The American Spectator

Reader Mail

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You have expressed my thoughts about the bishop's (including the Pope's) views on the inevitable war against Iraq perfectly. I'm glad I'm not a lone voice crying in the wilderness, although I am willing to be if necessary.

It seems that very few Catholics are speaking in favor of war being "just" these days. Conservative Catholics (i.e.: the current issue of the Remnant) have joined with the Pope, bishops, socialists, communists and flower-children in opposing the war (at least with Iraq, if not the "war on terror").

I have submitted a letter to the editor of the Remnant expressing my ideas on this subject and taking exception to its current headline: "Bush's War to 'Liberate' Iraq."

p>Thanks again, br> -- Joseph Sheppard br> Covington, GA /p>

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

2308. "All citizens and all governments are obliged to work for the avoidance of war. However, as long as the danger of war persists and there is no international authority with the necessary competence and power, governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense once all peace efforts have failed."

2309. "The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:

"--The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave and certain.

"--all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective.

"--there must be serious prospects of success

"--the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition

topics:
Abortion, Law, Military, Iraq