved were not racist and blinded by their beliefs. There were also leaders who were anti-Muslim. The can use Sep 11 as an excuse but a rational person does not blame millions of people for the acts of 100. This is what led to genocides and mass murders around the world. This is a KKK mentality and very UN Christ like for those who try to veil their actions in the name of Jesus or Christianity. Shameful. There have been recent arrests and convictions of U.S. citizens for spying for Christian, Atheist and Jewish nations, none we subject to any treatment close to that experienced by Chaplain Yee. So you have to ask the question why? This book did a great job of answering some of he questions by providing facts and direct comments from those involved. Unfortunately several of those involved did not choose to participate by providing the

Truth Power

This is an objective expose of the wrongs of our government and the military. A riveting first-hand account that exposes the inhumane attitude at the highest levels of our military & by extension the current corrupt administration. I salute Captain & Chaplain James Yee for speaking to the totally abusive power. This book is also a response to his reasonable request for an apology that never got obliged by the Imperial US Governemnt and as a result he had to "resign" and we lost a competitive career military officer who could have helped the nation and the world.

The Truth About Gitmo And The War On Terror

James Yee's experiences in Guantanamo are powerfully evoked in this thoughtful, well-written memoir. If you followed this news story in 2003 and 2004, you knew that something very wrong had happened in Cuba -- why would the US downgrade its charges of treason against Yee to something as relatively insignificant as adultery, if some serious mistakes had not been made? The truth, not just about Yee's experiences, but about those of the over 600 hundred detainees, some of whom were not even teenagers in 2003, is far worse than those news reports hinted. James Yee is a patriot AND a devout Muslim who values freedom of religion as one of the most important tenets of American government and culture. His efforts to maintain his dignity and generosity of spirit in the face of the incredibly hostile anti-Muslim environment in Gitmo are to be commended. This is a painful book to read, but it's engaging, thought-provoking, and ultimately, inspiring. The writer, Aimee Molloy, conveys Yee's experiences in quick, no-nonsense prose that cuts to the heart of these deeply troubling issues. This is wartime journalism at its highest level, and a must-read for anyone who strives to understand the complexities of the war on terror.