Pope Benedict XVI Refuses Condoleezza Rice

Pope Benedict XVI refused a recent request by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to discuss concerns dealing with the Middle East and Iraq.

The Pope does not normally receive politicians on his annual August holiday at the Castelgandolfo residence near Rome. However, other sources seem to think he failed to acknowledge the issue due to its close relationship with the Bush administration.

Two main reasons Pope Benedict might have decided not to see Ms. Rice is because she was the person who made it clear to a special diplomat sent from Rome, Cardinal Pio Laghi, that the Bush administration was not interested in the views of the late Pope on the immorality of launching its planned military offensive. Second, the Pope might have not been responsive to Ms. Rice due to the U.S. responding in an unacceptable manner toward protecting the rights of Iraqi Christians under the new Iraqi constitution.

The Bush administration has told the Vatican that as alliances have not succeeded in securing the whole territory of Iraq, they are unable to protect non-Muslims.

After the Pope’s rejection, Condoleezza Rice succeeded with a telephone conversation with the Vatican's number two, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who just so happened to be visiting the U.S. during August on other business.

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