Has Vatican changed position on Iraq War, or has war changed Iraq?

Published: 2003-11-25

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Early this year, during the countdown to the Iraq War, Pope John Paul II and his Vatican aides wasted no opportunity to broadcast their opposition to a U.S.-led invasion. They warned that besides being unjust, an invasion would be counterproductive -- it would leave many dead and wounded, destroy Iraqi infrastructure, increase the hardships on civilians, increase political pressures on Iraqi Christians, ignite civil strife in the country, weaken the United Nations and foment global terrorism. Fast-forward eight months, and it seems that most or all of the Vatican's warnings were accurate, but no one is saying "I told you so." On the contrary, several top cardinals have warned against a pullout of U.S. and allied troops from Iraq, especially after deadly attacks on soldiers there. The Vatican's own representative in Iraq has said military withdrawal now would be the worst option. To those who would view Iraqi attacks on U.S. and allied soldiers as legitimate resistance to an illegal occupation, the Vatican has offered zero support.

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