Bob Squaglia of Seattle in a Seattle Times Letter to the Editors November 24 laid it on the line regarding the tragic silence of religious leaders concerning the Iraq War:

"Joe Colgan's `The Silence of the Shepherds: Religious leaders Must Speak Up' Times guest commentary (November 21) regarding the silence of Archbishop Alexander J. Burnett of Seattle on the `Misbegotten War' in Iraq reminded me again of the image I believe the world sees when it thinks of America.  It is a picture of a large man in an ill fitting suit with a red, white and blue top hat holding an atomic detonator in one hand and a fistful of dollars in the other."

Joining Bob Squaglia in wondering why religious leaders are not speaking out against the Iraq War is David Kannas of Seattle in the same November 24 Seattle Times Letters to the Editors.  Kannas made some relevant and cogent points:

"We have been bogged in the Iraq quagmire for far too long, with few voices from the pulpit speaking out against it.  There are various reasons for this: I maintain the primary reason is fear.

What if a nation launched a war against the U.S.A. when the U.S. had never threatened that country?  

What if during this tragic war an estimated 600,000 to one million U.S. citizens were killed and the nation's infrastructure was demolished?

To add insult to injury the enemy then demanded that U.S. leaders agree to sign a contract giving them 63 of the nation's vital 80 oil well assets?  

Tragically, that is exactly the scenario of what the U.S. has done!  We invaded Iraq with no attack or threat to the U.S.A.  Our leadership will not face the truth of the reality of the unjustified horrors the Iraq War quagmire unleashed.