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Religion See other Religion Articles Title: U.S. bishops call for troop withdrawal from Iraq, end of ‘shrill and shallow debate’ U.S. bishops call for troop withdrawal from Iraq, end of ‘shrill and shallow debate’ 11/13/2006 Catholic Online BALTIMORE, Md. (Catholic Online) – U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Iraq “at the earliest opportunity” and the Bush administration and the new Democratic-controlled Congress must move beyond “shrill and shallow debate,”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 voice vote by the full body of bishops gathered here on the first day of the Nov. 13-16 meeting, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have said that “increases in sectarian violence and civil strife have made the challenge of securing a responsible transition in Iraq” urgent today. “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 S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., in the statement, “Call for Dialogue and Action on Responsible Transition in Iraq,” written under his signature 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 1,200-word bishops' statement updates their Jan. 12 document, "Toward a Responsible Transition in Iraq," and incorporates the results of the midterm elections that saw Democrats seize control of Congress. The Iraq war statement was a late addition to the bishops’ agenda, which includes a number of controversial issues, such as pastoral care of gays and lesbians, contraception and clergy sex abuse. Noting that the U.S. bishops and the Vatican has 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,” the statement urged the federal government’s executive and legislative branches 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. “This national dialogue should not re-fight past battles,” the statement said. “Our nation cannot just look back.” “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 said they believe a new broad international engagement is necessary to promote stability and reconstruction, and stressed that “our nation’s military forces should remain in Iraq only as long as their presence contributes to a responsible transition.” “Our nation should look for effective ways to end their deployment at the earliest opportunity consistent with this goal,” the statement said. "The administration and the new Congress need to engage in a collaborative dialogue that honestly assesses the situation in Iraq, acknowledges past difficulties and miscalculations, recognizes and builds on positive advances (e.g., broad participation in elections), and reaches agreement on concrete steps to address the serious challenges that lie ahead," Bishop Skylstad said. "The administration and the new Congress need to engage in a collaborative dialogue that honestly assesses the situation in Iraq, acknowledges past difficulties and miscalculations, recognizes and builds on positive advances (e.g., broad participation in elections), and reaches agreement on concrete steps to address the serious challenges that lie ahead," Bishop Skylstad said. Bishop Skylstad sketched out broad “benchmarks for a responsible transition in Iraq,” including: the fostering of security; curbing terrorist attacks and sectarian violence; strengthening the rule of law; promoting economic reconstruction; and supporting further development of political structures and strategies that “advance stability, political participation and respect for religious freedom and basic human rights.” While noting that “this work must be done by Iraqis” as must the resolution of sectarian violences “engulfing the Shia and Sunni communities,” the statement stressed that the “United States and its coalition partners have a moral obligation to continue and intensify efforts” with Iraqis, countries in the region and the international community to meet those goals. The bishops urged “Arab nations and the countries of Western Europe to take concrete steps against terror.” Stability in the Middle East would be improved, they said, if the United States and other nations of the world pursue “a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians.” Alarmed by “the deteriorating situation of Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq,” the U.S. bishops called for “effective efforts” to end all sectarian violence. “Their vulnerability is dramatic evidence of the serious and growing dangers facing the entire nation of Iraq.” Noting the “heroic sacrifices” of and their concern for the safety of the U.S. military forces, the bishops called Catholics to pray for those who serve honorably and their families, those who have lost loved ones and for the Iraqi people “who have suffered so greatly under a brutal dictator and now face continuing violence, instability and deprivation.” “At this critical time, our nation needs open and courageous dialogue to examine where things stand in pursuing justice and peace in Iraq, assess what is achievable there, and evaluate the moral and human consequences of alternative courses of action,” the statement said. At the beginning of the year, Bishop Thomas G. Wenski, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on International Policy, said "our nation is at a crossroads in Iraq." In a 3,600-word Jan. 12 statement, the Orlando, Fla., bishop called on the U.S. government to hold "serious and civil discussions" on what must be done to prepare for "a responsible transition" to full Iraqi self-rule. "Our nation's military forces should remain in Iraq only as long as it takes for a responsible transition, leaving sooner rather than later," he said. Bishop Wenski, who recalled the strong opposition of church leaders to the U.S. intervention in Iraq in early 2003, urged "serious and civil discussions of alternatives that emphasize planning for a responsible transition in Iraq." He called for "clearer signals that the goals of U.S. policy are to help Iraqis assume full control of their governance and not to occupy the nation for an indeterminate period." "Despite past missteps and current difficulties, our nation urgently needs to seek to broaden international support and participation in the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq," he said.
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#2. To: gargantuton (#0)
people love to ridicule the catholic clergy. but look at these guys - they are doing the right thing. and how many other leading institutions in our society talk like this? I remember reading here postings of mainstream media articles documenting opinion polls where 60-65% of Americans want to withdraw the troops in an orderly manner. Those are very important articles. I wish I had a link to one.
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