Positiveus Perversus

(AP) In an Easter litany of the world's suffering, Pope Benedict XVI lamented that "nothing positive" is happening in Iraq and decried the unrest in Afghanistan and bloodshed in Africa and Asia.

"How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world," the pontiff told tens of thousands of pilgrims, tourists and Romans gathered Sunday at St. Peter's Square where he had just finished celebrating Mass.

Benedict, delivering his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Easter address from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, denounced terrorism and kidnappings, and "the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion," as well as human rights violations.

"Afghanistan is marked by growing unrest and instability," Benedict said. "In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, unfortunately, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees."

He also had harsh words about the "underestimated humanitarian situation" in Darfur as well as other African places of suffering. These included violence and looting in Congo, fighting in Somalia and the "grievous crisis" in Zimbabwe, marked by crackdowns on dissidents, a disastrous economy and severe corruption.

Benedict said political "paralysis" threatened Lebanon's future.

--------Denouncing violence and violations on several continents, and looking as cadaverish as ever, Pope Benedict, former nazi and now head honcho of the largest and oldest global pedophile ring, made no mention of protecting altar boys around the world.