Maybe this will convince Euros that Muslims aren't just only after Americans. Alot of the virulent anti-Americanism is Western Europe these days (and it is abusive, arrogant, and overwhelming), stems from the belief that the quarrel Islam has with westerners is exclusively with the US. Muslims love Euros and the two live peacefully and walk around holding hands. It is the greedy, oil hungry, nasty stupid Americans that Islam is mad at, not the holier than thou self-righteous Euros. If Euros could convince Muslims that they hate Americans too, they would leave Euros alone and Muslims would stay off Europes back and only come after the US. Euros are happy to indulge them.

Our Western "allies" are only too happy to throw Americans to the wolves if it means radical Islam will only destroy all things American. We're becoming the Jews of Western Europe. Put us Americans on a train to Aucshwitz and the Nazis will leave the rest of Europe alone.

Read the BBC downloads sometime. Muslims living in this country get on Euro boards and say hateful things about the US even as they are living here and enjoying US freedoms. They argue passionately that they would leave the West alone except that the US incites them to hatefulness. It is the US's fault, not radical Islam's. But now they're starting to make up excuses to go after Europe and Europeans have got to realize that joining the "I hate Americans" chorus will not get radical Islam off their back. The quarrel has been going on between Christianity and Islam since the Crusades, before the US was a country. Next week or next month Muslims will come up with another reason to get mad at the west. I'm appalled and ashamed at the cowardice of Europe. Now I see clearly how the holocaust happened. If Islam ever seriously considers pounding Europe, Americans should stay out and let them. Defend yourselves you double-faced slime.

No one in western europe has their sex life or expression supervised by a religiously inspired govt. unlike in the U.S, in islamic coutnries, and everywhere else in the world. What people there do NOT have is the freedom to impose their religion on others, which is what the head scarf prohibition in France is about. If the laws allow one community to set up and enforce extra legal standards and informally punish deviation then individuals are no longer free to choose.

If you knew very little about this man before he became Pope, this is no surprise, and it may be just as well it happened now, fairly early in his Papacy. Now it will take him out of contention as a leader on the world stage, and give the next contenders for his job plenty of time to see that confrontation and exclusivity simply do not work, and enhance the "moral" authority of Catholicism.

My bet is Ratzinger's trip to Turkey will be cancelled. If his advisers have any wits about them at all, they will attempt to call some sort of summit, but it will be "iffy," and I fear even at that I am giving them more credit than they deserve.

What I can't figure out is why there has been no call for an American Catholic Church that at least has the wherewithall to break from the most egregious of the old faith's hypocracy--but hey--even asking the question pulls my covers. I've always been a dreamer.

and I'm not sure what his point was when he quoted some 14th century emperor, but it strikes me -- as with the cartoon case -- that it's awfully weird for Muslims to protest violently against the "allegation" that they are violent. Seems like the protests prove the allegation.

Yes europeans have more religious freedom than here

No one in western europe has their sex life or expression supervised by a religiously inspired govt. unlike in the U.S, in islamic coutnries, and everywhere else in the world. What people there do NOT have is the freedom to impose their religion on others, which is what the head scarf prohibition in France is about. If the laws allow one community to set up and enforce extra legal standards and informally punish deviation then individuals are no longer free to choose.

-- anon

You just don't get it. what about freedom of expression through clothing? what about the fact that abortions are illegal in finland and germany?

how do you see any consistency between "No one in western europe has their sex life or expression supervised by a religiously inspired govt." and france not allowing girls to wear hijabs? They don't care about sikhs wearing hats, or jews in kippas, but muslims?! awww shit.

Prventing girls from being forced to cover their hair is another matter. If the govt. didn't prohibit head covering, (in govt. institutions like schools) then the Moslem community would effectively make it compulsory.

Pope Benedicts thoughts were not only misconstrued and distorted but in today's world Christianity and especially Catholicism is the evil in today's world according to our supposededly unbiased media such as yourself. I guess its okay if the Islamic world leaders and the Mullahs call for jihad and the destruction of not only the Western World, but the Jews and Christianity. John Paul II may have made gestures to rally world religious leaders, and made more apologies for every wrong ever done by the Catholic Church, but enough is enough. Pope Benedict tells the truth whether people want to hear it or not. Instead of attacking the Pope, try attacking the true terrorists. The Catholic Church has had a past marked by violence, prejudice and exclusion, so has every religion on the face of this planet. But no Catholic or Christian flew a plane into a building of innocents, no Catholic has had suicide bombings, no Catholic has called for the destruction of other religions like the Muslims have.

Yes this Pope is different than the previous one, and thank God for it. It is time for the rest of us to stand up, make a stand and be unapologetic. We need to stand up to the Muslims who not only desire to take over, but seek our destruction. It is not our faith that has deep arrogance, but those of the Islamist extremists. Until people like you get over political correctness, stop your obvious partisian views, and your hatred of Bush, we will never come together as a country. Put the blame where it is due. Can you, as an American citizen have any kind of love or loyalty to your own country? Why is that so difficult? Why is it so easy for you to condemn the United States instead of defending it? People like you make me sick, you find no value in your country, and while you have the right to say what you want, I find it highly ironic that you are still living here. If you hate our country and are unwilling to defend it on any front, then leave. I am tired of having to tell people such as yourself the history of this country.

Stephanie Richmond