Speaking of American diplomacy, James Nicholson's term as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See draws to a close this month. President George Bush has nominated Nicholson to run the Veterans' Administration, and assuming he's confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he could be in the job as early as February. Nicholson represented the United States during a dramatic stretch of time. He presented his credentials just days after the Sept. 11, 2001, bombings in New York, and had to make the case for the U.S.-led war in Iraq over strong Vatican opposition. Nicholson's term also overlapped with the American sexual abuse...