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Archbishop warns nuclear Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/11/05/narch05.xml&sSheet=/portal/2002/11/05/ixport.html&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=283217 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/11/05/narch05.xml&sSheet=/portal/2002/11/05/ixport.html&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=283217 Archbishop warns West of nuclear conflict over Iraq By Jonathan Petre Religion Correspondent (Filed: 05/11/2002) War against Iraq could escalate into a nuclear conflict and risk the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the Middle East, Dr Rowan Williams, the next Archbishop of Canterbury, warns today. In his strongest criticism yet of military action, Dr Williams says that a pre-emptive strike against Saddam Hussein could "rapidly and uncontrollably spiral down into chaos." Dr Rowan Williams: asks 'whether the West is the best judge of the needs of the region' In an article in The Telegraph, he adds that to ignore the fears of people in the area would leave the West open to the criticism that it was behaving like a colonial power. His comments are unlikely to endear him to Downing Street, which is engaged in delicate negotiations over the wording of a new resolution on Iraq expected to be debated at the United Nations this week. Government officials have already privately voiced their irritation at the anti-war rhetoric of Church of England bishops and Dr Williams, who was selected for the post of Archbishop by Tony Blair. Making his first public statement since the retirement last Thursday of his predecessor, Dr George Carey, Dr Williams recognises that the Iraqi regime is "brutal and violent". However, pre-emptive action against Saddam could "undermine the society of states" and destabilise other parts of the world, a dangerous prospect when a number of countries have weapons of mass destruction. "The exact calculation of what weaponry might be employed by a cornered Saddam Hussein is uncertain; and so is the retaliation that might then be provoked in the region from its sole nuclear power, Israel," he says. An attack by the West is likely to "risk the lives of hundreds of thousands in a region that could rapidly and uncontrollably spiral down into chaos. We also jeopardise any authority we might have to appeal for restraint in other situations on the basis of international law." The moral issue is whether the West is the best judge of the needs of the region, especially when that judgement appears to overrule local concerns. The Archbishop has been a consistent opponent of war against Iraq since he signed a declaration in July which described it as "illegal and immoral". On the day of his appointment later that month he pledged to continue asking "awkward questions". Dr Carey has also been an outspoken critic of action against Iraq. The United States is expected to present a revised version of its draft resolution on Iraq to the UN within days. Mr Blair and President George W Bush have been pressing for a tough resolution which would allow the West to take military action the moment Saddam frustrated the work of weapons inspectors. But they are believed to have softened their language after Russia and France argued that a second resolution would have to be framed and debated for war to have a UN mandate. Saddam said yesterday that Iraq would take the new resolution "into consideration" if it was not merely a pretext for an American strike on Baghdad. For publishers wishing to reproduce photographs on this page please phone 44 (0) 207 538 7505 or email syndicat@telegraph.co.uk

Archbishop warns nuclear Bishop question war { November 15 2002 } Bishops moral object Bishops not justified { November 14 2002 } British church leaders { September 5 2002 } Catholic no justify war Clergy bishop { October 15 2002 } Coalition churches against war { January 24 2003 } Hard to justify { November 14 2002 } Muffled bishops voice { November 13 2002 } Pope calls fast for peace { March 5 2003 } Pope deeply worried Pope plea peace { December 25 2002 } Pope tells iraqi opposes war { February 14 2003 } Pope wants peace in land of jesus Questions sanctions { March 5 2003 } Vatican top official Files Listed: 17

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