[wideawake]

he is on the side of the homicidal maniac Hussein

Although I suspect that sentences more complex than "See Spot run" may be beyond you I'll make a few points anyway.

(1) The Pope never took Hussein's side, ever.

(2) The Pope questioned whether or not intervention was the best solution. Although I think the idea that the program of UN weapons inspection was naive and ineffective, not everyone thought it was. They were wrong - but not necessarily maliciously wrong.

(3) The Pope is a pastor. He has tens of thousands of his flock living in Iraq. When the Pope criticized the Chinese regime, the Chinese response was to round up thousands of Catholics and imprison them, as well as torture and kill priests and nuns. The Pope realized that his words of criticism, while easy for him to say, exacted an enormous toll of suffering and deprivation on his flock.

Therefore if the Pope were on the front lines calling for war, who knows what Hussein would have done to punish him - how many innocent Catholic Christians in Iraq would have paid the price?

(4) Not everyone who opposed the war supported Hussein - this is a caricature. Although I wholeheartedly support the war and my little brother who is still over there fighting it (and you're lucky he's there or he'd kick your a$$ for saying what you said about the Pope) my peacenik cousins don't, because they are wishful thinkers who believe that all wars can be avoided.

My cousins aren't supporters of Hussein either - they just have too much faith in people's good side.

[presidio9]

Don't forget that while the John Paul II may be personally appalled by Islamic terrorism, as Pope, he must always advocate the search for peaceful solutions to the world's problems.

[Cronos]

I agree. The Pope's message was peace. The church cannot come out on the side of war, not matter how just, it is the taking of life. Don't forget that the Pope forgave the man who tried to assassinate him. I read some of the idiotic comments like the Pope has never been on the side of righteousnes and I consider it written by imbeciles with no knowledge about history, just spouting senseless propaganda.

[Cronos]

The point about the Iraqi Christians was also correct. Remember that for all Saddy's bad points (and there were many) he was not a fundie, he conly cared for himself. He never persecuated and Iraq never persecuted christianslikeSaudi Our so called ally does.

In fact, now Christiansin Iraqfind themselves under tremendous pressure from the fundies that have risen there.