How The US Department Of Peace Could Help Mosul Rebuild After ISIS - Frances Fuller Issues Statement

Fuller spent many years in the Middle East. She puts a face on the Middle East many Americans have not yet seen. Her award-winning memoir, 'In Borrowed Houses', gives readers a penetrating glimpse of the Middle East from the inside

Frances Fuller, multi-award winning author of a book about Lebanon, 'In Borrowed Houses', has called for the creation of a US Department of Peace. A Department of Peace in the most powerful country in the world, a cabinet-level department of government, prepared and empowered, could use history to create a better future. It could create meaning out of the agony of war. She recently issued a statement about conditions in the shattered city of Mosul, saying that a U S Department of Peace could help lay a new foundation for peace, uniting the survivors, Christians and Muslims who have suffered through the long battle with ISIS.

“City in ruins. Society shattered.”

"This is the way war ends: homes, houses of worship, places of business, schools, hospitals, all reduced to rubble, piles of stones. Dazed humans occasionally pulled from the rubble, emaciated, wounded; babies covered with dust and dehydrated. Community destroyed along with the physical city. Trust in one another gone."

"On July 10,  the same day as the above headline, the United States Institute of Peace in Washington invited subscribers of their newsletter to a July 14 event where Ambassador Ekkard Brose, German Special Envoy for Crisis Prevention and Joseph Pennington, American Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq, would discuss strategies to advance a sustainable peace in Iraq and the area. Far off in California, I want to know what they said in their one hour and fifteen minutes.  I wonder what power they have to implement anything they talk about." 

"This is why I believe that a Department of Peace, equal in authority to every other department of our government is necessary. A Department of Peace would have been working for a long time on what to do when the battle for Mosul ended. A Department of Peace could do more than discuss. It could help a president formulate policy. It could go to the Congress with a program. It could focus the best minds in our country on promoting ideas and ideals instead of inventing and selling weapons. It could unite Muslims and Christians in giving the jobless, purposeless youth of the world a better narrative than the one that invites them to become killers and rapists."

"War is merely a way for one group to seize temporary power over another by violence. The violence is met by more violence. Its very existence promotes its necessity. Thus war gives birth to war. This is an endless cycle of futile suffering, unless we have a plan for afterwards."

"The Mosul its people knew is gone and will not come back. Another city may be built, maybe a better, more beautiful one, but it will not be home to those who escaped early and are living now in a refugee camp in Jordan  or in the streets in foreign countries. It will not be home to those who stayed in Mosul ‘til the bitter end and were pulled from the rubble by the army that rescued them."

"What the battle has cost these people no human can be given back. Dead fathers, sisters, children, best friends will not rise again to join those who survived to grieve for them. Childhood and innocence missed will never happen. Education forfeited is lost opportunity forever crippling lives."   

The full statement is available on her blog at http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com.

Frances Fuller puts a face on the Middle East many Americans have not yet seen. Her award-winning memoir, 'In Borrowed Houses', gives readers a penetrating glimpse of the Middle East from the inside.

The Syrian occupation of Lebanon during that country’s long civil war is part of Fuller’s experience in the Middle East, related in her memoir. Told in short episodes, Fuller’s book reveals the alienation, confusion and courage of civilians in the Lebanese civil war, introducing to the reader a variety of real people with whom the author interacts: editors, salesmen, neighbors, refugees, soldiers, missionaries, lawyers, shepherds, artists, students. With these people she works, studies, plays games, prays, laughs and cries, all to the accompaniment of gunfire. Together these small stories tell what war is like for civilians caught on a battlefield, and they create the impression of the Lebanese as a fun-loving, witty, patient and resilient people. Fuller's stories compose not a political history, but a historical document of a time and a place.

'In Borrowed Houses' has taken three industry awards. Frances Fuller was the Grand Prize winner in the 2015 '50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading' Book Awards. It received the bronze medal for memoir in the Illumination Book Awards in 2014. Northern California Publishers and Authors annually gives awards for literature produced by residents of the area. In 2015 'In Borrowed Houses' received two prizes: Best Non-fiction and Best Cover.

Critics have praised ‘In Borrowed Houses.’ A judge in the 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards called 'In Borrowed Houses' “ . . a well written book full of compassion . . . a captivating story . . . ”. Another reviewer described the book as “Wise, honest, sensitive, funny, heart-wrenching . . .”. Colin Chapman, lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut said, “ . . . western Christians and Middle Eastern Christians need to read this story…full of remarkable perceptiveness and genuine hope.”

Frances Fuller is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at frances0516@att.net. The full text of her latest article is available at her website. Fuller's book is available at Amazon and other book retailers. A free ebook sample from 'In Borrowed Houses' is available at http://www.payhip.com/francesfuller. Frances Fuller also blogs on other issues relating to the Middle East on her website at http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com.

About Frances Fuller:

Frances Fuller spent thirty years in the violent Middle East and for twenty-four of those years was the director of a Christian publishing program with offices in Lebanon. While leading the development of spiritual books in the Arabic language, she survived long years of civil war and invasions.

Contact:

Frances Fuller
frances0516@att.net
http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com

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Author Frances Fuller Issues An Urgent Message About Syria From Those Who Know Aleppo

Fuller spent many years in the Middle East. She puts a face on the Middle East many Americans have not yet seen. Her award-winning memoir, 'In Borrowed Houses', gives readers a penetrating glimpse of the Middle East from the inside

While Obama ponders four options for intervening in Syria, one them bombing positions of Assad’s Army, we get pictures of bloody children pulled from the rubble and contradictory messages about who is destroying Aleppo. The truth about what is happening is complicated and hard to know, and what we should do about it is burdened with biases.

For these reasons Frances Fuller decided to use her personal contacts and go to those who are the closest to the conflict and have the biggest stake in its outcome. What she tells us has been backed up by Syrian Christians onsite in Aleppo and people in personal contact with others in the city.

"I have the word of a medical doctor who lives in Western Aleppo that Assad and his partners are trying to rescue the Christians who are threatened with massacre by ISIS, and they, plus many Muslims, stand solidly on his side," Fuller stated.

"His view corroborates reports from Vanessa Beely, an independent reporter who recently returned from Aleppo. She says that the regime of Bashar al-Assad, supported by Russia, Iran and Hizballah, has regained 65% of the Syrian territory which was occupied by ISIS and is now assaulting the rest, primarily Eastern Aleppo.  Meanwhile, ISIS and other rebel groups in Eastern Aleppo lob shells into Western Aleppo while virtually holding hostage a civilian population of more than 200,000 people.

"Reports in American media that these attacks are coming from Syrian and Russian weapons are not true, according to Beely and my on-the-ground contacts.

"One of these, a Syrian Christian who lives in Lebanon but travels to Syria frequently and visited two weeks ago with residents of Western Aleppo, observes that the U.S. was largely silent while churches were destroyed, bishops were kidnapped, hundreds of thousands of people were killed or injured, and millions became wandering refugees but is now considering stepping into the conflict. He concludes, as I do, that it is because our own interests are threatened. Our dominance of the region, our status in the world is shaken. In other words, our biases now cloud our judgment. It happens that the U.S. government dislikes every military group that is marching on Aleppo. We don’t want any of them, Syria or Iran or Russia or Hizballah, to win.

"While I also have biases against all of these groups, I know that under the Assads the Christians of Syria have been safe and free. For this reason the Christians have supported the regime in this chaotic conflict.

"Robert Naiman, policy director at Just Foreign Policy, in a recent article on HuffPost points out that the Obama Administration cannot bomb Syrian government forces without the approval of Congress, because that would be an act of war against another country. Not only is Naiman right about this, but bombing the Syrian government will be an attack on the last hope of the Christian population and, besides that, a foolish risk, unless we would really like to start World War III.

"When my own biases are put aside, I see clearly that for America to attack the Syrian Army---partially motivated by our distrust of Iran or our dislike for Hizballah or some rivalry with Russia---would be to fight our own wars on Syrian soil, which is immoral to say the least. To hinder anyone from liberating the Christians of Syria and the population of Aleppo will mean fighting on the side of ISIS and be a wicked use of our power and a mistake that will leave us with few friends in the Middle East."

Frances Fuller puts a face on the Middle East many Americans have not yet seen. Her award-winning memoir, 'In Borrowed Houses', gives readers a penetrating glimpse of the Middle East from the inside.

The Syrian occupation of Lebanon during that country’s long civil war is part of Fuller’s experience in the Middle East, related in her memoir. Told in short episodes, Fuller’s book reveals the alienation, confusion and courage of civilians in the Lebanese civil war, introducing to the reader a variety of real people with whom the author interacts: editors, salesmen, neighbors, refugees, soldiers, missionaries, lawyers, shepherds, artists, students. With these people she works, studies, plays games, prays, laughs and cries, all to the accompaniment of gunfire. Together these small stories tell what war is like for civilians caught on a battlefield, and they create the impression of the Lebanese as a fun-loving, witty, patient and resilient people. Fuller's stories compose not a political history, but a historical document of a time and a place.

Critics have praised ‘In Borrowed Houses.’ A judge in the 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards called 'In Borrowed Houses' “ . . a well written book full of compassion . . . a captivating story . . . ”. Another reviewer described the book as “Wise, honest, sensitive, funny, heart-wrenching . . .”. Colin Chapman, lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut said, “ . . . western Christians and Middle Eastern Christians need to read this story…full of remarkable perceptiveness and genuine hope.”

Frances Fuller is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at frances0516@att.net. The full text of her latest article is available at her website. Fuller's book is available at Amazon and other book retailers. A free ebook sample from 'In Borrowed Houses' is available at http://www.payhip.com/francesfuller. Frances Fuller also blogs on other issues relating to the Middle East on her website at http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com.

About Frances Fuller:

Frances Fuller spent thirty years in the violent Middle East and for twenty-four of those years was the director of a Christian publishing program with offices in Lebanon. While leading the development of spiritual books in the Arabic language, she survived long years of civil war and invasions.

Contact:

Frances Fuller
frances0516@att.net
http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com

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US Department Of Peace Is An Idea Whose Time Has Come Says Frances Fuller, Award Winning Author Of Book About Lebanon, 'In Borrowed Houses'

Fuller spent many years in the Middle East. She puts a face on the Middle East many Americans have not yet seen. Her award-winning memoir, 'In Borrowed Houses', gives readers a penetrating glimpse of the Middle East from the inside

The US needs a Department of Peace. This election year there is a great deal of rhetoric that endlessly furthers a multitude of divisive agendas and strategies. Until now our country has not pursued peace, because it is not on anyone’s job description. We have a one-armed State Department. The one arm is called the Department of Defense. Frances Fuller, author of 'In Borrowed Houses', believes we also need a Department of Peace.

"We need a Department of Peace whose head, the Secretary of Peace, will be part of the President’s cabinet," Fuller stated. "This secretary must engage the best thinkers in our country, from generals to peace activists, philosophers and psychologists, historians and scientists, ministers and moms, in the study and development of peace strategies. The overarching assignment of this group should be to help the Secretary develop a national plan for creating peace in our country and the world.

"Just as the Department of Defense assesses security threats and responds to them, the Department of Peace can identify opportunities for creating cooperation and friendship and respond to them with wisdom, or see conflict coming and attack the problem behind it. Like war, peace requires intention and planning and preparation and deeds of valor.  

"Using creative and peace loving citizens, the peace department might promote wonderful innovations in the ways we relate to one another at home and as a nation with other nations. We might face up to the injustices in our own society and by addressing them, reduce the violence in our cities. Internationally we could become a country that is famous for creating peace rather than dominating the world.

"Dennis Kucinich proposed a Department of Peace in 2005. Interviewing him about this, Walter Cronkite observed that every time the people of the world even heard the words, 'Department of Peace,' their image of America would be impacted.

"The proposal has failed in the Congress until now, because we the people did not get behind it or did not even know. We are so accustomed to violence that we consider peace a beautiful fantasy. In fact, we are pursuing the alternative and evil fantasy that we can always be stronger than our enemy and overcome their violence with ours. Given the choice of these two fantasies, I choose peace and want a president with a plan for peace."

Frances Fuller puts a face on the Middle East many Americans have not yet seen. Her award-winning memoir, 'In Borrowed Houses', gives readers a penetrating glimpse of the Middle East from the inside.

Told in short episodes, Fuller’s book reveals the alienation, confusion and courage of civilians in the Lebanese civil war, introducing to the reader a variety of real people with whom the author interacts: editors, salesmen, neighbors, refugees, soldiers, missionaries, lawyers, shepherds, artists, students. With these people she works, studies, plays games, prays, laughs and cries, all to the accompaniment of gunfire. Together these small stories tell what war is like for civilians caught on a battlefield, and they create the impression of the Lebanese as a fun-loving, witty, patient and resilient people. Fuller's stories compose not a political history, but a historical document of a time and a place.

Critics have praised ‘In Borrowed Houses.’ A judge in the 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards called 'In Borrowed Houses' “ . . a well written book full of compassion . . . a captivating story . . . ”. Another reviewer described the book as “Wise, honest, sensitive, funny, heart-wrenching . . .”. Colin Chapman, lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Near East School of Theology in Beirut said, “ . . . western Christians and Middle Eastern Christians need to read this story…full of remarkable perceptiveness and genuine hope.”

Frances Fuller is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at frances0516@att.net. The full text of her latest article is available at her website. Fuller's book is available at Amazon and other book retailers. A free ebook sample from 'In Borrowed Houses' is available at http://www.payhip.com/francesfuller. Frances Fuller also blogs on other issues relating to the Middle East on her website at http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com.

About Frances Fuller:

Frances Fuller spent thirty years in the violent Middle East and for twenty-four of those years was the director of a Christian publishing program with offices in Lebanon. While leading the development of spiritual books in the Arabic language, she survived long years of civil war and invasions.

Contact:

Frances Fuller
frances0516@att.net
http://www.inborrowedhouseslebanon.com

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