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Church of England offers to meet Muslim leaders to apologize for Iraq war
Mon Sep 19, 5:25 AM ET
The Church of England offered to take the lead in reconciling with Muslims by apologizing to their leaders for the US-led war in Iraq if the British government fails to do so.
The proposal was contained in a report, entitled "Countering Terrorism: Power, Violence and Democracy Post-9/11" which written by a working group of the Church of England's House of Bishops.
"We do believe that the church has a visionary role for reconciliation, beyond that of any government," the Bishop of Oxford, Right Reverend Richard Harris, told BBC radio.
"The Christian church in particular has a mandate to work for reconciliation," he said Monday.
The report suggests that a "truth and reconciliation" meeting between Christian and Muslim leaders would be an opportunity to apologize for the way the West has contributed to the tragedy in Iraq, including the March 2003 invasion led by the United States and Britain.
The Church of England, which lies at the heart of the worldwide Anglican communion, has been openly critical of the war in Iraq, claiming the invasion failed to meet the criteria of a "just war".
The meeting is offered as a solution to the moral dilemma that members of the church who opposed the war find themselves in.
The bishops say to pull out of Iraq without a stable democracy being in place would be irresponsible and compound the misery of the Iraqi people. But to stay suggests collusion with a "gravely mistaken" war.
If collusion is a necessary evil, the report says, there needs to be a degree of public recognition of the West's responsibility for the predicament.
The report highlights a "long litany of errors" in the West's handling of Iraq which includes its support of Saddam Hussein over many years as a strategic ally against Iran, its willingness to sell him weapons and the suffering caused to the Iraqi people by sanctions.
It goes on to say that the recent invasion appeared to be "as much for reasons of American national interest as it was for the well-being of the Iraqi people".
As Prime Minister Tony Blair's government is unlikely to offer an apology, a meeting of religious leaders would provide a "public act of institutional repentance," it said.
xen said:Muslims are not terrorists... its a religion, and i DO feel sorry for this chaos we have helped inject into their communities.
xen said:WOW!!
what about sandy? sally? and mandy? moms and dads, kids! thousands of kids who die for this cause they want no part in. They are innocent and you say fukem, are you bloodthirsty?
What kind of perspective are you'all coming from? I dont understand.
xen said:WOW!!
what about sandy? sally? and mandy? moms and dads, kids! thousands of kids who die for this cause they want no part in. They are innocent and you say fukem, are you bloodthirsty?
What kind of perspective are you'all coming from? I dont understand.
xen said:f'em is what YOU say, not me. get it? im sure you dont.
How about when bush sr pulled out of iraq, and saddam crushed the uprisings. They were promised that we would help...but none came, and our jets would even attack his heli gunships that were blasting them away.
Henry VIII must be spinning in his grave.The Church of England offered to take the lead in reconciling with Muslims by apologizing to their leaders for the US-led war in Iraq if the British government fails to do so.
xen said:I'm talking about the end of the gulf war, we were supposed to provide airsupport. You should read up on it. thanks..
xen said:I'm talking about the end of the gulf war, we were supposed to provide airsupport. You should read up on it. thanks.
I was in it. You were doing exactly WHAT? Still trying to stick your dirty diapers to the wall probably.
What does "supposed to provide air support mean?" Break out your documentation that says Bush promised to provide air support to anyone.
And who the Hell are you to tell ANYONE who they don't care about because of some stupid, left-wing idealism you've had hammered into your brain? You're on here apologizing for people who want to murder you, Einstein.
Dont get all extreme on me.
You have some reich wing insanity warping your brain and you think im apologizing for somebody. who? the terrorists? all ive proposed is their destruction or capture.
Reich wing insanity? LMAO. Jimmy Carter's protege is calling ME insane. Sure thing dude.
I was saying i felt sorry for the populous that is caught in the middle, i should include our troops.
GunnyL said:Now you want to insult US troops with your patronizing. I'm sure the 10% who are cowards, malingerers, thiefs, and/or otherwise generally criminally-minded shirkers and all of Al Qaeda appreciate your sentiment.
The other 90% would probably drop you with a buttstroke if they had the urge, and felt like taking the heat for possibly damaging their weapons on something as worthless as you.
xen said:f'em is what YOU say, not me. get it? im sure you dont.
How about when bush sr pulled out of iraq, and saddam crushed the uprisings. They were promised that we would help...but none came, and our jets would even attack his heli gunships that were blasting them away.
xen said:I was saying i felt sorry for the populous that is caught in the middle, i should include our troops.
Kathianne said:I'm sure this will make them much more peaceful. They will stop ramming planes into buildings or something of that ilk; as well as bombs on trains:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050919/wl_uk_afp/iraqbritainreligion_050919092519
KP, I was being sarcastic...kurtsprincess said:You've got to be kidding me?!!!???
Do these people think the suicide bombers will care whether they apologized or not when they decide to bomb the subways of London? And, I thought the only thing that would stop the jihad was if everyone converts.............is the Church of England willing to convert?
Kathianne said:KP, I was being sarcastic...
