We have only one hegemonic power at the moment. It is not accumulating territory, it is trying to accumulate influence and control. That's not working. —Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, head of the world Anglican Communion of churches, as reported by Paul Majendie in "Anglican leader launches attack on U.S."

His Grace was beside himself—

It is one thing to take over a territory and then pour energy and resources into administering and normalizing it.

Rightly or wrongly, that is what the British Empire did — in India for example.

It is another thing to go in on the assumption that a quick burst of violent action will somehow clear the decks and that you can move on and other people will put things back together again — Iraq for example.

And this was in an interview for a Muslim "lifestyle" magazine!

The Queen heads the Church of England. If this keeps up, Prime Minister Gordon Brown may have to ask her to get on the phone with her Archbishop. Clearly he hasn't read the memo.

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Tags: news and politics imperialism Anglicanism Britain religion antiwar