Iraq

Bishop William S. Skylstad, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement earlier this week calling for a more substantive, civil and non-partisan discussion about a responsible transition in Iraq.

“The Administration and the new Congress need to engage in a collaborative dialogue that honestly assesses the situation in Iraq, acknowledges past difficulties and miscalculations, recognizes and builds on positive advances, and reaches agreement on concrete steps to address the serious challenges that lie ahead,” Bishop Skylstad said.

While not addressing a specific timeline for withdrawal of troops, Bishop Skylstad stated that the military should remain in Iraq “only as long as their presence contributes to a responsible transition. Our nation should look for effective ways to end their deployment at the earliest opportunity consistent with this goal.”

The complete text of Bishop Skylstad’s statement is here.