Freethought & Rationalism Archive

S2Focus · 07-01-2003, 05:02 PM

According to this article in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz (scroll to the bottom) , Mahmoud Abbas claimed that GW Bush told him this:

"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."

If Abbas did not misunderstand Bush, and this accurately reflects Bush's thoughts, then the Prez. of the USA is one spooky dude!

Syphor · 07-01-2003, 05:15 PM

So he thinks his position is one of divinity with actions ordained by God? This is Bush we are talking about here, so why should this surprise anyone? Of course it is a concern though, because you�d think listening to imaginary voices in your head and acting on them would get one put in a white sack and carted away but the sad fact is that so many think the way he does.

John Hancock · 07-01-2003, 05:36 PM

That's a misquote even George isn't stupid enough to say it (probably ME dark secret of mind reading - in the microscopic).

John Hancock
__________________
"Fascism,should more properly be called corporatism, since it is the merger of state and corporate power." Mussolini

zorq · 07-01-2003, 06:06 PM

I don't know, I think that Bush is capable of saying that if he was not in the presence of the press. I would believe that he might say that to Mahmoud Abbas in private.

Loren Pechtel · 07-01-2003, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by S2Focus
According to this article in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz (scroll to the bottom) , Mahmoud Abbas claimed that GW Bush told him this:

Given the past accuracy of Palestinian claims I don't put much credence in this.

gilly54 · 07-01-2003, 10:48 PM

It's not so much what a Palestinian said, as what happened in the translations. Since Abbas doesn't speak English, nor Bush Arabic, whatever he said had to go through at least three translations, including Arabic to Hebrew, in order to reach the Israeli newspaper. I wonder if Abbas pulled a 'Nixon' and taped the conversation...

I haven't heard of any mention of this on TV or newspaper yet. Anyone?

Hopefully, the spineless media in this country will address it and if he indeed did say this, it'll be interesting what sort of damage control his handlers come up with to tell the press.

variable · 07-02-2003, 01:32 AM

um... mistranslation, embellishment, lie, or truth?

scared to guess...

contracycle · 07-02-2003, 05:10 AM

Sounds plausible to me. Check this out courtesy of Snopes.com, a personal recount of an exchange with Bush.

Quote:

He told me what the effect has been on him, waking up every day of the crisis and knowing within himself that he is being faithfully prayed for. He almost pleaded with me not to give up, but to persist with it, for this is only the beginning. Then he looked me even more squarely in my eyes, and gave me a very personal and specific series of instructions about the very things he most needs prayer for, on behalf of himself and of the nation.

He urged me that the threat against America is very great, and that one of our focuses in prayer to God needs to be "the shielding of America" . . . and wisdom for him as he leads the country through this time. I don't know why, but as I looked straight back at him directly into his face, he let me see for those brief moments a tiny part of the agony he himself is going through, and the weariness. He finished the conversation by putting his hand on my right shoulder, almost as if it were the close of a commissioning, but affectionate too in a brotherly sort of way.

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/yeskoo.htm

Arken · 07-02-2003, 06:24 AM

More fuel for the fire from Positive Atheism's list of scary quotations:

I've heard the call. I believe God wants me to run for president.
-- George W. Bush, quoted from Aaron Latham, "How George W. Found God," George Magazine, September, 2000

I remember someone else saying this about 10 years ago... his name was Oral Roberts... but Roberts only stole money, not elections.

07-01-2003, 05:02 PM	#1
S2Focus Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: 1162 easy freeway minutes from the new ICR in TX Posts: 896	Did Palestinian PM Mahmoud Abbas hear GWB correctly? According to this article in the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz (scroll to the bottom) , Mahmoud Abbas claimed that GW Bush told him this: "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." If Abbas did not misunderstand Bush, and this accurately reflects Bush's thoughts, then the Prez. of the USA is one spooky dude!

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07-01-2003, 05:15 PM	#2
Syphor Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 991	So he thinks his position is one of divinity with actions ordained by God? This is Bush we are talking about here, so why should this surprise anyone? Of course it is a concern though, because you�d think listening to imaginary voices in your head and acting on them would get one put in a white sack and carted away but the sad fact is that so many think the way he does.

07-01-2003, 05:36 PM	#3
John Hancock Banned Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mars Posts: 2,231	That's a misquote even George isn't stupid enough to say it (probably ME dark secret of mind reading - in the microscopic). John Hancock __________________ "Fascism,should more properly be called corporatism, since it is the merger of state and corporate power." Mussolini

07-01-2003, 06:06 PM	#4
zorq Veteran Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Nevada Posts: 1,216	I don't know, I think that Bush is capable of saying that if he was not in the presence of the press. I would believe that he might say that to Mahmoud Abbas in private.

07-01-2003, 10:48 PM	#6
gilly54 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: New Almaden, California Posts: 917	It's not so much what a Palestinian said, as what happened in the translations. Since Abbas doesn't speak English, nor Bush Arabic, whatever he said had to go through at least three translations, including Arabic to Hebrew, in order to reach the Israeli newspaper. I wonder if Abbas pulled a 'Nixon' and taped the conversation... I haven't heard of any mention of this on TV or newspaper yet. Anyone? Hopefully, the spineless media in this country will address it and if he indeed did say this, it'll be interesting what sort of damage control his handlers come up with to tell the press.

07-02-2003, 01:32 AM	#7
variable Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: canada Posts: 54	um... mistranslation, embellishment, lie, or truth? scared to guess...

07-02-2003, 06:24 AM	#9
Arken Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: North Hollywood, CA Posts: 6,303	More fuel for the fire from Positive Atheism's list of scary quotations: I've heard the call. I believe God wants me to run for president. -- George W. Bush, quoted from Aaron Latham, "How George W. Found God," George Magazine, September, 2000 I remember someone else saying this about 10 years ago... his name was Oral Roberts... but Roberts only stole money, not elections.

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