WAR MONGERING OR NOT? Once again the West is being dragged into a seemingly interminable Middle Eastern war. Given my own experience as a “War baby” in England, and as a cradle Catholic, my inclination is towards peace. However, the comparisons between Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the ISIS leader today and Hitler and Stalin in the 1920s are too real to ignore – as others have said if we don’t learn from history we will be condemned to repeat it. In their early days Stalin and Hitler were basically thugs and enforcers. We should not underestimate the power of thugs to move an entire nation in line behind them. Josef and Adolph – and lest we forget Admiral Tojo - did with horrendous consequences – tens of millions dead; all sides ruined. Al-Baghdadi is equally brutal, and rhetorically gifted and has shown he can sway listeners. In an ironic twist al-Qaeda cut all ties with the group for its brutality. The almost 1400 year old rift between the Shia (10%) and Sunni (90%) branches of Islam offers him his opportunity. Let’s be frank, this man who wants to be the caliph of ALL Muslims – and that includes non-Muslims - has a thirst for power equal to the aforementioned tyrants. He knows his time is now. He is also terrifyingly charismatic. He is no buffoon. He is a sociopath who has mastered the power of symbols and the levers of power. People willingly commit suicide in his name. In July of 20114, the BBC and AP reported that he has demanded to be known as Caliph Ibrahim of The Islamic State, and all Muslims are to literally to flock to his side in the ungoverned parts of Syria – or presumably pay the price. At the same time he announced his next targets are Rome and Spain. What to do? The Just War Doctrine of the Catholic Church in the 1992 Catechism lists four strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force 1) The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; 2) All other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; 3) There must be serious prospects of success; 4) The use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated (the power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition). I cannot remember a more reluctant warrior that President Obama. However, fate seems to have cast him in the roles of both Roosevelt and Churchill. If you are a woman or a compassionate man you will also be appalled by al Baghdadi’s treatment of women. It has been reported that he has ordered mandatory female genital circumcision. I cannot confirm this. But watch the video below and you decide if that is plausible.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 15:09:18 +0000
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