FOR RELEASE: June 13, 2014

CONTACT: Stephanie Niedringhaus, 202-347-9797 x224, sniedringhaus@networklobby.org

Washington DC: NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, today issued the following statement in response to current violence in Iraq:

NETWORK joins with the world community in deploring today’s violence in Iraq. There can be no justification for the current and past suffering endured by the people of that troubled nation.

We support President Obama’s statement earlier today that he will not send troops to Iraq, but we would go further. Because of our long history of deploring military action in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and elsewhere, we want to make it clear that NETWORK stands strong in our belief that violence is not the answer, whether it be in the form of airstrikes, other military actions, or the sending of weapons. Violence in any form only begets more violence. Solutions must be found through diplomatic and political means.

Peacebuilding, though difficult under the current political disarray in Iraq, should be the goal of the world community. No nation should contribute to the violence in Iraq. We also call on U.S. leaders to work together to achieve a lasting peace, and to not use the current unrest for partisan gain. All leaders should be working together toward a common goal – peace that will endure.

We pray that President Obama and other world leaders will do everything possible to halt the violence. We also hold in our hearts and prayers the people of Iraq, who have endured far too much for far too long.

Fraternity is an essential human quality, for we are relational beings. A lively awareness of our relatedness helps us to look upon and to treat each person as a true sister or brother; without fraternity it is impossible to build a just society and a solid and lasting peace.
Pope Francis, World Peace Day message 2014

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