Catholic Archbishop Murdered in Iraq: Bush's Fault?

Sometimes, people say silly things.

A Chaldean Catholic bishop said the United States must be held accountable for the death of Chaldean Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho of Mosul, Iraq.

Bishop Ibrahim N. Ibrahim of the Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle, based in Southfield, Mich., said that particularly the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush is responsible for the terrorism and killing of Christians in Iraq. He said the administration is ignoring the problem.

Well, actually, Your Excellency, no.

Only the KILLERS are responsible (at fault) for the execution of the Archbishop, unless you have a passing strange understanding of sin.

As it turns out, perhaps the Bishop doesn't actually mean what he said, exactly.

"No one is defending us," he said March 13, the day the archbishop's body was recovered after kidnappers said where they had buried him. "They are killing Christians because they are Christians."

"We know that before the invasion of the Americans in Iraq, (terrorism) was no such a thing," Bishop Ibrahim said. "Christians and Muslims were living together, exactly like brothers and sisters, and that's it. But since the invasion, everything changes."

"Somebody has to be responsible," the bishop said. "Since the Americans are occupying Iraq, they have the responsibility of the security of every Iraqi, and in the first place minorities. I am not saying the Christians only -- but they are doing nothing for them."

As we've mentioned before, the Catholics in Palestine are also "undefended"--by the US and by Israel; and they are leaving as fast as possible. Separating murderous Muslims (or Palestinians) from their Catholic targets is difficult, but someone OUGHT to be paying attention.

Bush & Co. are not "at fault" for this murder. But we can hope that our forces in Iraq are now better-attuned to the possibilities over there.