For those out of the loop, Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech last week at the University of Regensburg which has stirred the ire of many Muslims. In the speech at his former alma mater -- where he once taught theology -- the pope gave what was largely a scholarly address. He criticized the West for submitting itself to reason and essentially removing God from science and philosophy.

He began the speech by recounting a conversation between the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologus and a Persian scholar in which the two discussed the truths of Christianity and Islam. The pope's quote was, "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." At the time, he did not say whether he agreed with the quote.

Benedict also broached the Islamic concept of jihad, which he defined as "holy war." He stated that "violence in the name of religion was contrary to God's nature and reason. Without specifically mentioning Islam he suggested reason as "the basis for a genuine dialogue of cultures and religions so urgently needed today."

After a week of mostly "brimstone and fire" attacks from certain sectors of the Muslim world, some Muslims accepted a muted apology from the pope. There were some unlikely sources: a ranking member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the president of Iran at a speech before the United Nations -- accepted the pope's late contrition. But, the pope's retreat will prove to be unwise long term.

A friend who is close to the Vatican told me that the pope's speech -- he is known to write them himself -- was not counter-checked by Vatican Muslim experts. Evidently all those who would have seen a "red herring" have been sent off as envoys to Islamic countries. A Conservative cleric concerned with immigration and radical Islam raised another point, "did Benedict intend to have his remarks -- of whether Islam is at the moment more prone to violence than other faiths -- to be a rare public discussion of the issue without realizing the reaction from the Muslim world?"

Whatever his intentions, the pope should have approached his critics differently. He should have shown leadership. He should not have retreated in the way he did.

The pope should have immediately reached out to Muslim clerics -- many have condemned radical fundamentalist Islam. He should have expressed his support for Islam "in its own eyes and from its own perspective" as a faith which condemns violence. He should have offered Vatican support for a peace initiative in the Middle-East and stated that he will help those who want to purge violence from her midst.

The pope should have stood by his condemnation of radical-Islam. He should have stood by his condemnation of murderous suicide-bombers.

Benedict actually missed a superb opportunity.

He might have started his defense by defining the similarities between Islam and Christianity. He might have talked about the great history of the faith -- the development of mathematics and modern rules of law -- something Islam had long before Christianity. He might have picked a quote from Islam which showed that Islam itself condemns fundamentalist behavior.

Instead, the pope showed -- both in the content of his original speech, and later in his semi-apologetic response -- that he is a man who lacks sensitivity and political instincts. I am sure his predecessor John Paul II would have neither given the original speech nor reacted later with a retreat. John Paul's Polish roots and his dealings with communism would have made him synthesize his constructs differently. Similarly, Benedict's German roots, his guilt at Germany's past, his own guilt at being in the Hitler youth, made him unable to challenge his critics.

Germans -- I am after all one by heritage -- are a proud people. They have developed a remarkable economy since their virtual destruction after World War II. They have taken to being doves in a world that still sees them as hawks. No country has apologized for its past like Germany has. But German's are still easily made to feel guilty, they still feel uncomfortable showing national pride, they still feel they must retreat at the slightest sign of having been insensitive or being perceived as bigoted.

All of this played in Benedict's retreat. And, he yielded ground where he should not have. -- (UPI Columnist Marc S. Ellenbogen is chairman of the Berlin-based Global Panel Foundation and president of the Prague Society for International Cooperation. He is a member of the National Advisory Board of the U.S. Democratic Party)

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