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An interesting interview with "Foreign Policy" editor Josh Keating on the issue of Vatican sovereignty, in light of the new Vatican bank scandal and lawsuits surrounding the sex abuse cover-up.
Keating points out that the Vatican is not really a state in that it has no fixed population and controls virtually no territory. Yet the Holy See's sovereignty and observer status at the UN give it a voice in international debates over issues like birth control, abortion and homosexuality--not to mention diplomatic immunity from prosecution.
He makes a compelling argument that it may be time to rethink the Vatican's status, while admitting that it's nearly impossible to have it removed.
Listen to the interview on NPR's "Worldview" here.