Praying for Peace in Syria

I've said this before: war is not nice. Things get broken. People get killed. (March 22, 2011)

I'll be praying for peace in Syria tomorrow, joining however many folks decided to go along with what the Pope said:

"...I have decided to proclaim for the whole Church on 7 September next, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace, a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East, and throughout the world, and I also invite each person, including our fellow Christians, followers of other religions and all men of good will, to participate, in whatever way they can, in this initiative...."
(Angelus," Pope Francis (September 1, 2013))

Dead Syrians

The American president apparently thinks that military action against Syria is a good idea: but not using ground troops. He may be right.

Syria's leader has a regrettable habit of killing Syrians who aren't sufficiently supportive of him, or who simply get in the way. The most recent high-profile incident involved chemical weapons used against civilians. I've discussed Syria and related topics in another blog:

• "Syria, Chemical Weapons, and More of the Same"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (August 27, 2013)
• "Dead Bodies at the University: Business as Usual in Syria"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (January 15, 2013)
• "Dead Syrians, Stability, and Getting a Grip"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (June 9, 2012)
• "Arab League: Syria Suspended - My Take"
  Another War-on-Terror Blog (November 13, 2011)

As I said in that blog, it would be nice if Syria's president al-Asad would decide to start acting nice: but that doesn't seem likely.

On the other hand, I'm not convinced that limited military action against some target in Syria will encourage Syria's leadership to start behaving; or give Syrians a chance to swap out their current leader for someone a bit less lethal.

In any case, it's not my decision: for which I'm duly grateful.

Popes and Peace

A pope promoting peace is nothing new. For example, Benedict XVI asked for peace in places like Sri Lanka and Darfur:

"...I appeal to all those who hold in their hands the fate of Iraq, that there will be an end to the brutal violence that has brought so much bloodshed to the country, and that every one of its inhabitants will be safe to lead a normal life...."
("Urbi et Orbi," Pope Benedict XVI (December 25, 2006))

Just War

War is not nice, but sometimes it's better than the alternative. The Catholic Church says that folks are allowed to defend themselves.

Sometimes not-nice people do a great deal of lasting damage. When that happens, if there is no reasonable alternative, if there success is possible, and if using force won't cause more problems: then military force is okay. It's called just war.¹

I am not at all convinced that what's happening in Syria fits the 'just war' criteria, and I am convinced that a 'bomb and retreat' approach won't solve Syria's problems.

Why bother to pray, if I don't think either the Syrian or the American president has the right idea? That's where hope comes in: and that's another topic.

Related posts:

• Hope
  • "Having a Future"
    (March 3, 2013)
  • "Energy Resources, Change, and Assumptions"
    (December 31, 2012)
  • "Battling Sin, Living in Hope"
    (July 25, 2012)
  • "The Man Who Wouldn't Stay Dead"
    (March 11, 2012)
  • "A Little Look at the Big Picture"
    (February 13, 2012)
    Particularly
    • You Think You've had a Bad Day?
• The world
  • "Getting a Grip About Politics and Principles"
    (June 18, 2013)
  • "Obedience, Yes: Blind Obedience, No"
    (March 12, 2012)
  • "9/11, Just War, and 'Death to Mickey Mouse' "
    (September 11, 2011)
  • "World Youth Day Madrid, and Living in an Imperfect World"
    (August 19, 2011)
    Particularly
    • With Friends Like These - - -
    • Attempted Mass Murder? Or Anger Management Issues?
  • " 'Just War:' Unpleasant, but Not a Contradiction in Terms"
    (March 22, 2011)

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¹What is a "just war?"

"The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:

• "the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
• "all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
• "there must be serious prospects of success;
• "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.

"These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the 'just war' doctrine.

"The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2309)