By SIR September 1, 2010
“Today, there is neither peace nor security in Iraq. What have the Americans done? Where in the past there was a dictatorship, there is now chaos”. Mgr. Shlemon Warduni, Patriarchal Vicar of Baghdad, spoke these words commenting on the speech delivered by the President of the United States Barack Obama yesterday evening, in which he announced to the Americans the end of the mission in Iraq, keeping the electoral promise of withdrawing the troops. In his speech Obama stated that this “doesn’t mean it’s time for a victory lap” and recalled the “huge price” paid by the US in terms of human lives and economic resources “to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people, and mark a new beginning for this cradle of human civilization”. “The truth is that now people are even more afraid”, the Chaldean bishop told SIR. “Obama said the US is safer now? He may have his reasons for saying that. But, as a matter of fact, Iraq is not safe, there are still deaths, bombs and kamikaze”, said Mgr. Warduni. “Now more than ever, it is urgent to form a new government. Without a strong government, without laws, we will be in great trouble. The chance to achieve peace and security – concluded Warduni – depends on the good will of political leaders to find an agreement for governing the country."
“Today, there is neither peace nor security in Iraq. What have the Americans done? Where in the past there was a dictatorship, there is now chaos”. Mgr. Shlemon Warduni, Patriarchal Vicar of Baghdad, spoke these words commenting on the speech delivered by the President of the United States Barack Obama yesterday evening, in which he announced to the Americans the end of the mission in Iraq, keeping the electoral promise of withdrawing the troops. In his speech Obama stated that this “doesn’t mean it’s time for a victory lap” and recalled the “huge price” paid by the US in terms of human lives and economic resources “to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people, and mark a new beginning for this cradle of human civilization”. “The truth is that now people are even more afraid”, the Chaldean bishop told SIR. “Obama said the US is safer now? He may have his reasons for saying that. But, as a matter of fact, Iraq is not safe, there are still deaths, bombs and kamikaze”, said Mgr. Warduni. “Now more than ever, it is urgent to form a new government. Without a strong government, without laws, we will be in great trouble. The chance to achieve peace and security – concluded Warduni – depends on the good will of political leaders to find an agreement for governing the country."