The Holy See will back a UN resolution calling for a greater UN role in Iraq, the Vatican's top foreign-policy official has disclosed.

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 18, 2004

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-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 18, 2004.

Sadly and unfortunately, even if the Vatican lends its support to proposed U.N. involvement, the countries that matter, (Germany, France, Russia, etc.) now have the benefit of hindsight. Given the present volatile declining situation, number of growing casualties and past history for such involvement (ie. Vietnam, etc.), no country will now touch this powder keg with a 10 foot pole. I fear in their rush to judgement the United States not only pre- empted what they perceived to be a hostile threat, they pre-empted any possibilites for international cooperation that might have existed.

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), May 18, 2004.

Ed,
Don't be so pessamistic. I see:

1) the UN (Security Council) coming together on this relatively soon (prior to June 15th).

2) Al Sadr either being exciled or killed before that time as well. The dolt actually had his men attack Grand Ayatollah Ali al- Sistani's home today. The only allies this guys seems to have are terrorists, Sunni or Iranian (not a ringing endorsement for an Iraqi Shiite).

3) Fallujah is stable (for now anyway).

4) Oil is flowing again and bringing in more money than was expected for the Iraqi reconstruction.

-bill

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 18, 2004.

They may want to deny it. But it's true today. It will still be so tomorrow. The words of our once heavyweight champion of the world, Joe Louis, before he went on to defeat Max Schmelling, the Nazi champ:

Don't you worry. We is on God's side.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), May 19, 2004.

I pray you’re right Bill, however I see “politics” rearing its ugly head. There are some countries who love seeing America with egg on her face. America really is the “voice of freedom” and when she is healthy and prosperous the entire world benefits in spite of the attitude and the tactics she employs sometimes.

Eugene, Mr. Louis was mistaken. God doesn’t choose sides. He loves us all. God stays out of these sorts of conflicts and relies on what He taught us and what He gave us, to get us through. Its this very attitude, that God chooses sides, that causes men to make war.

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), May 19, 2004.

The UN is a very political organization (it's purpose in life is as a vehicle of the state departments of all its members to persue their national interests, after all). It is not a world government (as the Vatican would like it to be someday). So anytime anything is brought before it, it becomes a political football where each country tries to see how much it can benefit from the activity.

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 19, 2004.

God does "take sides"! He took the Israelite's "side" in the Old Testament, and He has taken the "side" of those who are most on HIS SIDE in these last 20 centuries. Miraculous victories abound in the history of Christendom - the first crusade included multiple miracles including an apparition of a heavenly army defending the crusaders outside the walls of Antioch. Lepanto, Vienna, and even the conquest of Mexico - military victories that paved the way for freedom and faith.

In modern times our own US Revolution included miracles among other noteworthy events (noted with awe by both the US and British) Washington's retreat from Long Island under cover of the thickest fog on record...Lafayette's escape from the British thanks to a sudden flood of river... time and time again, outgunned and outnumbered forces have achieved victory miraculously.

In Iraq, multiple web sites run by soldiers are bearing witness to miraculous events - soldiers getting hit in the helmet by AK-47 rounds - which penetrate, ricochet around and then drop to the floor without touching the man's head, IEDs not obliterating convoys... RPGs not exploding, etc. If this isn't God...who is it?

Given the moral depravity of the "other side", how can anyone doubt that the US military is MORE on the side of God than the terrorists? EVEN IN VIETNAM! We were far more moral and far more respectful of the Vietnamese people than the VC and NVA were... as countless vets will tell you of their personal and corporate care of orphans, refugees, towns and villages. Only enemy agit prop paints the picture of widespread, systematic US atrocity.

-- Joe (joestong@yahoo.com), May 19, 2004.

Go to this site to read some of the good news from Iraq.

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 19, 2004.

Joe Louis had faith in God, Ed. That's what he clearly meant; not what uyou infer.

If we didn't believe our father in heaven will side with the just, why pray for His intervention? Why ask Him for mercy?

I find your comment, ''Its this very attitude, that God chooses sides, that causes men to make war.''

Just another symptom of today's political correctness. We apologise beforehand so others won't feel slighted. There is the quick disclaimer attached, to all demonstrations of real trust in God.

Notice I haven't denied that God loves all His creatures. But history proves He doesn't support them all.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), May 19, 2004.

Joe, your brand of Catholicism scares me. Eugene, you could be right and if so, I am sorry I jumped to conclusions. It may not have been fair to paint Joe Louis with the same brush a religious fanatics who claim that God actually chooses sides in worldly matters, pitting one side against the other. There is too much of that going on right now in the world.

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), May 19, 2004.

Joe scares me too, Ed. Especially his bizarre chauvinistic assertion that God miraculously intervened on the American colonists’ side against the British.

Mr Chavez, you take as a role model someone whose claim to fame is he got paid for bashing people unconscious. This explains a lot. Oh, and Max Schmeling was not “the Nazi champ”. On the contrary. See http://www.auschwitz.dk/schmeling.htm

If you had “real trust in God” Mr Chavez, you wouldn’t arrogantly assume God endorses whatever you (or your country)want to do and the way you want to do it. You would pray “Not my will, but Thy will be done.”, and let your actions be guided by those Christ has appointed to lead His Church.

-- Joker (joker@cybernet.com), May 19, 2004.

Joker,

Tell the "boys" who you are! I'm sure they would get a "laugh"!

-- - (David@excite.com), May 19, 2004.