Francis: UN, not US, should stop aggression in Iraq

Collective action through the United Nations should stop “unjust aggression” in Iraq, Pope Francis said on Monday, August 18, implicitly criticizing the unilateral US air strikes there. “One nation cannot decide” alone how to end the aggression the pontiff said, even as he emphasized it is “acceptable to stop an unjust aggressor.” Previously the Vatican’s ambassador to the United Nations, Silvano Tomasi, said, “Military action might be necessary” – seen as a rare exception to the papal policy of peaceful conflict resolution. The Pope also told reporters he wanted to go to China, “even tomorrow.” But he said the Catholic Church must be allowed to “do its job in China, there is no other condition.”

Read the full story on Rappler.

A related story on his interest to travel to China is also on Rappler.