Pope Francis

Pope Francis Decries Western Defense Spending: ‘More Arms' Won't End Conflict

Francis separately asked in a tweet for prayers so that government leaders "might understand that buying and making weapons is not the solution to the problem."

Pope Francis

Pope Francis has decried increased spending on weapons, saying more arms and sanctions aren’t the answer to ending conflict.

The pope said in a speech at the Vatican Thursday to a women’s group that he was “ashamed” when he read that some countries have committed themselves to spending 2% of GDP on defense. He said that leaders “continue to govern the world like a chessboard, where the powerful study the moves to extend dominance to the damage of the others."

“The true response, as I have said, aren’t more arms, more sanctions, more political-military alliances,” the pope said.

Francis separately asked in a tweet for prayers so that government leaders “might understand that buying and making weapons is not the solution to the problem.” The solution, he said, is to “work together for peace.”

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Copyright AP - Associated Press
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