Methodist bishops pray U.S. troops will leave Afghanistan in 2010: "No path to military victory"

Saying that “we believe there is no path to military victory in Afghanistan,” at least 77 United Methodist bishops signed a letter sent November 10 to President Obama, saying they are praying he will withdraw American troops by the end of 2010.

The signers were bishops, active and retired, who attended the November 1-5 meeting of the Council of Bishops at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.

In a previous letter to the White House several years ago, more than 120 bishops issued a statement of repentance for their failure to speak out early against the war in Iraq. “We do not want to make that mistake again of remaining silent in the face of another widening war,” says the new letter.

The Council of Bishops includes 69 active and 94 retired bishops, principally in the United States.