February
26, 2003
Just-war
criteria have not been met
By Bishop John M. D'Arcy
"What are we to say of the threat of a war which could strike the people
of Iraq, the land of the prophets, a people already sorely tried by more than
12 years
of embargo? War is never just when there are other means that one can choose
to employ for settling differences between nations. As the Charter of the United
Nations organization and international law itself reminds us, war cannot be
decided upon, even when it is a matter of insuring the common good, except as
the very
last option and in accord with very strict conditions without ignoring the
consequences for the civil population both during and after military operations."
In this statement, part of a major annual address given to the representatives
and ambassadors from the countries of the world assigned to the Holy
See, Pope John Paul II, with moral clarity, questions the direction
of United States policy and the doctrine of preemptive war.
The principles that have guided the Catholic Church over the centuries
are clearly evident in the pope's statement. Since St. Augustine reflected
on the sacking of Rome in the fifth century, these principles, rooted
in the Gospel and based on sound moral reasoning, have been widely
accepted by men and women of good will. They have given light to the
efforts of nations seeking a just peace with other nations, and they
have helped to enlighten citizens and often brought restraint in times
of crisis. Taken together, they have become known as the "just-war
theory."
A number of principles must be met for a war to be just. A country has
a right to defend itself when attacked. War must always be a last resort.
Peaceful
means of resolving the conflict must first be exhausted. There should
be no
directly intended attacks on civilians; even unintended attacks on civilian
centers must be kept to a minimum. The use of arms must not produce evils
which are greater than the evil to be eliminated. This is called the
principle of
proportionality.
There is now a gathering consensus on the part of bishops and theologians
in the Catholic Church, and many other moral leaders, which questions
most seriously the doctrine of a preemptive strike, one of the positions
now
being advanced by our government in an effort to justify this war.
The pope and his advisers, as well as bishops and theologians, guided
by these honored principles, are especially looking at the consequences
of
this proposed strike and the precedents it would set. Simply put, would
it make
matters worse? Does it have the potential to produce disorders greater
than the evil to be eliminated, especially in light of the terrible
destructive force of modern weapons? Here are a few of these statements.
"The use of arms is not an inevitable fatality: what is more, no provision is
made in the United Nations charter for a preventive war. Nothing should be decided
without the consent of nations in international institutions from whence derives
the irreplaceable role of the UN." (Archbishop Louis Tauran, Vatican Secretary
for Relations with States, Dec. 23, 2002)
"Whom does it suit to confront 1 billion Muslims and run the risk of decades
of hostility from the Muslim world?
"We are asking for a reflection not only on whether a war would be just
or unjust, moral or immoral, but also whether it is opportune to irritate
a billion followers
of Islam. We are against the war. That is a moral position. There is not much
that needs to be said about whether the war is preventive or non-preventive.
It is an ambiguous term. Certainly, the war is not defensive."
(Cardinal
Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State, Jan. 29, 2003)
"The concept of a preventive war does not appear in the "Catechism of the
Catholic Church."
(Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith,
Sept. 21, 2002)
"A war against Iraq could have unpredictable consequences, not only for Iraq
but for peace and stability elsewhere in the Middle East. Use
of force might provoke the very kind of attacks that it attempts to prevent,
could impose terrible
new burdens on the long-suffering civilian population and could
lead to wider conflict in the stability in the region.
"We are deeply concerned about recent proposals to extend dramatically traditional
limits on just cause to include preventive uses of military force to overthrow
threatening regimes or to deal with weapons of mass destruction." (United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Nov. 13, 2002)
One of the foremost specialists on the principles of a just
war, Father Bryan Hehir, former dean of Harvard Divinity
School and
now director
of Catholic
Charities USA, also looks at the consequences of the proposed
action of our country.
"If a single state can seek to resolve a dispute unilaterally by military
means, invoking the principle of preemption, it opens the way for others
to invoke the
same policy in local or regional disputes; Kashmir exemplifies the problem.
It is a sobering thought that, whatever people may conclude about the
rightness
or wrongness of a war on Iraq, it risks undermining the international order,
with consequences as yet unimagined." (Article
by Father Hehir published in The Tablet, Jan. 4, 2003)
Father Hehir, who found the 1991 Gulf War to be "just but unwise," writes
that the question is not whether the goal "is achievable, desirable
and simpler than the alternatives, for these criteria are not enough
to begin a war. Rather, is it the only way, the last resort?" Father
Hehir is convinced that ̉this must be the test." And "so far," he concludes,
"it has not been met." (The
Tablet, Jan. 4, 2003)
The position presented in the above statements speak
to the issue of preemptive war, which is one of our
government's principal justifications for war, and
the critique arises out of a position based on moral
principles. While people of good will may disagree on the application
of just-war norms, these teachers
and pastors believe that the criteria for a just war
have not been met in this case. After prayer, study and reflection,
that is my position as well.
At the same time, it should be noted that the Holy
Father and his advisers have not taken a one-sided
position.
The Holy
See has
sent a special
emissary to Baghdad and has received the deputy prime
minister of Iraq at the Vatican.
He has certainly sought to direct Saddam Hussein
to comply with the wishes of the United Nations Security
Council
to disarm. In all these
meetings,
the pope insisted that it was necessary for Iraq
to respect "with concrete commitments
the resolution of the United Nations, guarantor of
international legality."
A democracy depends on an enlightened citizenry.
I urge everyone to become aware of the issues in
this
critical
matter, to
reflect on them
in light
of the moral principles governing war, and to make
your convictions known to our members of Congress.
Prayer for peace
I have asked, and will ask again, our Catholic
people to join in prayer for peace. The Holy Father
has
specifically urged
Catholics to dedicate
their
prayer and fasting on Ash Wednesday for the "conversion
of hearts and for the long-range vision of just
decisions to resolve disputes with adequate and
peaceful means." As the drums of war grow louder,
I ask all people of good will to pray for peace
in Iraq and throughout the world.
Let us also pray for our brave men and women in
uniform, many of them friends of ours, asking
God to protect
them. They deserve
only our
honor and respect
as they serve our country, in peace and war,
with nobility and courage.
I urge the government of our beloved country
to step back from the brink of war and continue
to
press
for the disarmament
of Iraq through
the
United Nations
and other diplomatic channels. War, as Pope
John Paul II has
said, is "never inevitable" and is always "a
defeat for humanity."
For a more complete view of the just-war theory,
consult www.whatthechurchteaches.com,
the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" or call
Our Sunday Visitor at 1-800-348-2440.
