Pope Francis On Syria: Abandon 'Futile Pursuit' Of Military Solution

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/pope-francis-syria_n_3872435.html

By NICOLE WINFIELD 09/05/13 09:04 AM ET EDT

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Pope Francis holds on September 1, 2013 his Sunday Angelus prayer from the window of his appartment at the Vatican. The pontiff has called for the world to unite in a day of fasting and prayer for Syria, and said 'God and history' would judge anyone using chemical weapons. 'May the cry for peace enter the hearts of everyone so that they may all lay down their weapons,' the pope told thousands of pilgrims at the Vatican on Sunday. AFP PHOTO / VINCENZO PINTO (Photo credit should read VI

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis urged the Group of 20 leaders on Thursday to abandon the "futile pursuit" of a military solution in Syria as the Vatican laid out its case for a negotiated settlement that guarantees rights for all minorities, including Christians.

In a letter Thursday to the G-20 host, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Francis lamented that "one-sided interests" had prevailed in Syria, preventing a diplomatic end to the conflict and allowing the continued "senseless massacre" of innocents.

"To the leaders present, to each and every one, I make a heartfelt appeal for them to help find ways to overcome the conflicting positions and to lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution," Francis wrote as the G-20 meeting got under way in St. Petersburg.

Francis has ratcheted up his call for peace in Syria amid threatened U.S.-led military strikes following an Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack near Damascus.

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[trotsky]

1. Too bad his church destroyed whatever moral authority it thought it had. n/t

[gordianot]

2. Nice try, a sternly worded letter should fit the bill almost as well as the use of a missile attack.

It does make one wonder what the leaders do with the letter?

[rug]

3. The more voices against this bullshit the better.

Or, people can just snipe at the Pope.