[sinkspur]

By saying that we need something new now more than ever, our Holy Father is telling the world that the current UN is screwed up and inadequate. That's the same thing our President said to the world when he led us in the preemptive invasion of Iraq.

Well, I suppose that's one way of interpreting it.

The most obvious way of interpreting what the Pope said is that it is another slap at US unilateralism, which is willing to act when international bodies won't. The Pope knows that, had the US taken his advice, Hussein would still be in power, stuffing his people into shredders.

The Pope wants something to counter the United States and Britain. Surely you see that.

[reed_inthe_wind]

"The most obvious way of interpreting what the Pope said is that it is another slap at US unilateralism, which is willing to act when international bodies won't. The Pope knows that, had the US taken his advice, Hussein would still be in power, stuffing his people into shredders.

The Pope wants something to counter the United States and Britain. Surely you see that."

I think you are being to defensive. The slap - if that's what we are calling it - is directed toward the state of the UN. Why should we go into a defensive shell and not assume that the statement is aimed at the current situation in its entirety including the intransigence of France and Russia, the emergence of terror networks loosely aligned with rogue states, and the complacency of the current order regarding rogue states developing and proliferating WMD.

[ninenot]

The Pope wants something to counter the United States and Britain. Surely you see that

Actually, no.

It is clear that the Pope is not comfortable with the present situation; OTOH, it is NOT clear that he "seeks an alternative" to US/Brit domination.

What he DOES seek is a way for the US to extricate itself from taking the lead and thus becoming a target.

He's trying to HELP us, Sinky.