Washington - 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,
2006.
“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.”
The full text of Bishop Wenski’s Statement
“Toward a Responsible Transition in Iraq”
can be found at www.USCCB.org or contact the diocesan Office of Communications,
(507) 359-2966; email: dnu@dnu.org.
