Bishop's letters: February 03 +Graham & +James A possible war with Iraq

It is right that there is widespread unease about the preparations being made for an invasion of Iraq. War is a dreadful thing. It creates fear and suffering on a huge scale. It destroys many lives. It leaves people and families scarred for life. It must be avoided, unless the consequences of avoiding it are clearly going to be even worse.

It is right that there is widespread unease about the preparations being made for an invasion of Iraq. War is a dreadful thing. It creates fear and suffering on a huge scale. It destroys many lives. It leaves people and families scarred for life. It must be avoided, unless the consequences of avoiding it are clearly going to be even worse.

Cumbria is a long way from Iraq. But Jesus told us that every human being is our neighbour. This is a time for us to pray earnestly - for war to be avoided, for world leaders including Saddam Hussein, for the people of Iraq and for the people of the surrounding nations, who will also be in great fear.

This conflict is strange in that neither Britain nor its ally, the US, has been attacked by Iraq. If the US has serious grounds for believing that an attack with chemical or biological weapons is likely it will rightly seek to prevent its citizens from suffering such an attack. The only legitimate ground for war, morally, is that it will deal effectively, and in proportion, with a clear threat to many people if the present situation is allowed to continue. It is beyond doubt that Saddam Hussein has done a lot of evil and has ignored several UN resolutions. We are right to be very suspicious of his regime. The case for war hangs on the near certainty that a greater evil would result were Iraq not invaded.

The problem is that there is a great deal we don't know, some of which is top secret knowledge, partly based upon the testimony of scientists who have left Iraq. We hope that the weapons inspectors will make things clearer. Without full knowledge, and when war is so dreadful, it is difficult just to rely on the judgement of others.

All of us want a safe world. In the minds of many, including the leaders of Muslim nations, the firmest step that could be taken against world terrorism lies with the US embracing the Palestinian people as strongly as it does Israel. It lies with giving them an internationally guaranteed secure state, independent of Israeli control.

Force is not the ultimate way to world peace. Even when it has to be used in the short term, force can only resist evil, as in the 2nd World War. Force cannot make people good. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, calls us into the true Way of Peace which is based on love and forgiveness. It calls us to embrace our enemy and find our common security. This is the only way that will bring peace to the world.

'Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end' Isaiah 9.v.7

Bishop Graham and Bishop James