# George W. Bush's Divine Mission **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 26, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658 "2003-06-26T23:49:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/41 "2003-06-27T17:02:37Z")
Maybe it’s from “A Charge to Keep,” Bush’s autobiography? ---
**Author:** ![bayonet1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bayonet1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bayonet1976)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/42 "2003-06-27T17:18:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \* > \*\*Does that imply that S/He chose someone to be a _bad_ son? \*\* I’m not about to get into a debate on free will and hijack this thread, so I’ll answer your question in as narrow a fashion as possible. Think Mission Impossible: “Your mission Jim, should you decide to accept it…” ---
**Author:** ![bayonet1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bayonet1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bayonet1976)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/43 "2003-06-27T17:22:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Degrance \* > \*\*You seem to at least partially miss the point. The fact that the person currently sitting in the white house thinks he is on a religious crusade frankly scares the hell out of me. I don’t think the world needs a religious fanatic of any stripe with his finger on the button. But hey that’s just me. > > The immediate problem with this is rather more mundane though. The whole situation in the Middle East is so tied up in religion that it really can’t be seperated from what else is going on there. So given that do you think it would generally be a good thing or a bad thing to go into this charged atmosphere and tell a Muslem leader that your Christian God told you to make peace between him and his Jewish enemies? > > Hmmmm? > > Regardless what GWB’s personal beleifs are he has no business spouting this type of nonsense in the middle of delecate international negotiations with members of another faith. \*\* Actually you seem to miss the point of my response, which was that **I** am not troubled by Bush declaring that he considers bringing peace to the Middle East a mission from God. If you’re troubled by it, goody for you, we’re different that way I guess. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/44 "2003-06-27T17:28:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bayonet1976 \* > \*\*Think Mission Impossible: “Your mission Jim, should you decide to accept it…” \*\* Thanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/45 "2003-06-27T17:42:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xenophon41 \* > The US, by invading Iraq, has placed a huge, well equipped army next door to the Mid-East’s biggest supporter of anti-Israel organizations, and has demonstrated a willingness to ignore sovereignty and international opinion to accomplish political goals. It is the threat to Syria, backed up by that demonstrated willingness, combined with the now quite public renewed commitment to a strong hand in _our ally Israel’s conflict_ with the Palestinians that is now causing readjustments of approach among the PA and more radical resistance organizations. _Translation:_ The Syrians are thinking, “Geez, the world’s sole superpower is now being led by a psychotic nut! And now he’s got an army camped outside our borders! We better stop our overt support for the Palestinians and appease the crazy nutjob, or else Allah knows what stupid stunt he’ll pull next?” I dunno about you, but “diplomacy by psychotic unpredictable crazy nutjob” doesn’t strike me as the best thing around… ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/46 "2003-06-27T17:47:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > \*\*…I dunno about you, but “diplomacy by psychotic unpredictable crazy nutjob” doesn’t strike me as the best thing around… \*\* Huh, I thought that it was part of the roadmap to peace. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/47 "2003-06-27T17:48:04Z")
> [@](#): > > I dunno about you, but “diplomacy by psychotic unpredictable crazy nutjob” doesn’t strike me as the best thing around… I don’t believe the policy is wise, just or sane. (I think I’ve said this a time or two in these threads.) I just don’t think it lacks a structured rationale. What Bush lacks in knowledge, understanding or decency he makes up for in strategery… ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/48 "2003-06-27T18:03:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > \*\*_Translation:_ The Syrians are thinking, “Geez, the world’s sole superpower is now being led by a psychotic nut! And now he’s got an army camped outside our borders! We better stop our overt support for the Palestinians and appease the crazy nutjob, or else Allah knows what stupid stunt he’ll pull next?” You left out the next line: “We better call Krazy Kim’s and see if we can get a discount on one of those bran’ new nucular Bush-repellent thingies before it’s too late. Might even work on that murdering bastidge Sharon too, ya never know but it can’t hurt.” ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/49 "2003-06-27T18:37:57Z")
Here’s the cite, from Ha’aretz, June 26, 2003. Last paragraph: [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=310788&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y](http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=310788&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y) > [@](#): > > According to Abbas, immediately thereafter Bush > said: “God told me to strike at al Qaida and I > struck them, and then he instructed me to > strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am > determined to solve the problem in the Middle > East. If you help me I will act, and if not, > the elections will come and I will have to > focus on them.” ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/50 "2003-06-27T18:49:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bayonet1976 \* > \*\*Actually you seem to miss the point of my response, which was that **I** am not troubled by Bush declaring that he considers bringing peace to the Middle East a mission from God. If you’re troubled by it, goody for you, we’re different that way I guess. \*\* No, that is exactly what I said. YOU are missing the point of the whole thread which is that Bush went into a very sensitive situation and TOLD A MUSLEM that he was on a CHRISTIAN MISSION to make peace. The idiot had no business dragging his personality issues out to wave around in such a volitile situation that so intimately involves American national interests. Whether you agree with his delusions of grandure that he is on a “mission for God” or not you should at least agree that he shouldn’t be blabbering about it to skittish people of other religions who he is trying to woo into very difficult negotiations. It would be better if he were telling them that he thought he was on a mission for the Emporer Ming. They would still think he was a fruitcake but at least he would not be offending their faith at a time when we desperately need their good will. ---
**Author:** ![bayonet1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bayonet1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bayonet1976)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/51 "2003-06-27T19:00:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Degrance \* > **No, that is exactly what I said. YOU are missing the point of the whole thread which is that Bush went into a very sensitive situation and TOLD A MUSLEM that he was on a CHRISTIAN MISSION to make peace. The idiot had no business dragging his personality issues out to wave around in such a volitile situation that so intimately involves American national interests.** I understood the point of the whole thread to be about what others thought of Bush’s alleged statement. As I mentioned above, it’s fine and dandy with me. That he allegedly said it to Mahmoud Abbas, again, is perfectly fine with me. I haven’t read anything said by Mahmoud Abbas on the subject, so I’m assuming he was fine with it too.:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/52 "2003-06-27T19:39:01Z")
He didn’t say anthing about Christianity, did he? The Muslims regard Christians and Jews as “People of the Book” who worship the same deity. ---
**Author:** ![quixotic78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3ab097/32.png) [@quixotic78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quixotic78)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/53 "2003-06-27T20:10:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Binarydrone \* > \*\*and a bird stops bye every thousand years to sharpen it’s beak, and by the time the mountain is worn down to dust eternity will have just started. Or something. \*\* I think God stole that from the Hindus. A _kalpa_ is the amount of time it’d take for a bird to grind a mountain down to dust if the bird flew by once ever 100 (or is it 1000?) years and just barely grazed the top. Okay, hijack over 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/54 "2003-06-27T20:59:48Z")
Thanks for the cite, **vibronica**. Was there any objective third party present when Bush allegedly made this remark? I don’t know frankly how reliable Abbas is. Does he speak English? Did they converse thru an interpreter? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/55 "2003-06-27T21:08:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shodan \* > \*\*Thanks for the cite, **vibronica**. Was there any objective third party present when Bush allegedly made this remark? > > I don’t know frankly how reliable Abbas is. Does he speak English? Did they converse thru an interpreter? > > Regards, > Shodan \*\* Just so that I am clear here; are you simply being vigorous in your pursuit of this cite, or do you feel that the comments that are being attributed to GWB just seem so out of character that you need more verification than has thus far been provided? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/56 "2003-06-27T21:48:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Degrance \* > \*\*It would be better if he were telling them that he thought he was on a mission for the Emporer Ming. They would still think he was a fruitcake but at least he would not be offending their faith at a time when we desperately need their good will. \*\* That _would_ be insane. Ming, being Merciless, would never want peace in the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/57 "2003-06-27T21:56:41Z")
Well, **Shodan** , you know what I know. You won’t trust the Daily Telegraph. You won’t trust a world leader as quoted by Ha’aretz. What do you trust? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/58 "2003-06-29T18:19:57Z")
thanX \*\* vibrotronica\*\*. ---
**Author:** ![Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreaming_of_Maria_Callas)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/59 "2003-06-29T19:37:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \* > \*\*He didn’t say anthing about Christianity, did he? The Muslims regard Christians and Jews as “People of the Book” who worship the same deity. \*\* Maybe generally that’s true, but in the Holy Land all three peoples currently distrust one another. UnuMondo ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658/60 "2003-06-29T20:11:54Z")
Personally I think this is a huge mistake. After all, US mideast policy has accomplished so much over the last three decades, we shoudn’t change anything. Certainly, in dealing with devoutly religious people who regard Jesus as a divine prophet, it would be a huge mistake to emhasize any common ground or shared values. After all, that might push militant muslims into clearly agreeing or disagreeing with the claim that a peaceful, two-state resolution is God’s will, and that would be bad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-w-bushs-divine-mission/184658.md?page=2)