Pope Benedict XVI, in his World Day of Peace speech Jan. 1, had more than a few choice words for world leaders who use lies to incite their citizens towards violence. He did not mention President Bush specifically. A few excerpts:

“After experiences like [the Holocaust], how can we fail to be seriously concerned about lies in our own time, lies which are the framework for menacing scenarios of death in many parts of the world.”

“Those authorities who, rather than making every effort to promote peace, incite their citizens to hostility towards other nations, bear a heavy burden of responsibility: in regions particularly at risk, they jeopardize the delicate balance achieved at the cost of patient negotiations and thus help make the future of humanity more uncertain and ominous.”

read whole address

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