Pope’s new convert an architect of Iraq war

IN his Christmas message, Pope Benedict XVI called for the Child Jesus to “bestow upon political leaders the wisdom and courage to seek and find humane, just and lasting solutions” to world conflicts, including “the whole of the Middle East — especially Iraq”.

And yet he made this statement only a matter of days after the Vatican declared its “satisfaction” at the warm welcome given to Tony Blair, an architect of the conflict in Iraq, on his conversion to Catholicism.

Aside from the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent people, and the resultant instability throughout the region, the decision to invade Iraq has had one other significant consequence: the decimation of Christianity within Iraq.

It is estimated that there are 600,000 Christians in Iraq today, less than 3% of the population, compared to more than one million during the reign of Saddam Hussein, with hundreds of thousands being forced to flee to Turkey, Jordan and Syria to escape the anarchy which has prevailed since his ouster.

Adding insult to injury, Mr Blair has since had the audacity to imply that his decision to send British troops to Iraq had been influenced by God himself, saying that “if you have faith about these things, you realise that judgment is … made by God as well”.

One wonders whether these minor issues were put to Mr Blair before he was welcomed to the Catholic Church with open arms?

I, along with many other members of the Catholic Church, and particularly younger members, have become increasingly concerned and disillusioned at the many bizarre statements which the Pope has made since his election in 2005. If calling for resolution to the conflict in Iraq, while at the same time welcoming one of its unrepentant architects into the church, is the kind of message the Pope wants to deliver, then it seems there will be little change at the Vatican during 2008.

Barry Walsh

Brooklawn

Clontarf

Dublin 3