The National Council of Churches has called for the UN to Take Over in Iraq.

The nation’s largest association of mainline Protestant and Orthodox Christian churches said Tuesday that U.S. policy in Iraq has become so destructive the United Nations should take over.

Separately, bishops of the United Methodist Church, which claims President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney as members, said the war has led to the “denigration of human dignity.”

As the furor grows over photos of American soldiers mistreating Iraqi detainees, the National Council of Churches said in a pastoral letter that giving control to the U.N. was the only way to create “lasting peace.” The council represents 36 denominations and has been highly critical of the Iraq war.

“Many people see our policy as one based on protection of our country’s economic interests narrowly defined, rather than on principles of human rights and justice that would serve our nation’s interests,” said the letter, which the council hopes will be read in churches nationwide. “We are convinced that current policy is dangerous for America and the world and will only lead to further violence.”

The Methodist Council of Bishops said it “laments the continued warfare by the United States and coalition forces” and said the U.S. premises for the war — alleged Iraqi links with al-Qaida and a buildup of weapons of mass destruction — “have not been verified.”

“The cycle of violence in which the United States is engaged has created a context for the denigration of human dignity and gross violations of human rights of Iraqi prisoners of war,” the bishops said in their resolution. They also demanded a greater U.N. role in rebuilding Iraq. The 8.3 million-member church is the third-largest in the nation.

Just one teensy problem.

The UN doesn’t want the job.