Letters to the editor

Pastors, bishops should
stay out of U.S. politics
I have always firmly believed that our pastors and bishops were supposed to remain neutral and not get involved in politics. This article (“Bishops call for Iraq troop withdrawal,” Nov. 23) certainly sounds like they are making some judgment calls.
I have a problem with what Bishop Clifton Ives had to say to 11.5 million United Methodists in the United States, Africa, Europe and the Philippines, as well as the other bishops who attended this gathering. It looks like we should be supporting the president of the United States in his decisions.
Perhaps all of us would be better served “praying for peace, sponsoring regular prayer vigils for congregations and communities and caring for all impacted by the war, including honoring the dead and helping heal the wounded” and stay out of the political side of this debate.
Methodist clergymen, bishops and retired bishops don’t have any business making proposals based on their political feelings.
“Once troops leave,” Bishop James Swanson said, “the church needs to be about helping the Iraqi people rebuild their lives.”
Perhaps Bishop Swanson, Bishop Ives and Bishop Jack Meadors can be some of the first to go to Iraq after the war has ended.
Jo Ann Coston
Llano

We must choose between
withdrawal, reconstruction
The Council of Bishops issued its call for an “immediate, safe, and full withdrawal of troops” from Iraq (“Bishops call for Iraq troop withdrawal,” Nov. 23). In the same statement the bishops called for the United States to “initiate and support a plan for Iraq reconstruction, giving strong priority to the humanitarian and social needs of the people.”
How do you do the latter when you have already done the former? Do the bishops really think Muslim fundamentalists in Iraq will suddenly become peaceful if the troops are pulled out?
It’s not likely. Even now they are not targeting U.S. troops as much as they are Iraqis who disagree with their radical ideology.
I was never convinced we should invade Iraq. A pre-emptive strike crosses a moral line that even traditional just war theory doesn’t allow. However, the executive and legislative branches of our govern-ment chose to cross that line.
The human costs have certainly been terrible for everyone involved. But now we have to be realistic about the situation as it is. Iraq won’t be reconstructed, and the humanitarian and social needs of the people won’t be met if there are no troops to hold the radicals in check.
We have a difficult choice to make, but we can’t both have our troops home immediately and have peaceful reconstruction in Iraq.
J. David Trawick
San Antonio