We were expecting a great many things to happen, but were not prepared for the many crises that are currently shaking the whole world. What began with the banks continued with the entire economy and has now pulled the whole world into various crises of formerly unknown magnitudes. Daily we hear about discouraging news, and it seems that the low has not yet been reached. The situation reminds me of a statement by the German Cardinal-Archbishop Faulhaber of Munich-Freising (1869-1952): “When the world is bleeding from a thousand wounds and the languages of the people are confused as they were in Babylon, then the time of the Catholic Church has come.” (K.-H. Deschner, Kriminalgeschichte des Christentums).

In the USA all hopes are focused on the new president, Barack Hussein Obama, who has inherited the additional burden of the war in Iraq. Every war has consequences that can never be made right. In one CNN interview the question was posed, “What was the biggest mistake of any government in the 20^th century?” The answer was, “The invasion by the German troops into the Soviet Union in June 1941.” The second question was, “What has been the biggest mistake of any government in this century?” The answer, “The invasion of the US and British troops in Iraq in March 2003.”

Over 4,000 US soldiers have already returned to the USA in coffins; thousands have been wounded and came back home as traumatised cripples. More than three and a half million Iraqis have become homeless, and we may never know how many have been killed; the country is in ruins.

As is the case with any war, the war in Iraq is a crime against humanity. Originally it seemed that Saddam Hussein was to be brought down to save the world from the threat of a nuclear war. However, when Mr. Hans Blix and El Barradei could not find any evidence of nuclear or any other weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, it became obvious that the actual motive was the oil.

Should the ex-president of the United States, George W. Bush, not convert to Catholicism, as Tony Blair did, he must be aware that he might have to stand trial before the International Court of Justice in Den Hague on account of the Iraq War. The new president Barack Obama can only do things better, because it is not possible to do worse.

We were expecting a great many things to happen, but were not prepared for the many crises that are currently shaking the whole world. What began with the banks continued with the entire economy and has now pulled the whole world into various crises of formerly unknown magnitudes. Daily we hear about discouraging news, and it seems that the low has not yet been reached. The situation reminds me of a statement by the German Cardinal-Archbishop Faulhaber of Munich-Freising (1869-1952): “When the world is bleeding from a thousand wounds and the languages of the people are confused as they were in Babylon, then the time of the Catholic Church has come.” (K.-H. Deschner, Kriminalgeschichte des Christentums).

In the USA all hopes are focused on the new president, Barack Hussein Obama, who has inherited the additional burden of the war in Iraq. Every war has consequences that can never be made right. In one CNN interview the question was posed, “What was the biggest mistake of any government in the 20th century?” The answer was, “The invasion by the German troops into the Soviet Union in June 1941.” The second question was, “What has been the biggest mistake of any government in this century?” The answer, “The invasion of the US and British troops in Iraq in March 2003.” 

Over 4,000 US soldiers have already returned to the USA in coffins; thousands have been wounded and came back home as traumatised cripples. More than three and a half million Iraqis have become homeless, and we may never know how many have been killed; the country is in ruins. 

As is the case with any war, the war in Iraq is a crime against humanity. Originally it seemed that Saddam Hussein was to be brought down to save the world from the threat of a nuclear war. However, when Mr. Hans Blix and El Barradei could not find any evidence of nuclear or any other weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, it became obvious that the actual motive was the oil.

Should the ex-president of the United States, George W. Bush, not convert to Catholicism, as Tony Blair did, he must be aware that he might have to stand trial before the International Court of Justice in Den Hague on account of the Iraq War. The new president Barack Obama can only do things better, because it is not possible to do worse.