Archbishop Desmond Tutu said on Thursday he was saddened by the United States’ launching of a war with Iraq, calling the conflict ”unnecessary” and ”immoral”.
The 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner, a visiting scholar at the University of North Florida, questioned whether the United States had done all it could to disarm Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein before embarking on war.
”In terms of the just war theory, one of the critical elements is determining whether there is a legitimate authority to declare war,” Tutu said in a statement.
”In this case, the legitimate authority is the United Nations. By going to war unilaterally, the United States and England are subverting this principle. In my opinion, this is not only an unnecessary war but an immoral war.”
Tutu was instrumental in bringing down apartheid in South Africa and became the first black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg in 1983 and later the first black archbishop of Cape Town. He has been a scholar-in-residence at the university since January.
Tutu encouraged prayers for leaders of the nations on both sides of the conflict and the soldiers and victims of battle.
”This decision will undoubtedly result in death and injury to hundreds, perhaps thousands of innocent victims,” he said. ”Our thoughts and prayers are with these individuals and their families.” – Sapa-AP