Vatican Envoy's Assessment of Iraq

From EWTN News Story:



"'The Americans are no longer in command of the situation, and I don't know whether they will be successful in regaining control.' That is the assessment of Archbishop Fernando Filoni, the papal nuncio in Iraq.



Speaking to the Italian daily Il Giornale, Archbishop Filoni offered a critical appraisal of American policy in Iraq, one year after the beginning of war there. He also condemned the Iraqis who have taken Western hostages, saying that they have 'lost all sense of proportion' in their approach.



'In Washington, they still don't understand that they will never be loved, and that the people of Iraq will not tolerate the occupation,' the papal nuncio said. He recommended that American leaders should 'have the courage to transfer power immediately.' The people of Iraq 'need a leader who can speak their language,' the Italian prelate continued. He observed that the top American official in Iraq, Paul Bremer, does not understand the situation as native Iraqis see it. 'If the governor would leave his bunker, and walk around through the city, he would realize that things are not going well,' the archbishop said. "