Sunday, February 4, 2007

Current Catholic views on War diverse.

Catholic commentators join debate over U.S. continued Iraq presence

Freshman Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va.- “We need a new direction,” Webb said, calling for “an immediate shift toward strong regionally based diplomacy, a policy that takes our soldiers off the streets of Iraq’s cities, and a formula that will in short order allow our combat forces to leave Iraq.” “I do not believe that sending more troops to Iraq is the answer,”

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., a pro-life Catholic who until recently was a strong supporter of Bush’s military vision, said Jan. 10 during a visit to the war zone. “Iraq requires a political rather than a military solution.”


George Weigel “I believe that removing the totalitarian Saddam Hussein regime by the use of proportionate and discriminate armed force, and trying to create an independent, free Iraq as a model of a new way of politics in the Arab Islamic world, were morally justifiable, indeed morally noble, goals,” he said. “The cause was, and remains, a noble one,” Weigel said, although he acknowledged that U.S. policymakers have made “a lot of mistakes” in conducting the war.

We would remind Weigal - Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2265 - A war of aggression is intrinsically immoral. In the tragic case where such a war breaks out, leaders of the state attached have the right and the duty to organize a defence even using the force of arms. Who attacked who over in Iraq? Apparently Weigal supports an intrinsic evil and should be denied communion. Let's start a petition.

"It is important to remember that "it is one thing to wage a war of self-defence; it is quite another to seek to impose domination (as Weigel suggests) on another nation. The possession of war potential does not justify the use of force for political or military objectives. Nor does the mere fact that war has unfortunately broken out mean that all is fair between the warring parties." - Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 79: AAS 58(1966), 1103

Mark Shea Shea said that initially he believed the warnings that “there was an imminent threat of nuclear attack on the United States – the famous ‘mushroom cloud’ imagery that Bush and Condi Rice were pushing.” But when it later became clear that Saddam Hussein’s regime did not possess weapons of mass destruction that could have posed a threat to the United States, Shea re-examined his conclusion that the U.S. invasion was morally just.

Robert Royal Faith and Reason Institute President Robert Royal said that the United States has a moral responsibility to maintain its military presence in Iraq in order to curb sectarian violence.

Coming from NCR the article has a obvious slant to the Neo Cons. However while not noted in the article - it is crystal clear from Catholic Teaching that the war in Iraq never met the criteria for a "Just War", if there is such a thing. What is clear is that a humane solution must be found for the sake of the Iraqi people. This will take great strength from our leaders to make the right decisions.

We must oppose the proposed escalation of U.S. troops in Iraq noting that prior escalations have not resulted in increased peace and stability. Troop escalations in Baghdad in the late summer and early fall of 2006 resulted in increased violence and death for both U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians.

We must support the call for economic development in Iraq, noting that the current unemployment rate is running at 40 to 50%. Additionally, 60% of the population is under the age of 25 and is in dire need of alternatives to imagine a better future. Any economic development should directly benefit the Iraqi people and their communities, not contractors from other corners of the world.


The President must engage in diplomatic and political negotiations seeking a comprehensive cease fire by all factions in Iraq and the region. The rejection of a comprehensive diplomatic effort is a short-sighted view of American interests. A surge of diplomacy, not an escalation of troops is what is required.


In a Jan. 12 statement made from Jerusalem and released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on the same day here, Bishop William S. Skylstad noted the pre-invasion criticism by the Holy See and American hierarchy to the U.S. government decision to go to war and called for the end of its troop deployment “at the earliest opportunity.” “Our nation’s military forces should remain in Iraq only as long as their presence actually contributes to a responsible transition,” he said, adding “our nation should seek effective ways to end their deployment at the earliest opportunity consistent with this goal.”

He laid out “benchmarks for progress” by which current and future policies should be judged in order to meet “our nation’s moral responsibility to help Iraqis to live with security and dignity in the aftermath of military action.”
Among those includes providing for “minimally acceptable levels of security; economic reconstruction to create employment for Iraqis; and political structures and agreements that help overcome divisions, reduce violence, broaden participation, and increase respect for religious freedom and basic human rights.”