The Pope and the President

By WILLIAM MCGURN, WSJ:

He came. He spoke. He confounded.

In the run-up to Pope Benedict XVI's visit to America, the assurance was that the Bishop of Rome would take the president of the United States to the papal woodshed. One of the more wishful versions appeared in the Washington Post, whose author confidently asserted that "Pope Benedict XVI will show how much his worldview differs from President Bush's when he denounces the continuing U.S. occupation of Iraq before the U.N. General Assembly."

As it happened, Benedict said nothing remotely close to denouncing the "occupation of Iraq." One reason, perhaps, is his knowledge that a U.S. withdrawal before there is an Iraqi government in place that can defend its people is a prescription for a bloodbath.

That doesn't mean that Pope Benedict doesn't have his disagreements with President Bush. As a cardinal, Benedict was on record as opposing America's entry into Iraq, and on this trip he alluded to his belief that the proper way to resolve conflicts is via international organizations such as the United Nations. The differences are real. But they do not override the great respect these two leaders have for each other, on full display this past week.

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