Dr. Ali Al-Tawati of the Saudi Daily Okaz wrote an article for the Saudi Daily, Arab News, on April 12, 2005 titled "Rumsfeld for Pope?" The following is the article: [1]
"Now that President George Bush has nominated John Bolton as American ambassador to the United Nations and Paul Wolfowitz to head the World Bank, we shouldn't be surprised if he repeated his achievements and named a new pope.
"Considering the present state of the world, Donald Rumsfeld is surely the best choice for this extremely important international position. Like Bolton and Wolfowitz, he is a firm believer in democracy, America's new religion.
"Rumsfeld, Bolton, Wolfowitz and the other neocons would make sure that America tightened its grip on the world. Bolton dedicated his life to undermining the UN at a time when America needed to work through the world body more than ever to make the world a safer place — for Americans. Wolfowitz believes that the targeting of smaller impoverished countries falls far short of the global war that the neocons are hoping for.
"The late pope was a strong defender of Catholicism and the principles it stands for. From those convictions, he opposed the war against Iraq and Afghanistan.
"What is needed now is a pope who would give his backing to these and any future wars launched by the U.S. The new pope should be bold and adventurous so that he could issue an edict allowing the armies of his home country to invade any country any time they saw fit. Rumsfeld believes that peace and democracy go hand in hand — but according to an American interpretation rather than the French, German, Indian, or any other interpretation known to all peoples of the world.
"The late pope believed faith in Almighty God was enough to make peace spread and flourish in the world. If he had doubts about Israel's practices in the 'promised land' and a reluctance to accept them, Rumsfeld, on the other hand, would be ready to give Israel a free hand to do whatever it wished in the Promised Land.
"There are many reasons to expect someone like Rumsfeld to succeed in the new post, the most important being the fact that the present American administration is in dire need of a pope of a special kind — like the pope who urged King Ferdinand and his wife, Queen Isabella, to expel both Muslims and Jews from Spain.
"The persecution of Muslims and Jews in Spain continued until the 19th century but what happened later was that a new movement, known as the neocons, emerged in the early 21st century. It claims to be the champion and protector of democracy and considers the time has come to force the American version of democracy on all and to apply the carrot and stick tactic in order to attain its goals.
"Out of all the members of this group, I see no one more fit than Rumsfeld to fill the now-vacant job of pope."
[1] Arab News (Saudi Arabia), April 12, 2005.
