In wars, there are neither winners nor losers for all are losers. It is an adventure, rather a risk on a road of no return and a procession in a wrong and senseless direction that leads to nowhere. The world nowadays listens again to the words of former Pope John Paul II who in the early 21st century was feeble and weak, but his voice continued to reverberate until now in his attempt to dissuade the world, particularly the United States of America, from waging a war on Iraq. Yet, his voice remained unheeded by falling on deaf ears.
The Chilcot Report, issued recently, states that the “alternative options” for the war were ignored at the time, that war was neither the optimum nor the ultimate option, and that reports on weapons of mass destruction were based on lies. It also indicates that the potential consequences of a war in a country that is plunged into chaos would leave it prey to terrorism, killing and destruction--and this is what fraternal Iraqis are experiencing until this very moment.
How painful it is to have "people mowed down" continuously based on lies and imaginary gains that represent trading in politics and humans. This has led to having the door wide open for the serpents of terrorism and for the wolves of explosions to act, as well as for the emergence of movements which claim that killing others embodies holiness and faith. As the world recalls Don Quixote's windmills 500 years ago, it nowadays gets confused by "John Chilcot's report" which elucidates the illusion on which the war plans were based as well the media outlets which served as a malleable tool to implement fatal and destructive plans. Yet, there is a huge difference between reading the novels of Don Quixote, who did not shed a single drop of blood since this character emerged from illusion and fantasies, and John Chilcot's report which mentions the tragedies, the horrors, and the number of victims who fell as a result of deception and manipulation of human dignity.
From this premise, an article written by specialist in the Vatican affairs Andrea Tornielli--published in La Stampa paper and Vatican Insider website as well as translated into Arabic by the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (abouna.org)--mentioned the efforts exerted at the time by the Polish saint who had met with leaders and heads of government, sent Cardinal Roger Etchegaray to hold talks with the Iraqi president and Cardinal Pio Laghi to hold talks, as well, with the US president.
Washington, alongside London, did not heed the call of the Pope, at a time when the US president continued to claim that “the Almighty God had inspired him to launch the war on Iraq." After a heated discussion with him, the Vatican envoy told him: “O man, so long that you do not heed the calls to abstain from launching the war, then this is your problem. But, if you insist on launching the war, then let it be without any association with the name of the Almighty God." In spite of this and a few days before the eruption of the war, the ailing Pope appeared at the window of the papal apartment overlooking St. Peter’s Square, He, then, vehemently said: “There is still time to negotiate; there is still room for peace… no to war… no to war.” Yet, his words had gone astray with no impact at all. Yet, his words are being reverberated in the international arena by the world politicians, as well as by their faithful people at places of worship, indicating that had the world heeded the words of the Pope then the region and the world would have been spared the conflagration being witnessed up to this moment.
Thus, this is the prevailing situation 50 years after the speech delivered by Pope Paul VI at the United Nations in which he said, "no to war… no to war", and the following Pope John Paul II's vehement statement prior to the war on Iraq saying, "no to war…no to war", and then Pope Francis' speech at the United nations in which he said: " If we want true integral human development for all, we must work tirelessly to commit ourselves to avoid wars among nations and peoples.”
Consequently, From Don Quixote to John Chilcot… war only leads to madness and delirium…
