Andrew, I do think there is a point in addressing the concerns of the leading Western religious leader about the war–including because what comes out of the Vatican, even when it is just a cardinal mouthing off to the press, does make many Catholics in the U.S. and the U.K. (and elsewhere) ill at ease–and that’s not because they are anti-American anti-warriors, either. But I think you make an interesting point, again, about the Christian “Crusaders” argument–jihadists can’t say the war on terror is such as easily when the Vatican is uber-hesitant.

I do think that Blair’s spin coming out of the papal visit was a useful one. He said, “What the words of His Holiness the Pope have described… is the reluctance of people to go to war except as a last resort. That is our position.” That is exactly right.