White House denies God talks to Bush

ISN SECURITY WATCH
Oct. 07, 2005

ISN SECURITY WATCH (7 October: 01:55 CET) - The White House denied on Thursday that US President George Bush said God told him to invade Iraq and Afghanistan and to ensure the creation of a Palestinian state.

“He's never made such comments," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

Palestinian negotiator Nabil Sha'ath, however, said in a BBC documentary due to be released next week that Bush said he was "driven with a mission from God” during a 2003 meeting with Palestinians.

"President Bush said to all of us: 'I'm driven with a mission from God. God would tell me, George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan. And I did, and then God would tell me, George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq... And I did.

"'And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East. And by God I'm gonna do it,'" Shaa'ath quoted Bush as saying.

The president was also said to have heard God tell him to bring peace to the Middle East and ensure Israel had its security.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who also appears in the documentary, said the president told him: "I have a moral and religious obligation. So I will get you a Palestinian state."

The documentary is set to be released on 10 October.