Celebrating Freedom
President Bush is in Rome, where he will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the world's most prominent opponent of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Pope John Paul II.
President Truman established the Medal of Freedom in 1945 to award service during the war. In 1963, President Kennedy authorized the medal to be awarded to any civilian "who has made an especially meritorious contribution to (1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."
Bush has claimed repeatedly in public speeches that the liberation of Iraq has improved national security and the prospects for peace in the Middle East.
However, the Pope was a staunch critic of the invasion, calling it a "defeat for humanity."
War cannot be decided upon, even when it is a matter of ensuring the common good, except as the very last option, and in accordance with very strict conditions, without ignoring the consequences for the civilian population both during and after the military operations.
Thus Kennedy's criteria (1) and (2) actually provide good reasons for President Bush not to give the medal to the Pope.
That's not to say that the Pope hasn't done much for national security and world peace during his long tenure. Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R - Wisconsin) introduced the resolution to award the medal to John Paul II to honor his 25th year as Pope, saying:
There is perhaps no other individual who is more deserving of this recognition than Pope John Paul II. Throughout his life and ministry, he has promoted freedom in both word and deed. President Ronald Reagan and Lady Margaret Thatcher, who shared Pope John Paul II's commitment to Solidarity in the 1980's -- a movement that ultimately led to the demise of the Soviet empire and the emancipation of hundreds of millions -- are past recipients of the Medal of Freedom. Americans appreciate the courage, convictions, and commitment to freedom that the Pope has demonstrated throughout his lifetime. I hope that President George W. Bush will agree that it is appropriate to present the Medal of Freedom to His Holiness as a sign of our gratitude.
Certainly the Pope's lifelong struggle against communist totalitarianism makes him more than worthy of the honor.
However, it is also worth noting that the decision may also serve President Bush's reelection hopes. As John Allen Jr. noted in his NY Times op-ed yesterday,
No doubt the president's advisers believe a photo op with the pope could be useful in battleground states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, where the Catholic vote could be decisive.
It just so happens that Congressman Sensenbrenner is from one of those states.
When one adds this to the fact that President Bush and Pope John Paul II share certain views about culture, one can see why the President would agree to award the Pope the Medal of Freedom, despite his recent opposition to freedom.
From Bush's perspective, criterion (3) is sufficient.
UPDATE
The AP reports that the Pope had strong words for the President:
Pope John Paul II reminded President Bush on Friday of the Vatican's opposition to the war in Iraq and said the world has been troubled by recent "deplorable events," an apparent reference to the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. troops.
[snip]
In an indirect reference to U.S. troops' abuse of Iraqi prisoners, the pope said, "In the past few weeks, other deplorable events have come to light which have troubled the civic and religious conscience of all." He said those events "made more difficult a serene and resolute commitment to shared human values. In the absence of such a commitment, neither war nor terrorism will ever be overcome."
Perhaps Alberto Gonzales needs to talk to the Pope about that.
12:01:18 AM 
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