Peace groups response to Iraq bombing

Christian peace groups have expressed shock at last night's US and UK bombing in Iraq. In a surprise attack, British and American warplanes patrolling the Iraqi southern no fly zone, bombed air defences around the capital, Baghdad. An MOD spokesman said the raids were in response to an increased threat to allied aircraft from Iraq's missile defences in recent weeks. "Faced with the significant rise in the number of attacks on our aircrews, we had no choice but to take action to protect them," the spokesman said. Prime Minister Tony Blair warned today that there may be further bombings. The allied strike took place while President W Bush was out of the country, on a day trip to Mexico. Bruce Kent, vice chair of Pax Christi told ICN: "This illegal action fills me with gloom. Are we moving into a world where the one remaining superpower can do whatever it likes, whenever it likes, without regard to international law or common morality? Please God we will hear a strong voice of condemnation from the churches." A spokeswoman for Christian CND: "We were deeply concerned by this news. Each new American president seems to need to come in with a huge show of force - usually attacking countries a very long way off. We are praying for the victims and we pray that our governments realise that violent actions of this kind can only cause more violence."