[Snuffington]

The author seems quite ignorant of Augustinian Just War theory. Indeed, he did not even mention it in this article.

Or perhaps he avoided it because in the opinion of many conservative Catholics (though admittedly not all), Vatican spokemen mangled their statements on the subject of Just War leading up to our invasion. So much so, it requires an article of its own just to get through, in my opinion.

Unless you came to the table already well schooled in it, you'd think Just War theory is all amout multi-lateral negotiation and international law, and little else. And if you came to the table with even a bit of knowledge on the topic, you came away even more confused because of what was not said by very high Vatican officials in attempts to lecture our government on the subject.

[JohnGalt]

If you look at Novak's tortured defense of the war from last February, he argues that Iraq was not an example of 'preemptive war' though the GOP says just the opposite.

In light of the lack of WMDs and no links between Saddam and 9/11, it would seem that the Bush Administration did not meet the criteria laid out by the Vatican that Novak, to his credit, did lay out.

I guess I cannot blame 'Catholic conservative' Iraq war supporters for simply ignoring the issue.