WASHINGTON (January 12, 2006)—Calling for a national civil dialogue that
will lead to a responsible transition in Iraq, the Chairman of the
Committee on International Policy of the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said such a dialogue can help our nation chart a
course of action that meets both the “moral and human dimensions of the
situation in Iraq.”
“Our nation cannot afford a shrill and shallow debate that distorts
reality and reduces the options to ‘cut and run’ versus ‘stay the
course,’” said Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando. “Instead we need a
forthright discussion that begins with an honest assessment of the
situation in Iraq and acknowledges both the mistakes that have been made
and the signs of hope that have appeared. Most importantly, an honest
assessment of our moral responsibilities toward Iraq should commit our
nation to a policy of responsible transition….Our nation’s military forces
should remain in Iraq only as long as it takes for a responsible
transition, leaving sooner rather than later.”
Bishop Wenski’s statement, “Toward a Responsible Transition in Iraq,” was
made public January 12.
“The central moral question is not just the timing of U.S. withdrawal, but
rather the nature and extent of U.S. and international engagement that
allows for a responsible transition to security and stability for the
Iraqi people,” Bishop Wenski stated.
“Our nation is at a crossroads in Iraq,” Bishop Wenski said. “We must
avoid two directions that distort reality and limit appropriate responses.
We must resist a pessimism that might move our nation to abandon the moral
responsibilities it accepted in using force and might tempt us to withdraw
prematurely from Iraq without regard for moral and human consequences. We
must reject an optimism that fails to acknowledge clearly past mistakes,
failed intelligence, and inadequate planning related to Iraq, and
minimizes the serious challenges and human costs that lie ahead.”
Bishop Wenski noted that “our bishops’ Conference repeatedly expressed
grave moral concerns about the military intervention in Iraq and the
unpredictable and uncontrollable negative consequences of an invasion and
occupation….At the same time, our nation cannot just look back. The
intervention in Iraq has brought with it a new set of moral
responsibilities to help Iraqis secure and rebuild their country.”
A responsible transition in Iraq means establishing a series of basic
benchmarks, including: “achieving adequate levels of security;
establishing the rule of law; promoting economic reconstruction to help
create reasonable levels of employment and economic opportunity; and
supporting the development of political structures to advance stability,
political participation, and respect for religious freedom and basic human
rights,” Bishop Wenski said.
Four key challenges to a responsible transition cited by Bishop Wenski
include:
- terrorism, and this nation’s response to it;
- violation of the human rights of persons in the custody of U.S. and
Iraqi forces;
- threats to religious liberty and religious minorities in Iraq; the
plight of refugees;
- and meeting other responsibilities of our nation.
Terrorism: “Our Conference unequivocally condemns all terrorist
attacks, especially those that target civilians,” Bishop Wenski said.
“When tactical military responses are required, we must never forget that
the wider struggle with terrorism, together with our basic moral
commitments and legal obligations, demands respect for human rights.”
“In light of deeply disturbing and continuing reports of persistent
violations of the human rights of persons in the custody of U.S. military
and…the reconstituted Iraqi forces, our bishops’ Conference once again
urges immediate steps be taken to end these violations, to prevent future
occurrences, and to discover how they came about,” the Bishop said.
Religious Freedom: Bishop Wenski said religious liberty is a
“foundational freedom that is critical to a just and lasting peace in
Iraq. Full religious freedom for all persons and all religious bodies in
Iraq would contribute to stability and help avoid sectarian conflict,” he
said. “Without guarantees of religious freedom, the ability of minority
religious bodies to bridge sectarian divisions, which they have often done
in the past, and to contribute to the rebirth of a democratic and
prosperous Iraq could be undermined….A truly democratic Iraq must continue
to accommodate its religious, especially Christian, minorities.”
Refugees: Concerning refugees, Bishop Wenski said that “The war and
ongoing instability in Iraq have resulted in a significant flow of
refugees from Iraq, especially among Christians and other religious
minorities who suffer attacks and discrimination.” He noted that Chaldean
Patriarch Emmanuel-Karim Delly of Baghdad has pleaded with Western
governments to protect Iraqi refugees.
“Our Conference urges the United States and the international community to
provide greater support and attention to the plight of Iraqi refugees and
asylum seekers,” Bishop Wenski said. “We continue to believe that U.S.
policy toward Iraqi refugees and asylum seekers is too restrictive.”
Other U.S. responsibilities: “The very costly conflict in Iraq demands a
major commitment of human and financial resources, but Iraq cannot become
an excuse for ignoring other pressing needs at home and abroad, especially
our moral responsibilities toward the poor in our own nation and in
developing countries,” Bishop Wenski stated. “Our Conference reiterates
the need to protect the poor at home and abroad in setting our national
priorities.”
Bishop Wenski said the Bishops want to express care and concern to the
members of the military and their families “who find themselves in the
midst of this terrible conflict. We also affirm the extraordinarily
important work of military chaplains.”
This nation “must act with a constructive and informed realism that helps
us to learn from the past and to move forward,” Bishop Wenski said. “More
immediately, our nation must engage in serious and civil dialogue in order
to walk a difficult path toward a responsible transition that seeks to
help Iraqis take responsibility for building a better future for
themselves—a future that contributes to peace in the region and beyond.
This national dialogue must begin with a search for the ‘truth’ of where
we find ourselves in Iraq and not with a search for political advantage or
justifications for past positions.”
Below is the full text of Bishop Wenski’s statement “Toward a Responsible
Transition in Iraq.”
Toward a Responsible Transition in Iraq
A Statement of Bishop Thomas G. Wenski
Bishop of Orlando
Chairman, USCCB Committee on International Policy
January 12, 2006
The Challenge in Iraq
As we begin a new year and almost three years after the initiation of war,
the situation in Iraq remains complex, uncertain, and dangerous—for the
Iraqi people, for the region, for our nation, and for our military
personnel. The war’s toll is measured in lives lost and many more injured,
in persistent violence and insurgency, and in the daily struggles of
Iraqis to build a future for their torn nation. Our Conference of bishops
mourns the deaths of more than 2,100 of our nation’s sons and daughters
and of tens of thousands of Iraqis. We share the pain of the countless
numbers of persons who have been injured and maimed and of those whose
lives will never be the same. There have been achievements. A dictator has
been deposed and elections have been held, but the human and social costs
of these achievements must be recognized.
There is no simple or easy way forward. Stability remains elusive and
rebuilding efforts are uneven, inadequate and frequently undermined by the
lack of security. Our Conference is encouraged by the courage and
determination of so many Iraqis who voted in the recent parliamentary
elections. We hope these elections will be an important step forward, but
everyone acknowledges that the elections represent just one step along a
long road.
As bishops and pastors, we seek to offer some moral reflections to help
guide our nation along the difficult road ahead. While we recognize that
people of goodwill may disagree with specific prudential judgments that we
offer, our religious tradition calls us to shine the light of faith and
the Church’s social teaching on the moral dimensions of the future choices
that lie ahead. We hope our reflections will contribute to a serious and
civil national dialogue to help our nation chart a way forward that
responds to both the moral and human dimensions of the situation in Iraq.
The Challenge to Dialogue
Our bishops’ Conference regrets that discussions regarding Iraq have too
often led to unproductive debates that are marked by polarization and
political posturing on many sides. It is important for all to recognize
that addressing questions regarding the decisions that led us to war, and
about the conduct of the war and its aftermath, is both necessary and
patriotic. It is equally important that these questions be discussed with
civility so that necessary reflection and careful deliberation are not
lost in a barrage of attacks and counterattacks. Instead our nation needs
serious and civil discussions of alternatives that emphasize planning for
a responsible transition in Iraq. Our Conference hopes that this statement
can help contribute to such dialogue.
Since so much is at stake for Iraq, for our nation, for the region and for
our world, our nation cannot allow justifications of past positions and
partisan attacks on others to replace real, sustained, serious and civil
debate. Dialogue is not advanced by challenging the motives or integrity
of others or by over-simplifying the challenges we face.
Today some see virtually no progress in Iraq and argue for rapid strategic
withdrawal. Others see enormous progress and call for continued and steady
engagement. Our Conference rejects any assessment of the reality that is
either too pessimistic or too optimistic. Our nation cannot afford a
shrill and shallow debate that distorts reality and reduces the options to
“cut and run” versus “stay the course.” Instead we need a forthright
discussion that begins with an honest assessment of the situation in Iraq
and acknowledges both the mistakes that have been made and the signs of
hope that have appeared. Most importantly, an honest assessment of our
moral responsibilities toward Iraq should commit our nation to a policy of
responsible transition.
The Moral Challenge
It is well known that our bishops’ Conference repeatedly expressed grave
moral concerns about the military intervention in Iraq and the
unpredictable and uncontrollable negative consequences of an invasion and
occupation. Similar concerns were articulated powerfully by Pope John Paul
II and the Holy See. The events of the past three years, the absence of
evidence of weapons of mass destructions and the continuing violence and
unrest in Iraq have reinforced those ethical concerns. In light of the
moral criteria of the just war tradition, our Conference remains highly
skeptical of the concept of “preventive war.” As the Compendium of the
Social Doctrine of the Church states: “[E]ngaging in a preventive war
without clear proof that an attack is imminent cannot fail to raise
serious moral and juridical questions.”i
At the same time our nation cannot just look back. We must now look around
and look ahead. The intervention in Iraq has brought with it a new set of
moral responsibilities to help Iraqis secure and rebuild their country and
to address the consequences of the war for the region and the world. The
central moral question is not just the timing of U.S. withdrawal, but
rather the nature and extent of U.S. and international engagement that
allows for a responsible transition to security and stability for the
Iraqi people.
As the late Pope John Paul II said in the wake of the Iraq war:
The many attempts made by the Holy See to avoid the grievous war in Iraq
are already known. Today what matters is that the international community
help put the Iraqis, freed from an oppressive regime, in a condition to be
able to take up their Country's reins again, consolidate its sovereignty
and determine democratically a political and economic system that reflects
their aspirations, so that Iraq may once again be a credible partner in
the International Community.ii
The Challenge of a Responsible Transition
Our nation’s military forces should remain in Iraq only as long as it
takes for a responsible transition, leaving sooner rather than later. We
welcome recent news reports that suggest that troop levels will be reduced
as Iraqis assume more responsibility for their own security. But it is
important for the United States to send even 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. As
one example, our government should declare that the presence of U.S.
military personnel and bases in Iraq must be an Iraqi decision that
respects the needs and sovereignty of the Iraqi people.
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. This task will be difficult; but
it is still necessary. Securing wider and deeper international support
will strengthen the legitimacy and effectiveness of our nation’s efforts,
but it will also require giving international partners and allies a real
voice and real responsibilities. Transferring some responsibility and
operational control of the stabilization and reconstruction process to a
more accepted international entity, working in partnership with Iraqis,
will require that the United States both provide continued financial and
military support and also yield some control to others.
As Pope John Paul II said to President Bush in 2004:
It is the evident desire of everyone that this situation now be normalized
as quickly as possible with the active participation of the international
community and, in particular, the United Nations Organization, in order to
ensure a speedy return of Iraq’s sovereignty, in conditions of security
for all its people.iii
A responsible transition in Iraq means establishing a series of basic
benchmarks, including:
- achieving adequate levels of security;
- establishing the rule of law;
- promoting economic reconstruction to help create reasonable levels of
employment and economic opportunity; and
- supporting the development of political structures to advance stability,
political participation, and respect for religious freedom and basic human
rights.
In Catholic social teaching, peace is more than the absence of war; it is
built on the foundation of justice. Peace involves the defense of human
rights, the pursuit of integral human development and the promotion of the
common good.iv Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI recently wrote:
Peace thus comes to be seen in a new light: not as the mere absence of
war, but as a harmonious coexistence of individual citizens within a
society governed by justice, one in which the good is also achieved, to
the extent possible, for each of them.v
The Catholic Church has significant and growing experience in fostering
post-conflict peacebuilding and reconciliation in various regions of the
world, including in The Philippines, South Africa, Burundi, Mozambique,
Guatemala, the Balkans and elsewhere. Church leaders and institutions have
assisted many peoples as they walked the painstaking, but necessary, path
to peace after war and violence. The experience of the Church and others
can help inform the challenging work of building peace in the wake of war
in Iraq.
Particular Challenges for a Responsible Transition
Our bishops’ Conference believes that our nation and the Iraqi people face
a number of particular challenges that arise from the complex, uncertain
and dangerous situation in Iraq. These challenges include:
- terrorism and our response to it;
- the violation of the human rights of persons in the custody of U.S. and
Iraqi forces;
- threats to religious liberty and religious minorities in Iraq;
- the plight of refugees; and
- meeting other responsibilities of our nation.
Violence and Terrorism: Our Conference unequivocally condemns all
terrorist attacks, especially those that target civilians. We echo the
teaching of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI: “Nowadays, the truth of
peace continues to be dramatically compromised and rejected by terrorism,
whose criminal threats and attacks leave the world in a state of fear and
insecurity.”vi The use of force is never just when it fails to
discriminate between combatants and non-combatants in a conflict.
At the same time our Conference reiterates that terrorism cannot be fought
solely, or even principally, with military methods. As the USCCB
Administrative Committee has warned in 2002:
This "war on terrorism" should be fought with the support of the
international community and primarily by non-military means, denying
terrorists resources, recruits, and opportunities for their evil acts. …
As we confront evil acts, which no cause can justify, this "war on
terrorism" must not deflect us from sustained commitment to overcome
poverty, conflict and injustice, particularly in the Middle East and the
developing world, which can provide fertile ground in which hopelessness
and terrorism thrive.vii
In the frustrating and dangerous task of confronting terrorists, now drawn
to and active in Iraq, our nation must guard against overly aggressive and
unwise military responses that endanger civilians and thereby undermine
the winning of hearts and minds that is critical to the long term struggle
with terrorists and insurgents. Our moral tradition insists that the use
of military force must be proportional and discriminate. When tactical
military responses are required, we must never forget that the wider
struggle with terrorism, together with our basic moral commitments and
legal obligations, demand respect for human rights.
We must heed the warning of Pope John Paul II in his 2002 World Day of
Peace Message:
International cooperation in the fight against terrorist activities must
also include a courageous and resolute political, diplomatic and economic
commitment to relieving situations of oppression and marginalization which
facilitate the designs of terrorists. The recruitment of terrorists in
fact is easier in situations where rights are trampled upon and injustices
tolerated over a long period of time.viii
It is important to distinguish between the tactic of terrorist attacks
that are never justifiable and the political concerns which feed the
insurgency. In order to reduce popular support for the insurgency, it is
critically important to help create viable political space for Sunni and
minority participation in Iraq.
Human Rights: In light of deeply disturbing and continuing reports of
persistent violations of the human rights of persons in the custody of
U.S. military, and more recently of reports of similar abuses by the newly
reconstituted Iraqi forces, our bishops’ Conference once again urges
immediate steps be taken to end these violations, to prevent future
occurrences and to discover how they came about. The abuse and torture of
detainees violate human rights. They simultaneously undermine both the
struggle against terrorism and the prospects of a responsible transition
in Iraq. Such abuse undercuts our nation’s moral credibility and damages
our nation’s ability to win popular support in other countries where
backing is needed for the struggles in Iraq and against global terrorism.
Defending the basic human rights of detainees can also strengthen our
insistence on the humane treatment of our own military personnel who
become captives.
Our nation simply must live up to our own Constitution’s prohibition
against cruel and unusual punishment, and adhere to the Geneva Conventions
of 1949 and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment of 1984. As a world leader, our nation’s
adherence to international standards ought to be exemplary. For these
reasons our Conference has supported Congressional efforts to prohibit
cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment of persons and to
provide uniform standards for the interrogation of persons under detention
by the Department of Defense. Our Conference also supports a proposal to
appoint a special human rights officer to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
Recently Pope Benedict XVI affirmed the importance of international
humanitarian law and called on all countries to obey its requirements. In
his 2006 Peace Message the Holy Father declared:
The truth of peace must also let its beneficial light shine even amid the
tragedy of war. The Fathers of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, in
the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, pointed out that “not
everything automatically becomes permissible between hostile parties once
war has regrettably commenced.” As a means of limiting the devastating
consequences of war as much as possible, especially for civilians, the
international community has created an international humanitarian law. In
a variety of situations and in different settings, the Holy See has
expressed its support for this humanitarian law, and has called for it to
be respected and promptly implemented, out of the conviction that the
truth of peace exists even in the midst of war.ix
Religious Liberty: Our Conference has repeatedly called for the protection
of religious liberty in Iraq and renews that call once again. The Catholic
bishops in Iraq have expressed serious concerns regarding conflicting
provisions in the proposed constitution of Iraq and are wary of its
implementation. In light of these concerns, our Conference urges the
active support of the U.S. to encourage clearer protection of religious
freedom in both law and practice.
Religious freedom includes many rights; it cannot be limited to the
freedom to practice religious rites or the freedom to worship. Religious
liberty must include the right to practice religious beliefs alone or with
others, in private or in public; to acquire and hold property; to educate
children in their faith; and to establish religious institutions, such as
schools, hospitals and charitable agencies. Religious freedom is also
directly related to other freedoms, such as the freedom of speech and the
freedom of association, so that people of faith can freely share ideas and
act together in the public square. A truly democratic Iraq must continue
to accommodate its religious, especially Christian, minorities.
Refugees: The war and ongoing instability in Iraq have resulted in a
significant flow of refugees from Iraq, especially among Christians and
other religious minorities who suffer attacks and discrimination. Chaldean
Patriarch Emmanuel-Karim Delly of Baghdad has pleaded with Western
governments to protect Iraqi refugees. He noted that although he hoped
that people would stay in Iraq, he understood that people fled when
“children get kidnapped or killed, when there's no security, no peace.”x
Our Conference urges the United States and the international community to
provide greater support and attention to the plight of Iraqi refugees and
asylum seekers. We continue to believe that U.S. policy toward Iraqi
refugees and asylum seekers is too restrictive.
Our Conference calls upon the U.S. to protect Iraqi refugees and asylum
seekers, including the Christian and other religious minorities fleeing
Iraq. In particular, we call on the government to (1) designate Iraqi
religious minorities as a group of special concern for the purposes of
determining refugee resettlement eligibility, (2) eliminate current
restrictions on family reunification eligibility in the refugee admissions
program, (3) provide for expeditious, emergent refugee processing directly
from Iraq for cases of particular vulnerability, and (4) carefully
consider Iraqi asylum seekers’ claims, especially religious minorities and
other vulnerable individuals, and not reject their asylum requests on the
presumption that conditions allow for a safe return to Iraq.
Other U.S. Responsibilities: The very costly conflict in Iraq demands a
major commitment of human and financial resources, but Iraq cannot become
an excuse for ignoring other pressing needs at home and abroad, especially
our moral responsibilities toward the poor in our own nation and in
developing countries. Our Conference reiterates the need to protect the
poor at home and abroad in setting our national priorities. As we noted in
our Conference’s February 2005 letter to Congress:
As pastors, we believe that a fundamental moral measure of our nation’s
budget policy is whether it enhances or undermines the lives and dignity
of those most in need. Sadly, political pressure frequently has left poor
children and families missing in the national debate and without a place
at the table. Our nation needs a genuinely bipartisan commitment to focus
on the common good of all and on the special needs of the poor and
vulnerable in particular. These are tough times. There are few easy
choices. But there are some “right” choices. In a time of war, mounting
deficits, and growing needs, our nation’s leaders must ensure that there
are adequate resources to protect people who are poor and vulnerable both
at home and around the world.xi
Pastoral Concern for U.S. Military Personnel
As bishops, we wish to speak special words of care and concern to the
members of our military and their families who find themselves in the
midst of this terrible conflict. We also affirm the extraordinarily
important work of military chaplains. They serve in the name of the Church
in a vital pastoral service. Pope Benedict XVI recently recalled the
teaching of the Second Vatican Council that “those who enter the military
in service to their country should look upon themselves as guardians of
the security and freedom” and as contributors to “the establishment of
peace.” He went on to “encourage both the military Ordinaries and military
chaplains to be, in every situation and context, faithful heralds of the
truth of peace.”xii
Our Conference wants to be clear. Raising grave moral questions regarding
the decision to invade Iraq is not to question the moral integrity of
those serving in the military. Expressing moral questions regarding the
treatment of U.S. prisoners and detainees is not to question the
professional integrity of the vast majority of those on deployment. In
fact, asking difficult questions is a patriotic and moral duty that
reflects our values and serves the bests interests of our nation and those
who serve it with honor.
Caution and Hope
Our Conference has been in continuing dialogue with U.S. policy makers
regarding Iraq. We have expressed grave moral concern regarding
“preventive war,” noted the new moral responsibilities that our nation has
assumed in Iraq, worked to protect religious freedom in Iraq, supported
efforts to address the abuse of prisoners and detainees, shared the moral
elements of a “responsible transition,” and sought to contribute to a
serious and civil discussion regarding the way forward in Iraq.xiii We
know that statements are not enough. The time has come for public
reflection that leads to action.
Our nation is at a crossroads in Iraq. We must avoid two directions that
distort reality and limit appropriate responses. We must resist a
pessimism that might move our nation to abandon the moral responsibilities
it accepted in using force and might tempt us to withdraw prematurely from
Iraq without regard for moral and human consequences. We must reject an
optimism that fails to acknowledge clearly past mistakes, failed
intelligence, and inadequate planning related to Iraq, and minimizes the
serious challenges and human costs that lie ahead.
Instead our nation must act with a constructive and informed realism that
helps us to learn from the past and to move forward. Our policy makers and
citizens must be willing to ask difficult moral questions regarding
preventive war and to learn from our experience in Iraq. More immediately,
our nation must engage in serious and civil dialogue in order to walk a
difficult path toward a responsible transition that seeks to help Iraqis
take responsibility for building a better future for themselves—a future
that contributes to peace in the region and beyond. This national dialogue
must begin with a search for the “truth” of where we find ourselves in
Iraq and not with a search for political advantage or justifications for
past positions.
By embracing the honesty that it takes for genuine dialogue that seeks a
path to a just peace in Iraq, our nation would be striving to find “in
truth, peace.” Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, reflected on this theme
in his 2006 World Day of Peace Message. “In truth, peace” is a theme that
“expresses the conviction that wherever and whenever men and women are
enlightened by the splendor of truth, they naturally set out on the path
of peace.”xiv
i Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social
Doctrine of the Church (2004), no. 501.
ii Pope John Paul II, Address to the Diplomatic Corps, January 12, 2004.
iii Pope John Paul II, Address to President Bush, June 4, 2004.
iv See the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, nos. 494-495.
v Pope Benedict XVI, World Day of Peace Message (January 1, 2006), no. 6.
vi Pope Benedict XVI, World Day of Peace Message (January 1, 2006), no. 9.
vii Administrative Committee, United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops, Statement on the Anniversary of September 11th, September 10,
2002
viii John Paul II, 2002 World Day of Peace Message (January 1, 2002), no.
5.
ix Pope Benedict XVI, World Day of Peace Message (January 1, 2006), no. 7.
x Catholic News Service, “Chaldean patriarch says nations should not turn
away fleeing Iraqis,” October 17, 2005.
xi Bishop William S. Skylstad, Letter to Congress on FY 2006 Budget
Priorities, February 15, 2005.
xii Pope Benedict XVI, World Day of Peace Message (January 1, 2006), no.
8.
xiii One example is the “Colloquium Ethics of War after 9/11 and Iraq”
that was held on November 11, 2005 at Georgetown University. This
Colloquium was cosponsored by the Committee on International Policy of the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in conjunction with the Joan B. Kroc
Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame
and the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, the Mortara Center for
International Studies, and the Initiative on Religion, Politics and Peace
at Georgetown University.
xiv Pope Benedict XVI, World Day of Peace Message (January 1, 2006), no.
3.