[Enchante]

"...he quoted a 14th-century Christian emperor who said the Prophet Mohammed had brought the world only "evil and inhuman" things, portraying the Islam he founded as a religion which endorses violence, where faith is "spread by the sword"."

Blunder? Sounds like accurate information to me.... anyway, anything that speaks the truth about Islam gets the fanatics all hot and bothered.....

[silentknight]

They will kill the pope.

[California Patriot]

"Failed to master the media machine."

Or maybe the Pope just ignored the media machine and spoke the truth.

Or maybe he was looking for a real debate and some real thinking by so-called Christians, which even a very hostile media reaction might help to provoke.

Benedict is not a politician. He is a leader. The two approach the media quite differently. I would bet heavily that he knew, and knows, what he is doing.