Source: Indian Country

http://www.indiancountry.com/article/1048869318

On March 28, 2003 the Indian Country issued a statement "from the office of the President Joe Shirley Jr. and Vice President Frank Dayish Jr. of the Navajo Nation." It stated, "Our great country is facing war with Iraq and their leader Saddam Hussein. As your Navajo Nation leaders, we encourage all our Dine' people to pray for our Navajo military service men and women and all U.S. soldiers, who are prepared to defend our freedom, democracy, and patriotism... Whether you support this war or not, now is the time for us to unify as a Nation and strengthen our beliefs in our Creator. We humbly ask that you pray for those soldiers on the front lines, overseas, and with homeland security, as they defend our country against further terrorist attacks... Let us not forget our Dine' military soldiers and Native American forefathers who have a long history of fighting for our country and Indian Nations. Native Americans proudly continue to have the highest rate per capita of military service men and women enlisted in our country's U.S. Armed Forces."