U.S. President George W. Bush was at the Vatican Saturday for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI and meetings with Italian leaders, as his weeklong European tour moves south to the Mediterranean.The pope will discuss the Iraq war and the plight of Christians in that violence-wracked country, as well as "the big ethical and social questions" of the day, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's No. 2, told The Associated Press. This includes praise for Bush's staunch opposition to abortion.
The late Pope John Paul II vigorously opposed the war, which has been raised on occasion by Benedict. In his Easter message, Benedict said "nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees."
The president plans to talk to the pontiff about U.S. aid for fighting AIDS and malaria in Africa and spreading democracy around the world.
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