Dale Price has noticed the discrepancy between the Vatican’s condemnation of the US in Iraq and its lack of condemnation of other countries. For example, where was the Vatican’s condemnation of Russia’s brutal campaign against the Chechens? How about China’s repression and persecution of the underground Church? (In fact, in that case Cardinal Sodano was angered and embarrassed by the Fides news service’s mentioning it on the eve of a Chinese official’s visit to Rome.) How about Saddam Hussein’s war with Iran? His massacre of Kurds and Shiites? His invasion of Kuwait? Where was the condemnation of Syria’s Assad who called the Jews “Christkillers” in the presence of the Pope without a response?
Dale has noticed these seeming discrepancies as well and attributes it to the fact that when you criticize the US it doesn’t take retaliatory action against you. If the Vatican criticized any of these others, Catholics would have suffered as a result. Plus, perhaps they expect more of us because of who we are and what our principles are. So in a way, it’s a kind of compliment. Not that it’s much comfort.
