[colorado tanker]

I don't think the Pope took Iraq's side. From the accounts I read the Pope was asking Iraq to abide by the UN resolutions to avoid war. Who knows, privately the Pope may have called on Aziz to repent and start acting like a Christian man.

But it is unfortunate that the Church hierarchy, including American Catholic leaders, seem to be aligning themselves with the "peace" movement. At a time when the Church is trying to defeat the charge it was complicit with the Nazis, the Church should not be allowing the perception it is aligning itself with the most notorious fascist regime now operating.

[Aquinasfan]

But it is unfortunate that the Church hierarchy, including American Catholic leaders, seem to be aligning themselves with the "peace" movement.

Some of them really are "peaceniks." But the Church doesn't claim infallibility for individual bishops. The sure norm for Catholic teaching on a wide variety of issues is the Catechism.

[MissNomer]

I think the Pope would be doing a good thing by giving Aziz something other than his ring to kiss.