"As these and other cases show, the pope's position consists not in saying who is right and who is wrong, for at the root of all conflict is a fight for power or regional dominance, or what the pope calls a "vain pretext." "
Yes, yes, yes! One only read a few hyperbolic arguments in these comments to see the truth in the statement.
Having said that, thank you Michael, for laying out and explaining one of the facets of PF's papacy that had me baffled. Well written.