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July 14, 2006
On the Middle East
Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano today made the following declaration on Vatican Radio:
"The news we are receiving from the Middle East is certainly worrying.
"The Holy Father Benedict XVI and all his collaborators are following with great attention the latest dramatic episodes, which risk degenerating into a conflict with international repercussions.
"As in the past, the Holy See also condemns both the terrorist attacks on the one side and the military reprisals on the other. Indeed, a State's right to self-defense does not exempt it from respecting the norms of international law, especially as regards the protection of civilian populations.
"In particular, the Holy See deplores the attack on Lebanon, a free and sovereign nation, and gives assurances of its closeness to those people who have suffered so much in the defense of their own independence.
"Once again, it appears obvious that the only path worthy of our civilization is that of sincere dialogue between the contending parties.
Posted by Amy Welborn | Permalink
Comments
This is disingenuousness at its best. "Lebanon" is a fiction, not a sovereign state. It is a playpen for Hezbollah. Israel is not "attacking" a sovereign state, it is defending itself from terrorists, who hide behind the cover of "Lebanon." Sodano has played this game for years and Truth is always the victim. I hope Benedict has not written the script for this.
Posted by: Janice at Jul 14, 2006 9:18:54 AM
I'm with Janice on this. I sometimes wonder if Sodano spins it this way for the sake of the dhimmis or because he is one.
Posted by: Mike Walsh, MM at Jul 14, 2006 9:36:58 AM
I presume I'm not the only one surprised by this statement of Cardinal Sodano.
How can the Holy See condemn the "the military reprisals" of Israel.
"Indeed, a State's right to self-defense does not exempt it from respecting the norms of international law, especially as regards the protection of civilian populations". I don't see how Israel has not respected these norms and they are targeting, not the civilian populations, but the infrastructure eg. airport.
"In particular, the Holy See deplores the attack on Lebanon, a free and sovereign nation, and gives assurances of its closeness to those people who have suffered so much in the defense of their own independence". But Lebanon is where the terrorists attacks are coming from and where the terrorists are. How can Israel not attack Lebanon then?
It seems to me that all Israel is doing is defending herself and her people.
What is Israel supposed to do? Do nothing and allow the people of Israel to be attacked without any response?
Posted by: EuropeanCatholic at Jul 14, 2006 9:38:36 AM
"sincere dialogue between the contending parties."
Hezbollah and Hamas: "We want all the Jews driven from Palestine!"
Israel: "We're not going anyplace!"
Oh yeah, dialogue, even sincere dialogue, is going to solve this problem.
Posted by: Donald R. McClarey at Jul 14, 2006 9:41:54 AM
A free and sovereign nation, who happens to do absolutely nothing as a group of guerillas use its territory as a staging area to attack a neighboring nation...
Posted by: Tom Harmon at Jul 14, 2006 9:47:49 AM
The only problem I have with the sentiments expressed is that they show an unfortunate lack of understanding of what an asymmetric war really is. They're grounded, for the most part, in things such as the Geneva Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which were written when warfare was symmetric. It is a difficult question when civilians cease to be civilians when they willingly and knowingly house, shelter and support combatants. That is an issue I could only wish we had more theological study on that issue - I'm not sure the classic Just War doctrine anticipated it. Hmm. Sounds like a good blog post...
Posted by: Peter at Jul 14, 2006 9:56:21 AM
Hello Tom,
Worse yet, Hezbollah is actually part of the ruling government coalition in Beirut.
Posted by: Richard at Jul 14, 2006 9:57:03 AM
How long again 'til Sodano's gone?
An attack ON Lebanon...
Free and sovereign
Maybe Sodano can write for the Daily Show as his next gig. He's funnier than Stewart (but not as funny as Colbert).
Posted by: Boko at Jul 14, 2006 9:59:39 AM
I find the "civilian casualties" reporting so frustrating. Terrorists are civilians. They're not living in military barracks and wearing uniforms. None of these news articles ever mention the well-known terrorist tactic of living in civilian homes and surrounding themselves with women and children. Hamas uses children as human shields whenever they engage the Israeli army.
In Afghanistan, they live in the same homes with their wives and children. And when we bomb them, it's reported that only women and children were killed.
And people fall for this ALL the time.
Posted by: TheLeague at Jul 14, 2006 10:00:14 AM
If a terrorist group used Niagara Falls, Canada, as a staging area to launch dozens of missiles to Buffalo and Rochester (and had done such things for years without the Canadian government lifting a finger to stop them), how much of the "civilian infrastructure" of Ottawa and perhaps Toronto would be left standing?
Posted by: Rich Leonardi at Jul 14, 2006 10:04:03 AM
Oh, yes, those euro-weenies in clericals did it again. Why bother by Lebanese civilians killed? All of them must be fanatical Hezbollah supporters, therefore they were asking for the bombing. Including the Maronites, of course.
People, think again. Hezbollah is despicable. But if Israel adopts the "ends justify the means" policy, it loses the moral high ground too. And that is what the Holy See is saying, IMHO. I pray for all the Israelis and the Lebanese (specially, the Maronites). May all be spared of this insanity.
Posted by: Ignacio at Jul 14, 2006 10:05:20 AM
FYI, the mock quotes around "civilian infrastructure" reflect the criticism Israel is receiving for going after Lebanon's int'l airport and other targets to disrupt Hezbollah's ability to wage war. Israel is emphatically not targeting civilians.
Posted by: Rich Leonardi at Jul 14, 2006 10:08:24 AM
My, here's a series of comments that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus Christ!
An acknowledgement of responsibility on both sides, a call for restraint and a response both proportional and in compliance with international law and out come the brownshirts! When should Cardinal Sodano expect to be knocked down and kicked to a bloody pulp in some gutter by you folks, Don? You can make book on the fact that he's expressing the Pope's point of view, Janice.
John Lowell
Posted by: John Lowell at Jul 14, 2006 10:15:22 AM
The burden is on Hezbollah, not Israel. Israel has been putting up with Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, et al., since its birth. How long are they supposed to take it, Ignacio? And don't tell me that their "civilian" fellow travellers don't support their aims. The Holy See is using the argument of moral equivalence, which it is not entitled to make here.
I also wonder if Pope Benedict supports Sodano's statement (which it appears he does since Sodano is explicitly speaking for the Holy See)? If he does, there seems to be a cognitive dissonance in the Vatican itself. On the one hand, Benedict has spoken out quite strongly against terrorism, on the other hand, his secretary of state rationalizes that very terrorism when it is visited upon Israel. Hmmm....
Posted by: Janice at Jul 14, 2006 10:18:18 AM
"As in the past, the Holy See also condemns both the terrorist attacks on the one side and the military reprisals on the other."
John,
This is more than "a call for restraint and a response both proportional and in compliance with international law." It is (i) explicitly equating the terrorist attacks with the reprisals and (ii) implictly making the factual determination that the reprisals are not proportional and in compliance with international law. This type of shallow moral equivilency can be validly criticized by people other than "brownshirts."
Posted by: Mike Petrik at Jul 14, 2006 10:29:06 AM
Maybe the Pope and the Vatican are concerned that the government of Lebanon might fall and open the door wider for Syria and Iran. Syria just got out of there. Okay maybe this will change some minds. GEORGE BUSH is concerned about the government of Lebanon falling. Does that make any difference with the Catholic/Left Behind folks?
I heard Bill Bennent this morning agree with an emailer asking basically "Why should Israel be concerned about responding in proportion to the attacks, who cares?" he said. I'm no expert on Catholic Just War Doctrine but I kind of took that "Catholic" Bill Bennett could care less about the church's teachings on Just War. Again I'm not expert, just my 2 cents.
I will add I have voted conservative Republican all my life. I don't claim the label of neo, paleo, or cruncy anything however, and am increasingly sick of the current political climate in this country.
Posted by: Tim F. at Jul 14, 2006 10:33:28 AM
You can make book on the fact that he's expressing the Pope's point of view, Janice.
So, John, you know for a fact that Sodano's expressing the Pope's point of view? In spite of the fact that Sodano's spent a lot of time doing things behind the Pope's back practically from the minute he was elected? You're very well informed. When did your job at the Vatican begin?
Posted by: Janice at Jul 14, 2006 10:35:44 AM
Ignacio,
You seem to be asserting either that Israel is deliberately targeting innocent civilians or that no military response involving collateral casualties of innocents can be undertaken without losing the moral high ground. I don't think there is any evidence supporting the first assertion and the second assertion is not a function of Catholic teaching. While the moral high ground is necessary (meaning one may not use intrinsically evil means) it is not sufficient to defeat the terrorists (meaning the mere avoidance of such means will in itself not afford Israel any protection whatsoever).
Posted by: Mike Petrik at Jul 14, 2006 10:38:15 AM
Maybe we could arranged some talks between the parties. Say at Yalta with Hezbollah and at Munich with Hamas.
Just because it didn't work with the communists and the Natzis is no reason to be discouraged. In the minds of some at least.
Posted by: tcreek at Jul 14, 2006 10:40:37 AM
Janice says: "The burden is on Hezbollah, not Israel. Israel has been putting up with Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, et al., since its birth. How long are they supposed to take it, Ignacio? And don't tell me that their "civilian" fellow travellers don't support their aims. The Holy See is using the argument of moral equivalence, which it is not entitled to make here".
First, the burden of what? To each on its due. Hezbollah must certainly stop its terrorist actions and Israel has every right to protect itself. But Israel cannot retaliate disproportionately, targeting Lebanese infrastructure as if Lebanon and Hezbollah were not different entities. Two wrongs don't make one right.
Second, to lump all Lebanes as "civilian supporters" of Hezbollah is absurd. Lebanon is a profoundly divided country -Muslim vs Christian, Sunnis v. Chiites, Druzes v. the rest- which is currently trying to overcome by democratic means the effects of the Hariri assassination and Syria's occupation. Israel, by targeting the country as a whole is re-igniting´political and religious strife there. Not a wise decision in the long term. Lebanon may end up, yet again, in a civil war. This, in turn, will play against Israel.
Third, No "moral equivalence" here. It's just more simple, really: the ends do not justify the means.
Regards
Posted by: Ignacio at Jul 14, 2006 10:41:55 AM
The Israeli response IS out of proportion to the offense.
Let's step back and see how this started: The kidnapping of one (1) Israeli soldier.
For this, Israel seems perfectly willing to send the entire Mideast up in flames and kill Lord knows how many civilians (not to mention losing who knows how many more soldiers). Hezbollah are "lucky" terrorists, because they can always count on Israel over-reacting to anything they do, which of course further inflames the Arabs and is great for recruiting.
And the US, by vetoing a condemnation of this insanity, seems to be giving the green light to Israel to do more of the same. I hope everyone's real eager for their sons and daughters to help Israel fight its war to end all wars against Islam.
And people ask "why do they hate us"?
Posted by: WRY at Jul 14, 2006 10:46:50 AM
John,
Lebanon was given plenty of warnings these last several months to take care of the Hebzollah brigades meancing Isreali borders. Rocket attacks and platoon sized incursions into Isreali territory have gone on for months. Lebanon, a soverign state, has endorsed these actions by thier silence.
By attacking IDF soldiers within Isreali territory, and taking the hostage, Lebanon has bascially gone to war with Isreal. Hostage taking is univsersally regarded as an act of war. If anything, Isreal has shown great restraint. Isreal has every right, morally, and legally to invade Lebanon and lay waste to the country. The knee jerk anti-semitism of Europe is disgusting.
Posted by: JP at Jul 14, 2006 10:47:45 AM
JP what parish do you attend?
Another question, what do you mean by lay waste to the country? Like Rome did to Carthage?
What's with the anti-semitism charge. Did John even mention Jews or Israel for that matter?
Posted by: Tim F. at Jul 14, 2006 10:59:59 AM
Mike,
"It is (i) explicitly equating the terrorist attacks with the reprisals and (ii) implictly making the factual determination that the reprisals are not proportional and in compliance with international law. This type of shallow moral equivilency can be validly criticized by people other than 'brownshirts'."
Love that violence!
Memory in the Vatican is perhaps sufficiently accute to remember a time when the "terrorism" in this little contretemps was coming largely from the Israeli side, Mike. There are British families that are today short a relative or two that in 1948 were comfortably ensconsed at the King David Hotel. Funny how today's terrorism was once once a blow for freedom. If the Vatican is in fact detecting the moral equivalence you so deplore, perhaps its because the long view justifies it. This exchange is hardly the consequence of recent developments. I'll see that you get the sheet music for Die Fahne Hoch.
John Lowell
Posted by: John Lowell at Jul 14, 2006 11:03:09 AM
But Israel cannot retaliate disproportionately, targeting Lebanese infrastructure as if Lebanon and Hezbollah were not different entities.
Lebanon has been complicit in Hezbollah's terrorism for decades, hosting its headquarters in Beirut and permitting it to use its southern territory as a base of operations.
And people ask "why do they hate us"?
It's largely due to the invertebrate fecklessness that runs through this kind of thinking.
Posted by: Rich Leonardi at Jul 14, 2006 11:03:50 AM
