Islamic extremists in Iraq must be stopped – Pope

The Pope answered questions on return flight from South Korea

Pope Francis has warned that Islamic extremists in Iraq must be stopped. However, he stopped short of endorsing the current US bombing campaign in northern Iraq.

The Pope also joked that he expects his pontificate to be a short one.

On board the papal plane on the way back from South Korea, the Pontiff gave a lengthy press conference during which he addressed the current situation in Iraq.

Pope Francis said the use of force can be justified to stop “unjust aggressors” such as Islamic State militants in northeastern Iraq. The Pope also said he was willing to travel to the war zone if necessary to stop the violence.

When a reporter asked Pope Francis whether he approved of the US airstrikes, he replied: “In these cases where there is unjust aggression, I can only say that it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor. I underscore the verb ‘stop’; I don’t say bomb, make war – stop him. The means by which he may be stopped should be evaluated. To stop the unjust aggressor is licit, but we nevertheless need to remember how many times, using this excuse of stopping an unjust aggressor, the powerful nations have dominated other peoples, made a real war of conquest.”

Schedule

Asked whether he was keeping an excessively busy schedule, the Pope admitted that “one of my neuroses is that I am too attached to my habitat,” so he has not taken a holiday since 1975.

The Pope showed little concern for his longevity, however, predicting with a laugh that his pontificate would last “two or three years, and then to the house of the Father.”

In the meantime, to guard against the temptation of pride in his immense popularity, “I try to think of my sins, of my mistakes”.