American bishops want U.S. troops out of Iraq

Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
Baltimore, Md.

U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq "at the earliest opportunity" and the Bush administration and the new Democratic-controlled Congress must move beyond "shrill and shallow debate," the American bishops urged.

In a statement approved by the full body of bishops gathered here Nov. 13, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said "increases in sectarian violence and civil strife have made the challenge of securing a responsible transition in Iraq" urgent.

"The situation in Iraq is perilous - taking the lives of so many Iraqis, Americans and others, and undermining the dignity of many more. The current situation is taking a terrible toll - on the Iraqi people and our military personnel, as well as on the region, our nation, and the world," said Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, Wash.

His statement, Call for Dialogue and Action on Responsible Transition in Iraq, was written on behalf of the bishops' conference.

"The war's costs are measured in lives lost and many more injured, in widespread sectarian strife, civil insurgency and terrorist attacks, and in the daily struggles of Iraqis to build a decent future for their devastated nation," the statement said.

The statement notes the U.S. bishops and the Vatican have expressed "grave moral concerns" about military intervention in Iraq, pointed to "the unpredictable and uncontrollable negative consequences of invasion and occupation" and questioned the morality of "preventative war."

It urged the U.S. government to engage in "collaborative dialogue" to assess the situation on the ground and build agreement on concrete steps to move forward.

"We hope our nation has moved beyond the divisive rhetoric of the recent campaign and the shrill and shallow debate that distorts reality and reduces the options to 'cut and run' versus 'stay the course,'" the bishops said.

"Our nation needs a much more substantive, civil and non-partisan discussion of ways to plan and secure a responsible transition in Iraq."

The bishops stressed that "our nation's military forces should remain in Iraq only as long as their presence contributes to a responsible transition."

(© Catholic Online 2006, www.catholic.org)

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