[Desdemona]

If the missions of earlier Christian leaders were sufficiently righteous to garner papal benedictions, why in the world would today's pontiff join the chorus of whiney appeasers and not stand with us against Saddam and his cabal of islamakazi misanthropes?

Tony, there's a difference between being whiney and seeing that an international match-up like this has the potential of turning into WWIII and trying despirately to avoid it. This is not going to end with Iraq. It's going to spread. And it's going to get really expensive. For everybody. It's inevitible, but remember that not every nation, faith, group has the short fuses we do. They have to be pulled along kicking and screaming.

As for Constantine and Charlemagne - Constantine was a great Christian warrior, but remember, he wasn't Baptized, hadn't made a Confession or First Communion or been Confirmed until his deathbed least it effect his salavation. DOn't forget that. They weren't popes. THey were civil leaders.