I was saddened to hear today that Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is quite ill — and possibly in a coma — after apparently suffering from a stroke. Please pray for this Kurdish leader to fully recover and for the LordJesus Christ to draw him to His heart. Please also pray for his family that the Father would comfort them at this time. Talabani, once a Kurdish guerilla, has emerged as one of the more impressive peaceful and pro-democracy Reformers in Iraq. I profiled him in my 2009 non-fiction book, Inside The Revolution, interviewing several of his top advisors in Iraq, and also interviewing his son Qubad, who represents the Kurdish people here in Washington, D.C.

“Talabani is said to be in a coma in hospital after officials and media reported he had suffered a stroke,” reports the BBC. “A statement on his website said President Talabani was in a stable condition and was being treated for blocked arteries. Well-placed Kurdish sources say he remains in a coma. A veteran of the Kurdish guerrilla movement, Mr Talabani, 79, is Iraq’s first president from the ethnic group. He has struggled with his health in recent years and has often been treated abroad.”

There are mixed reports about the status of his health. One Twitter report I’ve seen that was re-tweeted by Qubad says the President is in stable condition and improving. Developing….