US Military Archbishop Questions Just War Justification for Iran Conflict
The leader of Catholic chaplains serving in the United States armed forces has expressed doubts about the moral justification of the US campaign in Iran, stating that it does not meet the criteria of the just war theory.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who heads the Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, spoke in an interview with CBS News, scheduled to air Sunday, where he acknowledged that Iran posed a threat due to its nuclear capabilities but characterized the US military action as "compensating for a threat before the threat is actually realized."
The just war theory, grounded in the theological teachings of Saints Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, provides a philosophical and legal framework to determine when initiating war is morally justifiable (jus ad bellum) and how war should be conducted (jus in bello). It emphasizes that war should be a last resort, undertaken only to correct grave injustices, and requires legitimate authority, right intent, and proportionality to achieve peace.
"The Lord Jesus certainly brought a message of peace and also 6 I think war is always a last resort," Broglio told CBS. "Im not making a judgment about that because I really dont know. But I do think that its hard to cast this war 6 you know 6 as something that would be sponsored by the Lord."
Broglio's remarks are expected to intensify political debates regarding the war's justification, especially among religious communities that may generally support former President Donald Trump. The Trump administration has maintained that Iran's history of sponsoring terrorism, its missile program, and production of highly enriched uranium justify the military action.
Conversely, Democratic leaders have described the conflict as a "war of choice," accusing Trump of bypassing congressional approval.
As the conflict continues, recent polling indicates Trump's approval rating has declined to 35%.
Comments on Religious Rhetoric and Leadership
In a pre-recorded interview with Face the Nation, Broglio was asked about US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's call for Americans to pray daily "on bended knee" for a military victory "in the name of Jesus Christ."
Broglio said "its a little problematic in the sense" that Jesus preached peace and considered war only as a last resort.
However, Broglio qualified his stance by suggesting that military leaders "may have information that led them to think that that was the only choice they had."
He aligned himself with Pope Leo XIII, the first US-born Catholic pontiff, who has advocated for negotiation and de-escalation.
Pope Leo XIII has urged President Trump and other global leaders to seek ways to reduce violence in the Middle East and to find an "off-ramp" from the war with Iran.
In a homily delivered during a mass on Thursday, the pope remarked that the Christian mission has often been "distorted by a desire for domination, entirely foreign to the way of Jesus Christ."
Guidance for Catholic Service Members and Conscientious Objection
Broglio advised Catholic service members to "do as little harm as you can 6 and to try [to] preserve innocent lives." He noted that the US military's framework for conscientious objection allows individuals to object only to war in general, not to specific conflicts.
"The question might be, would generals or admirals have space to perhaps, say, 'Can we look at this a different way?' But having spoken to some of them too, theyre also in the same dilemma."
