"I join in the unanimous concern over the news coming from Afghanistan. I invite you to pray with me to the God of peace so that the din or arms may cease and solutions may be found at the table of dialogue. Only in this way will the tormented population of that country -- men, women, elderly and children -- be able to return to their homes and live in peace and security in full mutual respect."
Based on his words, it would seem the Holy Father believes the Taliban will be just fine so long as we sit down with them "at the table of dialogue." He appears not to accept that the Afghan population is "tormented" because of the murderous intent of the Taliban. They kill all -- "men, women, elderly and children" -- who refuse to accept their rule and evil ideology, and they do so with particular brutality. As for "mutual respect," I doubt we can achieve this in a relationship with a terrorist organization like the Taliban, and definitely not through appeasement.
Given the situation President Biden has created, prayer is certainly needed. It is always needed, so Pope Francis is absolutely correct in asking us to pray that the "God of peace" will led us to real solutions that will result in better lives for Afghans and for all who face the threat of terrorism. But the Church has also long taught that nations, like individuals, have the right to self-defense, and "just war" can be a valid, moral option. Indeed, I can think of few situations that would justify its application more than the current situation in Afghanistan.
Previous popes have understood this and even gone so far as to instruct the Christian world to wage war against those whose evil intent and actions represent a distinct threat. Almost a thousand years ago, specifically on November 27, 1095, Pope Urban II addressed a large gathering of clerics and noblemen at the local Council of Clermont in France. He hoped to call the often bickering, evolving nations of Europe to unity of purpose. He called them to join together in a righteous war to protect Christians in the East and to take back Jerusalem from the Muslims. For several hundred years Islamic armies had overrun Christian nations across North Africa and throughout the Middle East. They had even entered Europe and claimed much of Spain for Islam. And despite how they are sometimes depicted by revisionist historians, often enough they were too much like the Islamist terrorists we encounter today.
As he spoke, Pope Urban described the atrocities committed against Christians and urged his audience to take action. From contemporary reports of those who heard and quoted him, Pope Urban made an impassioned, rousing plea. Ashamed that the knights of Christianity had shed blood fighting each other, he challenged them to "liberate fellow Christians from pillage, fire, rape, and tortures." He continued:
"You should shudder...at raising a violent hand against Christians; it is less wicked to brandish your sword against Saracens [i.e., Muslims]. It is the only warfare that is righteous, for it is charity to risk your life for your brothers."
Pope Urban likened the Crusade to a pilgrimage, a holy act of penance in which the knights would save their souls if they gave their lives battling the Saracens. For the pope, therefore, the knights were pilgrims doing God's work. He begged the warriors to reject selfishness and relieve the holy city of Jerusalem.
"This city the Redeemer of the human race has made illustrious by His advent, has beautified by residence, has consecrated by suffering, has redeemed by death, has glorified by burial...This royal city...is now held captive by enemies, and is in subjection to those who do not know God...She seeks and desires, therefore, to be liberated and does not cease to implore you to come to her aid."
What became known as the First Crusade was by no means a war of aggression, but rather a defensive action by Christendom to protect the Faith from decades of continuous Muslim aggression. At some point in the future, given the vast stores of American weaponry the Taliban now control, the impact of Islamist terrorism might well grow so large that it brings death and destruction to all nations. Perhaps then a contemporary pope will call for a new crusade. I have no problem with that, although I suspect few will listen.
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