"Your concern about an attack against Iraq is well taken. Based on what I have heared so far, I do not think it would be moral. The church does recognize some situations where armed conflict is permitted, in the just war doctrine found in the catholic catechism at sec. 2309, or see the area of the catechism entitled Safeguarding the peace but I do not think the attack on Iraq would fit within the just war teaching.

In 1983 the United States Bishops published a document on war in which they said in part [my comments are in brackets]:

1. Catholic teaching begins in every case with a presumption against war and for peaceful settlement of disputes. In exceptional cases, determined by the moral principles of the just War tradition, some uses of force are permitted. [If there is a peaceful way out through negotiations and the United Nations we must use it.]

 

2. Every nation has a right and duty to defend itself against unjust aggression. [Iraq would be the nation invaded and so it would have the right to defend itself.]

 

3. Offensive war of any kind is not morally justifiable.[The United States would be engaging in offensive operations. We were not attacked, even though we fear attack by weapons of mass destruction.]

 

4. It is never permitted to direct nuclear or conventional weapons to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their populations . . ." ("The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World," No. 80). The intentional killing of innocent civilians or noncombatants is always wrong. [Iraq may attack Israel and Israel would retaliate. Each side could use weapons of mass destruction that are truly evil. We should not put these countries into this situation. It says in the just war doctrine of sec. 2309: " the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modem means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition."]

 

5. Even defensive response to unjust attack can cause destruction which violates the principle of proportionality, going far beyond the limits of legitimate defense. This judgment is particularly important when assessing planned use of nuclear weapons. No defensive strategy, nuclear or conventional which exceeds the limits of proportionality is morally permissible. "

[However, if Iraq were to use chemical or biological weapons they would be gravely wrong to do so even in self defense.]

This material is part of the page developed on the U.S. response to the attack of terrorists on 9/11/01. It is at http://landru.i-link-2.net/shnyves/wlegitimate_defense.htm."