Pope Francis says it is
legitimate for the world community to use force to stop unjust
aggression by radical Islamic forces in Iraq - so long as it is
by broad agreement and not the action of just one country.
In a rare display of support for the use of force, the pope
said Monday that bombing is not acceptable, but strong measures
can be justified to protect the people of Iraq from ISIS, the
Islamic State militants.
He also denounced the extreme amount of indiscriminate
violence in the world that takes the lives of innocent children
as well as combatants, and said he found mankind's "cruelty ...
a little frightening".
But it was his suggestion that a 'just war' was supportable
that has captured headlines around the world.
"In those cases where there is an unjust aggression, I can
only say that it is permissible to stop the unjust aggressor,"
the pope said during a lengthy news conference as he returned to
the Vatican Monday after a five-day visit to South Korea.
"I underscore the verb 'stop'. I don't say 'to bomb' or to
'make war,' but to 'stop'," added the pope as he answered
questions from journalists aboard the aircraft enroute to
Vatican City.
"Today, we are in a world at war - everywhere," said
Francis.
The pope said that he has been closely watching the
situation in Iraq and would like to visit the region to show
support for refugees.
"At this moment it is not the best thing to do, but I am
willing," he said.
The pope noted that he has already sent an "personal envoy"
- Cardinal Fernando Filoni - to the region, and both he and the
Vatican have written to United Nations Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon urging a resolution to the conflict.
Countless Iraqis, many of them from Christian minorities,
have been displaced by the atrocity-filled drive of ISIS to
create a caliphate or Islamic state in parts of Syria and
northern Iraq.
"Today, we are in a world at war - everywhere," said
Francis, who noted that someone had suggested to him that the
world is now witnessing "World War Three".
He also denounced the extreme violence that takes no
account of innocent civilians, including countless children
whose lives are shattered by war.
"Today, children don't count," said the pope.
"Once, one spoke of conventional warfare," he continued.
"Today, this doesn't count. I am not saying conventional
warfare is a good thing, no. But today a bomb goes off and you
have an innocent killed with the guilty one, the child, with the
woman, with the mother...they kill everyone," he added.
"The level of mankind's cruelty at this moment is a little
frightening".
During his wide-ranging news conference, the pope said that
he would visit China "tomorrow" if it were possible.
The communist country does not recognize his authority over
Catholics there.
"The Holy See is always open to be in touch, because it has
true esteem for the Chinese people," Francis said.
The pope, who is 77, also joked about what he termed his
neuroses, including the fact that "I am a bit too attached to
life".
He admitted that the last time he took a vacation was in
1975, but when he does take a break, he uses the time to "sleep
more, read the things that I like, listen to music, pray
more...In July and part of August I did this and it's ok".
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