Catholics split on when to leave Iraq

When would it be morally acceptable for U.S. troops to leave Iraq?

* "I'd say tomorrow. The sooner, the better, because this [occupation] could go on forever," declares Jeanne Fletcher, organizer of Pax Christi North Country, a branch of an international Catholic peace movement.

* "The signals we're receiving from leaders of the Chaldean Church in Iraq are that conditions are still very unstable, and they do not see an immediate withdrawal as being in the best interests of the Iraqi people -- and we take that very seriously," counters Stephen Colecchi of the Department of Social Development and World Peace at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

* "Those of us who believe that U.S. troops should be withdrawn 'now' understand that the process won't be completed quickly. It will take time to get military personnel and equipment out," says Barbara DiTommaso, head of the Albany diocesan Commission on Justice and Peace.

* "What's the ethical way to end a military conflict? These questions haven't been addressed" in Catholic social teaching, notes Fred Boehrer, co-founder of Emmaus House in Albany, a Catholic Worker center whose members live according to principles espoused by peace activists like Dorothy Day.

* "[We] urge the United States to send a clear signal that the U.S. goal is to help Iraqis assume full control of their governance and not...occupy the nation for an indeterminate period; and remain only as long as it takes for a 'responsible transition' (leaving sooner rather than later)," reads a June 2005 statement by the USCCB's Committee on International Policy.

No simple answers

There are no simple answers when it comes to ending the U.S. occupation of Iraq. While some Catholics believe that immediate withdrawal is the only moral solution, others point out that it would be immoral to leave a country in economic and societal turmoil.

Ms. Fletcher believes that, since the war in Iraq does not meet criteria in Catholic social teaching for a "just war," U.S. troops must withdraw now.

"Are we doing good? improving a situation? These are moral questions, [and] I don't think we're there for a moral reason," she stated. "To me, this is not a just war. It never was."

Although Ms. DiTommaso favors a more gradual withdrawal, a recent statement by U.S. generals heading America's troops in Iraq led her to believe that "the decision should be made now, and preparations should begin."

The generals stated that the U.S. presence in Iraq is "fueling the insurgency, fostering an undesirable dependency on American troops among the nascent Iraqi military and energizing terrorists across the Middle East," according to an article in The Los Angeles Times.

Moral obligations

On the other hand, before considering pulling out of Iraq, Mr. Colecchi said that the U.S. must consider that its role as the "principal occupying power" there brings with it "a new set of moral obligations" to the Iraqi people, meaning that it is too early for the U.S. to simply withdraw its troops and aid.

"We must provide for their safety, security and a rebuilding of society," he said.

He cited a statement last year by Bishop Wilton Gregory of Belleville, Illinois, then president of the USCCB. Bishop Gregory said that America should guard against over-reliance on military intervention.

"The U.S. government has taken on a moral obligation to engage in a difficult, long-term process of nation building," he said. "In resolving to restore sovereignty to the Iraqi people, it has embarked on an extraordinary effort at rebuilding a country after decades of a corrupt and brutal dictatorship, and years of devastating sanctions."

Goals

More recently, the USCCB's Committee on Social Development and World Peace has advocated for international and U.N. involvement in rebuilding Iraq, supporting religious liberty there and taking immediate steps to end the mistreatment of POWs.

Mr. Colecchi said that advice on more specific goals is best left to government and U.N. officials, not the Church.

"The Church is not an expert on nation-building or providing security," he pointed out. "It's going to take people of good will to judge. Is the [Iraqi] nation now secure? This is where we shift from the moral realm to the political or military realm."

Aiding Iraqis

Mr. Boehrer believes that a moral obligation to aid the Iraqi people exists, and he has specific ideas on how that should be met, beginning with an international task force to facilitate the peace process in Iraq.

"It's important to recognize what sort of damage the U.S. has done in Iraq," he said. "We have a tremendous moral responsibility to the people of Iraq. It's important to make whatever gestures we can to apologize for this war."

Mr. Boehrer believes that "apology" must include the U.S.' rebuilding physical and economic structures destroyed in the invasion, and Americans' making an additional, personal sacrifice.

Restitution

In the Acts of the Apostles, he explained, those who had property and belongings sold them, and the resulting money was distributed among the early Christian community according to each person's needs.

Mr. Boehrer thinks the U.S. people need to likewise "distribute our possessions for our Iraqi sisters and brothers."

He gave the example of an Episcopal church in New York City destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Members of the church decided to raise money to help rebuild a mosque destroyed when the U.S. bombed Afghanistan in retaliation.

"How do we reconcile ourselves to a group of people we've greatly harmed?" Mr. Boehrer asked. "We need to make a sacrifice. We don't need the government to dictate how we live. We have the Gospels, the Sermon on the Mount [and] a rich tradition of Catholic social teachings that can inspire us to act in a loving way."

(10/27/05) [[In-content Ad]]