Washington D.C., Jan 12, 2006 / 22:00 pm
The United States bishops have called for a national civil dialogue that will lead to a responsible transition in Iraq, and have said the U.S. military should remain in Iraq only as long as it takes to secure that responsible transition.
In a letter, issued Jan. 12, the Chairman of the Committee on International Policy for the U.S. bishops said such a dialogue could help the U.S. chart a course of action that meets both the “moral and human dimensions of the situation in Iraq.”
“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,” said Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando in the letter.
“Most importantly, an honest assessment of our moral responsibilities toward Iraq should commit our nation to a policy of responsible transition,” he continued. “Our nation’s military forces should remain in Iraq only as long as it takes for a responsible transition, leaving sooner rather than later.”