Cardinal Says U.S. Treated Saddam 'Like a Cow'

Yahoo! News / Reuters ^ | 12-16-2003 | Philip Pullella

[sitetest]

[LM's note: This thread is degenerating a bit into Catholic bashing and general flaming, and is in risk of being moved to the smokey backroom. Please stop. I've locked it once, and it has continued. Any more and it is gone. Thanks.]

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - A top Vatican (news - web sites) official said Tuesday he felt pity and compassion for Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) and criticized the U.S. military for showing video footage of him being treated "like a cow."

Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican's Justice and Peace department and a former papal envoy to the United Nations (news - web sites), told a news conference it would be "illusory" to think the arrest of the former Iraqi president would heal all the damage caused by a war which the Holy See opposed.

"I felt pity to see this man destroyed, (the military) looking at his teeth as if he were a cow. They could have spared us these pictures," he said.

"Seeing him like this, a man in his tragedy, despite all the heavy blame he bears, I had a sense of compassion for him," he said in answer to questions about Saddam's arrest.

Martino was referring to the videotape released by the U.S. military which showed a grubby, bearded and disheveled Saddam receiving a medical examination by a military doctor after his capture in an underground hole Saturday.

Martino was one of the Vatican officials most strongly opposed to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq (news - web sites).

"It's true that we should be happy that this (arrest) has come about because it is the watershed that was necessary... we hope that this will not have worse and other serious consequences," Martino said.

"But it is not the total solution to the problems of the Middle East," he said.

Martino said the Vatican hoped the arrest of Saddam "can contribute to promoting peace and the democratization of Iraq."

He added: "But is seems to me to be illusory to hope that this will repair the dramas and the damage of the defeat for humanity that a war always brings about."

The Vatican did not consider the war in Iraq "a just war" because it was not backed by the United Nations and because the Vatican believed more negotiations were necessary to avoid it.

Martino said the Vatican wanted an "appropriate institution" to put Saddam on trial but he did not elaborate.

U.S. forces were keeping the ousted 66-year-old dictator at a secret location for interrogation before he is put on trial in the months ahead. He could face the death penalty.

The news conference was called for Martino to present the World Day of Peace message, in which Pope John Paul (news - web sites) took a swipe at the United States for invading Iraq without the backing of the United Nations.

[Eris]

Who cares, baby?

Go back to findling alter boys.

[Rutles4Ever]

This is so embarrassing. What on earth was he thinking when he made these stupid remarks? Saddam was treated with extraordinary humanity and justice compared to what he rightfully deserves. This just disgusts me.

Signed,

A disappointed, devout, practicing Catholic

[ninenot]

'Treated like a cow....'

So What? He's alive and still has all the OEM parts given by God and nature.

More than most of his enemies have...

Card. Martino has a bit of an emotional-outburst problem.

[dsc]

"Either the Church denounces this guy or he speaks for them. You can't have it both ways."

For the love of mike, you might give them a couple of minutes.

Knowing how the media work, there might be dozens of people lined up to denounce him, and can't get any coverage.

You can be pretty sure that if the Vatican does issue an official statement slamming this guy, the media will do their best to make sure you never find out about it.

[sinkspur]

Martino is pitiable himself.

He spent the run-up to the war, kowtowing to the Pope, screaming at the United States, calling us "criminal."

Now, he sheds tears over the humane treatment of a man who killed nearly half-a-million people in his brutal reign.

And the Church wonders why it's losing credibility in the eyes of Americans.

[ejo]

Sometimes you wonder, with captains steering our ships as this one obviously does...a crash is on the horizon.....besides you have to almost admit sheepishly the man's mouth did look unusually large.

[sinkspur]

This clown is not the Holy See, nor does he speak for the Holy See.

Unless someone in the Holy See contradicts him, his statement will represent the views of the Holy See.

I read nothing here that the Pope would disagree with.

[CWW]

Cardinal is a leftist from Spain and a very very very liberal social justice cardinal. He does not speak for the Catholic Church!

[general_re]

Cardinal Says U.S. Treated Saddam 'Like a Cow'

[1Old Pro]

Perhaps the good cardinal should worry more about young boys being treated like cows by his flock.

[dasboot]

My disgust at Lauren Hill is gone.

[dsc]

"Unless someone in the Holy See contradicts him, his statement will represent the views of the Holy See."

About as much as your statements do.

"I read nothing here that the Pope would disagree with."

Well, thank you for that authoritative proclamation on the thinking of John Paul II. You can check that with him the next time he has you over to the Vat for tea and crumpets.

And what a sharp contrast between your usual line and this talk of "kowtowing" to the Pope.

[The South Texan]

First the Catholic church leadership excuses child molesters.

Now we have the Catholic church leadership criticizing the US for capturing a modern day Hitler.

And the Catholic church leadership is wondering why they are losing parishoners to other denominations?

Message to the Catholic church leadership: Get a clue!

[TankerKC]

You are sooooooo correct in mentioning there was little pity by this cardinal for his innocent victims...

How do you know that? His “compassion” in this case may be unwarranted, but you don't know anything else about this cardinal. Or, do you? Share, please.

[dsc]

ROFLMHO.

[Major_Risktaker]

Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican's Justice and Peace department with his Arab appeasement speech maybe trying to save a few churches from being destroyed around the world by Muslims.

[mhking]

If that's the case, then he got better'n he deserved...

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[Bluntpoint]

Cardinals only "speak" for the church when they say something that we agree with. They do not speak for the church when we don't agree with them.

Like, all those who claim abuse from priests are in it for the money. Until the priest confesses. Then we cite statistics that there is not that much more molestation taking place in the church than there is in the society at large. Then scream "Catholic basher" when some one posts an article about priestly abuse.

There! All clear?

[aruanan]

Cardinal Says U.S. Treated Saddam 'Like a Cow'

Well, they have been trying to milk him for information.

[dsc]

"Message to the Catholic church leadership: Get a clue!"

Message to The South Texan: the Church leadership is heavily infiltrated with people of the ilk that Pope Saint Pius X called "enemies of the Church."

We're having our difficulties, but the fight isn't over yet.

"Born in Beaumont dsc"