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Clerics Reluctant to Bless a War on Afghanistan
Friday, September 28, 2001
By Don Lattin / Chronicle Religion Writer

Earlier this week, one top Vatican official said an aggressive U.S. response in Afghanistan might be morally justified as an act of self-defense.

It's hard to find any legitimate Islamic clerics who have signed on to Osama bin Laden's declaration of "holy war" against the United States.

At the same time, many Christian leaders are showing similar reluctance to put their "just war" blessing on a possible U.S. military attack against Afghanistan.

A broad coalition of mainline Protestant, evangelical, Orthodox and Roman Catholic church officials has urged President Bush to show extreme caution and "sober restraint."
(More: SFGate.com News Source)
©2001 San Francisco Chronicle

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