Tony Blair and his wife, New Age enthusiast Cherie, have been to see the Pope. At least part of the reason for the visit seems to have been to convince the pontiff of the merits of the case for war. Why this is necessary, important or even desirable escapes me. There is either a moral case for war or there is not. A papal endorsement of an invasion should make little difference in that respect, but the more Bush and Blair try to secure it, the more it will seem that such a sign-off really does matter.

Ironically, as noted before on the Corner, the people most likely to be affected by such an endorsement are those in the Muslim world all too ready to see a war against Iraq as the latest installment in some supposed Christian crusade against Islam. As such, it would actually be counter-productive.

No more pilgrimages, please.