Pope calls on Blair to end Iran stand-off

[cal04]

POPE Benedict XVI pressed Tony Blair to find a diplomatic resolution to the Iran nuclear crisis when he granted the prime minister a half-hour audience in the Vatican yesterday. Cherie Blair, a Catholic, who was accompanied by two of the four Blair children, Kathryn and Leo, spent only a few minutes with the Pope as gifts were exchanged before the two men held talks in the papal library with nobody else present.

The prime minister presented the Pope with two CDs of music by Mozart, the pontiff’s favourite composer, and a pair of silver cufflinks. Once talks got under way, they were described by Downing Street as a “dynamic discussion”, a possible reference to contrasting views. The Pope made it clear he wanted to see “an open and constructive dialogue” to resolve tension over Iran’s nuclear plans and that he was convinced the stand-off could be resolved by diplomacy.

The pair also discussed how the “moderate voices” of leading faiths need to stand up to extremism and terrorism.
A Vatican source said Blair endorsed an invitation by British bishops to the Pope to visit Britain. It is possible such a visit could include a trip to Northern Ireland, the first to the province by a pope. The most likely venue would be Armagh, where there are Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland cathedrals.

At a separate meeting after the audience with the pontiff, Blair met Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, who told him Benedict was “looking warmly” on the British invitation. The Blair family also visited the tomb of John Paul II in St Peter’s and said prayers. Blair’s last papal audience was in February 2003, when he met John Paul II to explain why he believed a military attack on Saddam Hussein would be justified.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2210005,00.html

[Theres-a]

1. Good luck with that.

[Mike Nelson]

2. How is Blair, who chooses war, a "moderate voice?"

...this seems to be the implication. Bush and Blair are "moderate?"

[etherealtruth]

5. I think the "moderate voice" was referring to religious leaders

"The pair also discussed how the “moderate voices” of leading faiths need to stand up to extremism and terrorism."

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

9. Good Question. n/t

[VegasWolf]

14. Maybe he thinks Blair is not batshit insane like Bush. nt

[saltpoint]

3. There have been whispers by some in the UK that Tony Blair is

about to convert to Catholicism.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1310733,00.html

To my knowledge these are unsubstantiated, but absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

The stop at the Vatican was an interesting piece of scheduling.

[IndianaGreen]

4. John Paul told Bush & Blair that if they went into Iraq, they would do

without G-d. Blair should have listened to JPII, I wonder if he will listen to this Pope.

[Jim Sagle]

6. What does the Pope know? He can't even spell Gawd.

Or Jeebus. ;-)

[rpannier]

7. I'll bet the Pope used words like

"nuclear issue" instead of 'nuk'u'lur iz-you'
and
'internet' instead of 'internets'

[Jim Sagle]

8. And I'd bet w didn't understand a word.

[Neshanic]

10. Wait, Is this the Pope that wanted to know were God was?

I am confused. Is it the Pope that's calling the shots? Is God talking through him? Is the Pope freelancing?

At least with the Crouches you get a definitive answer. Jesus just had brunch with them and LOVES her boob job. No confusion there.

[IndianaGreen]

13. Jesus is fascinated by Jan Crouch's gravity defying hairdo

Besides, this universe is Gawd's version of Windows 98. It is no longer being maintained!

[Southsideirish]

11. Silver cuff links? Doesn't that seem a trifle odd?

[Neshanic]

12. Yes, especially if everything you wear is a robe.

[goforit]

15. The Pope has a good reason to worry, Iran could attack the Vatican as

well as Israel.

The Pope certainly doesn't want to be part of any real Holy War...
Does he?