US bishops tell Bush it's time to hand over reins in Iraq

theage: America's Roman Catholic bishops say the time has come to withdraw US troops from Iraq as quickly as responsibly possible and to hand control of the country to Iraqis.

"Our nation's military forces should remain in Iraq only as long as it takes for a responsible transition, leaving sooner than later," said Bishop Thomas Wenski of Orlando, Florida, speaking for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bishop Wenski, chairman of the bishops' committee on international policy, said recent statements by the Bush Administration that troop levels would be reduced were not enough. He said the US must send an unmistakable signal that the goal of US policy was not to occupy Iraq "for an indeterminate period", but to help Iraqis assume full control of their Government. Read more

db: Bush has no need for Bishops - not when he can go way over their heads [all the way].