NILE GARDINER: BISHOP VENNER OWES THE 9/11 VICTIMS AN APOLOGY

Posted By on December 14th, 2009

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100019755/appeasing-the-taliban-bishop-venner-owes-an-apology-to-the-victims-of-911/

Appeasing the Taliban: Bishop Venner owes an apology to the victims of 9/11
By Nile Gardiner

The Telegraph’s Jonathan Wynne-Jones and Duncan Gardham have an explosive report on the appalling views of the Rt. Rev. Stephen Venner, recently commissioned by Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to serve as Bishop to the Forces. Here’s what Venner said:
“We’ve been too simplistic in our attitude towards the Taliban.”

“There’s a large number of things that the Taliban say and stand for which none of us in the west could approve, but simply to say therefore that everything they do is bad is not helping the situation because it’s not honest really.”

“The Taliban can perhaps be admired for their conviction to their faith and their sense of loyalty to each other.”

As Damian Thompson asked earlier, what would Venner have said about the Nazis? One can only imagine, and it’s not pretty.

During the Second World War, remarks like these about the enemy would have rightly been regarded as an act of treason. They are an affront to the memory of the 237 British servicemen and women who have been killed by the Taliban. They are also a massive insult to the 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks – including hundreds of Britons – perpetrated by al-Qaeda thanks to the hospitality of their Taliban hosts.

The Taliban are not an honourable foe deserving of admiration. They are vicious, Islamist thugs, evil terrorists who brutalise the Afghan people while promoting the cause of Osama bin Laden. Their savagery is similar to that of the Nazis and should be universally condemned.

Bishop Venner’s comments are a sickening disgrace, and he should withdraw them, with an unreserved apology to all who have lost loved ones at the murderous hands of the Taliban and their al-Qaeda cohorts. At a time of war, political and religious leaders must never give comfort to the enemy. That is exactly what Venner has done – he has crossed the line and disgraced his position.

He should also do the decent thing and step down from his post – it’s hard to see how Bishop Venner can serve his country with an ounce of dignity after offering the Taliban a propaganda coup.

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