The Holy See press office released the following statement today:
“The Holy See has learned with deep pain of the development of the latest events in Iraq. On the one hand, it is to be regretted that the Iraqi government did not accept the resolutions of the United Nations and the appeal of the Pope himself, as both asked that the country disarm. On the other hand, it is to be deplored that the path of negotiations, according to international law, for a peaceful solution of the Iraqi drama has been interrupted.
“Given these circumstances, it was learned with satisfaction that the various Catholic institutions in Iraq continue to perform their activities of assisting those populations. To contribute to this work of solidarity even the Apostolic Nunciature, headed by Archbishop Fernando Filoni, will remain open in this period in its office in Baghdad.”
It’s amazing that they would say that the “path of negotiations ... has been interrupted.” Who interrupted them? Not the US, but Saddam. By failing to cooperate, by hiding banned weapons (as we see today with the banned SCUD being fired toward Kuwait), Saddam is the one who interrupted peaceful attempts to resolve the crisis. If he had cooperated fully at any time in the past 12 years, according to international law, this crisis would have had a peaceful solution. This whole thing lays at the feet of Saddam Hussein and no one else.
