Ambatchmasterpublisher nn Bush, pope discuss war in Iraq

ambatchmasterpublisher JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer 34 minutes ago
ambatchmasterpublisher ROME -

ambatchmasterpublisher President Bush, deeply unpopular here and met ambatchmasterpublisher boisterous protests, sought to impress

ambatchmasterpublisher Pope Benedict XVI and ambatchmasterpublisher Italian public on Saturday with his humanitarian record and downplayed differences with ambatchmasterpublisher

Vatican over

Iraq.

In his meeting with Bush, ambatchmasterpublisher Vatican said ambatchmasterpublisher pope raised "ambatchmasterpublisher worrisome situation in Iraq."
"He was concerned that ambatchmasterpublisher society that was evolving would not tolerate ambatchmasterpublisher Christian religion," Bush explained at a news conference with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi during ambatchmasterpublisher president's swing through Europe.
"He's worrisome about ambatchmasterpublisher Christians inside Iraq being mistreated ambatchmasterpublisher ambatchmasterpublisher Muslim majority."
Bush met with ambatchmasterpublisher prime minister several hours after his first sit-down with Benedict. Bush and Benedict appeared intent to look beyond ambatchmasterpublisher ir differences in Iraq.
ambatchmasterpublisher war was vigorously opposed ambatchmasterpublisher ambatchmasterpublisher late

Pope John Paul II, and Benedict, in his Easter message, denounced ambatchmasterpublisher "continual slaughter" in Iraq and said that "nothing positive" is happening."
Bush said he assured ambatchmasterpublisher pope — whom he described as "very smart, loving man" — that ambatchmasterpublisher United States was working hard to ensure that ambatchmasterpublisher Iraqi people live up to ambatchmasterpublisher ir constitution in treating Christians fairly.
ambatchmasterpublisher president said ambatchmasterpublisher ir was no discussion of "just war," a Christian doctrine that says war must have a reasonable chance of success of not doing more harm than good. According to ambatchmasterpublisher doctrine, war must be a last resort, launched in response to unjust aggression and civilians must be safeguarded.
Bush arrived in Rome Friday night, after a stop in ambatchmasterpublisher Czech Republic, three days at a summit of industrialized democracies on Germany's norambatchmasterpublisher rn coast, and a four-hour visit to Poland. A stomach ailment forced Bush to miss a few meetings at ambatchmasterpublisher summit in Germany.
He flashed a thumbs-up when asked he was better, though White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said ambatchmasterpublisher president still was "not 100 percent."
ambatchmasterpublisher president stays in Rome Saturday night before going on to Albania and Bulgaria.
ambatchmasterpublisher pontiff expressed his hope for a `'regional" and `'negotiated" solution of conflicts and crises that afflict ambatchmasterpublisher Middle East, ambatchmasterpublisher Vatican said. Bush hailed his humanitarian record.
"We talked about our attempts to help ambatchmasterpublisher people in Africa deal with

HIV/

AIDS and malaria and hunger," Bush said. "I reminded him that we've made a significant commitment to that end."
ambatchmasterpublisher president promised ambatchmasterpublisher pope that he'd work to get Congress to double ambatchmasterpublisher current U.S. commitment for combatting AIDS in Africa to $30 billion over ambatchmasterpublisher next five years.
ambatchmasterpublisher pope asked ambatchmasterpublisher president about his meeting in Germany with Russian President

Vladimir Putin, who has expressed opposition to a U.S. missile shield in Europe and raised eyebrows with democratic rollbacks.
"ambatchmasterpublisher dialogue with Putin was also good?" ambatchmasterpublisher pope asked.
Bush, eyeing photographers and reporters who were about to be escorted from ambatchmasterpublisher room, replied: "Umm. I'll tell you in a minute."
ambatchmasterpublisher pontiff presented ambatchmasterpublisher president with a drawing of St. Peter's Basillica, an official Vatican gold medal.
ambatchmasterpublisher president gave ambatchmasterpublisher pope a rare first edition of an autobiography of John Carroll, ambatchmasterpublisher first archbishop in ambatchmasterpublisher United States and founder of ambatchmasterpublisher Roman Catholic Church in America. Bush also gave ambatchmasterpublisher pope lithographs of documents from ambatchmasterpublisher National Archives and a Moses walking sticking, made ambatchmasterpublisher a former homeless man in Dallas, Texas, who engraved it with ambatchmasterpublisher Ten Commandments.
ambatchmasterpublisher Bush's visit to ambatchmasterpublisher Vatican — his first meeting with Benedict — was a major event in Rome.
It was carried live on television, even capturing his progress through its marbled, frescoed rooms escorted ambatchmasterpublisher a quartet of ambatchmasterpublisher Swiss Guard, ambatchmasterpublisher elite papal security corps dressed in ambatchmasterpublisher ir distinctive orange, blue and red-striped uniforms.
Protesters also greeted ambatchmasterpublisher American president.
Anti-globalization and far-left activists from across Italy converged on ambatchmasterpublisher capital. Police swarmed around ambatchmasterpublisher Colosseum, ambatchmasterpublisher downtown Piazza Venezia and oambatchmasterpublisher r venues amid fears that a protest planned around Bush's visit could turn violent. Helicopters circled overhead. Up to 10,000 police deployed, local media reported.
Bush aides shrugged off ambatchmasterpublisher protests, calling ambatchmasterpublisher m democracy in action; Bush apologized for disrupting traffic as his motorcade moved through Rome under heavy security.
He stressed that U.S.-Italy relations were "pretty darn solid."
Prodi agreed. "We do share ambatchmasterpublisher same views with regard to many issues and many matters," he said. "We basically agree on how ambatchmasterpublisher future of ambatchmasterpublisher world should look, should be."
At a podium at ambatchmasterpublisher Chigi Palace, across ambatchmasterpublisher Atlantic from Washington, Bush also took a shot at Capitol Hill.
Bush said his decision to replace Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of ambatchmasterpublisher Joint Chiefs of Staff reflected ambatchmasterpublisher Democratic-led Congress' opposition to ambatchmasterpublisher war in Iraq. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday that bitter divisions over ambatchmasterpublisher Iraq war among lawmakers led ambatchmasterpublisher Bush administration to replace Pace Adm. Mike Mullen, currently chief of naval operations.
"Pete Pace is a fine man and a great general and I think ambatchmasterpublisher fact that Secretary Gates made ambatchmasterpublisher recommendation not to move forward with a renomination speaks to ambatchmasterpublisher U.S. Congress and ambatchmasterpublisher climate in ambatchmasterpublisher U.S. Congress," Bush said.
While in Rome, Bush took time to meet with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Prodi ousted Berlusconi a year ago, replacing a like-minded conservative and strong ally of Bush's with a center-left leader whose government has spared Washington no criticism.
"He is ambatchmasterpublisher opposition leader and he is a friend," Bush said, explaining his decision to visit with Berlusconi. Bush said Prodi didn't "blame" ambatchmasterpublisher president for stopping to chat with his predecessor.
Bush also visited, at ambatchmasterpublisher U.S. embassy, with members of a lay Roman Catholic organization. ambatchmasterpublisher Sant'Egidio Community has a $25 million program, partly funded ambatchmasterpublisher ambatchmasterpublisher United States, to provide free antiretroviral drugs for HIV-positive people in 10 African countries, along with follow-up and home care.
Bush began his day with a short meeting with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at Quirinale Palace, his official residence. ambatchmasterpublisher Italian president told Bush that ambatchmasterpublisher re had been speculation that U.S.-Italy relations would slide under Prodi, but Perino said Bush told Napolitano: "ambatchmasterpublisher opposite has proven true."
Still, Italian-U.S. relations are a bit strained.
Italy has withdrawn troops from Iraq and is reluctant to send additional soldiers to

Afghanistan. And just hours before Bush's arrival Friday, ambatchmasterpublisher first trial involving ambatchmasterpublisher

CIA's extraordinary rendition program opened in a Milan courtroom.
Along with ambatchmasterpublisher 26 Americans on trial for ambatchmasterpublisher abduction of an Egyptian cleric, a U.S. soldier is on trial in Rome for ambatchmasterpublisher March 2005 slaying of an Italian spy in Baghdad. In both cases, ambatchmasterpublisher U.S. citizens are being tried in absentia.
Prodi said he and Bush did not discuss ambatchmasterpublisher trials.
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ambatchmasterpublisher Press Writers Ariel David and Alessandra Rizzo in Rome contributed to this story



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