Archbishop Kasab, who is currently in Vienna as a guest of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, also criticized the economic sanctions dictated against Iraq after the Gulf War, which «intended something other» than what they have achieved.
In statements to Die Presse newspaper, Archbishop Kasab pointed out Tuesday that the sanctions have not weakened Saddam Hussein’s regime, but rather make the people suffer who «are punished without having committed any crime.»
«The sanctions are a slow way of making the people die,» he added.
Archbishop Kasab said Iraq suffers from a lack of drinking water, electricity and medical assistance — but not homelessness and unemployment.
The archbishop of the Chaldean Church united to Rome believes that «no one with a conscience can support a war» and said that in Iraq everyone is doing everything possible to avoid a conflict and to attain peace.
«Contrary to many neighboring countries, Iraq, governed by the Baath Party, allows almost 1 million Christians of different denominations, 80% of whom are Chaldean Catholics, to live without problems,» he stressed.
