Retired South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu now wants George W. Bush and Tony Blair to face trial at the International Criminal Court because of the Iraq War’s “immorality” and their “lies” about weapons of mass destruction.
Last week Tutu refused to appear at a conference because Blair would also be there, though not at the same time.
In a Sunday British newspaper op-ed, Tutu denounced Blair and Bush as “playground bullies” whose Iraq invasion had “destabilised and polarised the world to a greater extent than any other conflict in history.”
Tutu asked: “On what grounds do we decide that Robert Mugabe should go the International Criminal Court, Tony Blair should join the international speakers’ circuit, bin Laden should be assassinated, but Iraq should be invaded, not because it possesses weapons of mass destruction, as Mr Bush’s chief supporter, Mr Blair, confessed last week, but in order to get rid of Saddam Hussein?”
Although admitting Saddam Hussein was a “despotic and murderous leader,” Tutu avoids elaborating and offers no alternatives to his removal by Western force. He cites 110,000 Iraqis killed in war but not the many more Saddam killed during supposed peace.
Blair has responded:
“I have a great respect for Archbishop Tutu’s fight against apartheid – where we were on the same side of the argument – but to repeat the old canard that we lied about the intelligence is completely wrong as every single independent analysis of the evidence has shown.
“And to say that the fact that Saddam massacred hundreds of thousands of his citizens is irrelevant to the morality of removing him is bizarre. We have just had the memorials both of the Halabja massacre where thousands of people were murdered in one day by Saddam’s use of chemical weapons; and that of the Iran-Iraq war where casualties numbered up to a million including many killed by chemical weapons. In addition his slaughter of his political opponents, the treatment of the Marsh Arabs and the systematic torture of his people make the case for removing him morally strong. But the basis of action was as stated at the time.
“In short this is the same argument we have had many times with nothing new to say. But surely in a healthy democracy people can agree to disagree. I would also point out that, despite the problems, Iraq today has an economy three times or more in size with child mortality rate cut by a third of what it was. And with investment hugely increased in places like Basra.”
Unlike the vast majority of African Christians, Tutu is a theological liberal more akin to U.S. Episcopal bishops than African Anglicans. His big theme is that Saddam and bin Laden are God’s children, no less than Bush and Blair. Except he usually has more anger for Bush and Blair, plus nearly any Israeli.
Traditional Christians understand all persons are created in God’s image but have a choice on whether to accept His invite to become His children. The available evidence is that Saddam and bin Laden declined the invite.
As to the Iraq War’s morality, it’s still unexplained by critics like Tutu what viable alternatives were available in 2003 regarding a mass murdering dictator who had started 2 wars and joined the Taliban regime in publicly endorsing 9-11. Although Tutu is now over age 80, his claim that the Iraq War has destabilized the world more than any conflict in history indicates he has no memory prior to 2003.
Comment by Dan Trabue on September 3, 2012 at 6:40 am
it’s still unexplained by critics like Tutu what viable alternatives were available in 2003 regarding a mass murdering dictator who had started 2 wars and joined the Taliban regime in publicly endorsing 9-11.
? How about… NOT invading a country at a huge cost in lives and dollars as a starter? Who would suggest that anytime there is a bad guy in power in another country that waging war against his country is a reasonable solution?
Many folk think Bush was a bad guy, does that mean that other nations would be justified in invading the US, killing hundreds of thousands of people to overthrow Bush?
War is not a rational or moral answer to the problem of thugs in power. Tutu is right, until we start holding our own “bad guys” accountable for immoral, illegal acts, we destabilize the world and undermine any credibility we might otherwise have.
The Iraq invasion was not a moral war even by Just War standards, much less more Christian/peacemaking standards.
Comment by standrewscumberland on September 3, 2012 at 7:24 am
In your response, you are completely distorting the information. No one said you go about invading any country ruled by a “bad guy” whatever that is. You may not like Bush or Blair, but there is a huge difference between them and Sadaam. The war was a continuation of a battle that began when Sadaam invaded Kuiwait. (spelling?) Sadaam agreed to a ceasefire based upon certain terms. He repeatedly violated those terms and suffered the consequences.
War indeed is a terrible thing and we need to think long and hard before engaging in it. But it is the height of hypocricy to proclaim that all war is immoral and then consent to be protected by the police as they engage in small wars against criminals who treaten you.
We live in a fallen world. Many decisions are choices between two or more evils. Do we sit on the sidelines as Hittle murders millions or join in war where millions of innocents are killed.
You state that war is not a rational answer to the problem of thugs in power. Perhaps you would like to give the solution then. Better hurry though, that thug is ready to gas another 10,000 people.
Comment by Donnie on September 3, 2012 at 9:11 am
Given the way he lies about Israel and mindless parrots other left-wing dogma, I always assumed Tutu was a Reverend in name only, much like Winkler, Wallis, Jackson or Sharpton. Glad to see my assumptions were true.
Pingback by Archbishop Tutu’s Moral Meltdown on September 4, 2012 at 12:01 am
[…] He is a native of Virginia and a life-long Methodist. This article first appear at the IRD blog and is used with […]
Pingback by Bishop Tutu, God & Democracy - Juicy Ecumenism on December 27, 2021 at 6:34 pm
[…] which included Apartheid comparisons. He also made intemperate political statements such as calling for President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair to be tried as war criminals for the […]
Pingback by Bishop Tutu, God & Democracy - Christianity News on December 27, 2021 at 6:55 pm
[…] which included Apartheid comparisons. He also made intemperate political statements such as calling for President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair to be tried as war criminals for the […]
Pingback by Bishop Tutu, God and democracy – The Christian Post – voice for democracy on December 30, 2021 at 8:11 pm
[…] which included Apartheid comparisons. He also made intemperate political statements such as calling for President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair to be tried as war criminals for the […]
Pingback by Bishop Tutu, God & Democracy By Mark Tooley - Advent Cable Network Nigeria on January 4, 2022 at 9:13 am
[…] which included Apartheid comparisons. He also made intemperate political statements such as calling for President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair to be tried as war criminals for the […]