Left I on the News

Everyone knows Pope Benedict opposed the invasion of Iraq, although actually backing up his opinion with actions was beyond the limits of that opposition, evidently. If he really opposes the war, perhaps he needs to have a stern talk with one of his Cardinals, who needs to be taught the meaning of the word "violence":

On March 23, six activists from Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War staged a die-in during Easter Mass at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, Ill. The protest was one of many direct actions that took place all across the country on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war.

During the die-in, the activists spoke out against the war and spurted a packet of fake blood on themselves to dramatize the violent nature of the U.S. war on Iraq.

All six were arrested shortly after the anti-war action. They were later charged with felonies for criminal damage to property: Purportedly, some of the fake blood stained the carpet.

The outrageous charges against the six are a brazen attack against the anti-war movement meant to discourage protest.

At an impromptu press conference after the arrests, Cardinal Francis George suggested that the protesters were guilty of committing a violent act.

Not that the Pope is really opposed to violence; he just wants it approved by the U.N. Security Council, where countries are free to sell their souls to the devil United States (or perhaps even NATO, where the U.S. carries almost total sway, would suffice for "his holiness"):

"The international community must intervene [in the event of unspecified "massive human rights abuses and humanitarian disasters" in other countries of their choosing] with the juridical means provided in the U.N. charter and other international instruments," Benedict said. Such action, if carried out lawfully, "should never be interpreted as an unwarranted imposition or a limitation of sovereignty."

Oh no, I'm sure the people of Iraq don't see the death of a million of their compatriots as an "unwanted imposition," and I'm sure no one thinks the wholesale bombing of Yugoslavia in response to alleged (and later proven virtually non-existent) ethnic cleansing in Kosovo was a "limitation of sovereignty."

The Pope did say that "What is needed is a deeper search for ways of pre-empting and managing conflicts by exploring every possible diplomatic avenue, and giving attention and encouragement to even the faintest sign of dialogue or desire for reconciliation." As I recall, George Bush said pretty much the same thing before invading and destroying Iraq. He explored "every possible diplomatic avenue" to avoid the "need" to attack Iraq.

The poor Pope. I'm sure he longs for the days when he had his own army.