Pope Francis is doing something many pontiffs don't: talking tough about the growing threat of terrorists, says Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.
Donohue, appearing on Monday's "The Steve Malzberg Show" on
Newsmax TV, applauded Francis' lament on Sunday that the terror group ISIS has been waging a bloody war against Christians in the name of God.
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"I'm so happy that the Holy Father got very pointed. Now, people have to understand Popes generally don't get too pointed in these kinds of things, they generally speak in generalities,'' Donohue said. "But what he's saying is this: this is a monstrosity being done in the name of God. He's saying to kill in the name of God is what's really at wrong here.''
During the traditional Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square in Rome, Francis renewed his call for prayer and assistance for the war-ravaged residents of Iraq and appealed for peace between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
"War is not to be waged in the name of God!'' Francis said.
"I expect atheist countries and people like Hitler and Stalin and Pol Pot, who hated people of faith, to kill without remorse,'' Donohue said. "But when you have people killing in the name of God, we've always had crazy Christians and crazy Jews who may go out there and say I'm killing in the name of God. We know they don't represent most Christians and Jews.
"Unfortunately what we have going on there, and I'm not saying most Muslims are this way, is a very serious state. But there are some signs of progress, and I'll commend the president for what he's done the last couple of days. I only wish he would've done it earlier.''
ISIS has been on a killing spree of Christians throughout Iraq, and has gone so far as to behead children as it attempts to create an Islamic state in the Middle East.
In response to the carnage, the United States has begun "limited'' airstrikes and is arming the Iraqi Kurds.
But Donohue says the Obama administration is too timid in its attempts to fight ISIS.
"This president's natural step is not to get engaged in a war. I don't want war either, but sometimes the only way you bring the peace is through war,'' Donohue said. "We are faced with an unbelievable threat, so much so that even those nations which are typically critical of Israel are not saying much about Israel fighting back against Hamas.
"These people are off the charts and, quite frankly, they need to be crushed, so I don't want to hear any talk about limiting things. You certainly limit the collateral damage to innocent people, but you've got to go after these people, otherwise there's only going to be one winner.''
Donohue is particularly disturbed by the assault of ISIS on youngsters.
"When you behead children, what have we come to? I don't know what to say, but I'll tell you one thing, though, there are some important signs here,'' he said. "Saudi Arabia is worried about what's going on, and Egypt, I commend them for really going out to try and crush the Muslim Brotherhood, so there are important signs of what's going on here.
"Maybe we're at a tipping point finally, where people of goodwill in Israel and the United States and western Europe will finally say enough is enough, because you can't win through dialogue with people who take off the heads of children.''
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