I have my serious doubts that God told GWB to go to war. He may have prayed for devine guideance. Being the leader of the Free World is not one that most people want to take on. Anyone that has attained the age of 35, is a natural born US citzen and has resided in the US for the last few years is a candidate for that office. Out of 250 million you only see a hand full of people come forward every four years to take on the job. Granted it takes "a few dollars."

Those that are critical of the decision to go to war are forgetting that it was the same CIA that provided him with the intellegence to make the decision to go for war, that allowed the 9/11 crowd to slip into the US, and get rooted to pull off their operation. I would remind those that the head of the CIA at that time was one of Billy Boy's appointees.

Some are calling GWB a religous zealot. I am sure that he does pray everyday. That job would call for a lot of prayer. Booklady quoted General Patton, he had an exchange with the staff chaplain before he went to the Battle of the Bulge. When the General ask the Chaplain to write a prayer for good weather so he could get air support, the chaplain responded by saying he did not know how the Almighty would respond to a prayer for good weather so we can kill our fellow man.The General responded by telling the Chaplain "well I have it from the Almighty, that if good weather we pray for, good weather we will get, now get your ass in there and write that prayer." The next morning the weather was clear and they could get the planes in for close air support from England.

As far as TV preachers are concerned, they tell you the Lord needs your money, but gives you his address to send it to.

I think GWB does pray a lot, what I wonder is, does he pay any attention when God answers back? There will always be some creep like Saddam around, the question is when after you have gotten rid of Saddam do you pull out? Iraq is very unstable to say the leaste. If the order was to go out today, what do you think would be the result in the entire region. After the invasion of Iraq, you notice that Khadafi started to tow the line and allowed inspections and told where his nuke material was located, as did Assad of Syria.

Someone pointed out that 2100 Americans have lost their lives. I will remind you one and all, that over the past two hundred years there has been a very high price paid for our right to be on forums like this. War is expensive, peace is not cheap. Guard your freedom.

desert dweller writes: That decision was made based on Intelligence estimates he got from the 'Brits!' The CIA told him that Niger was NOT supplying Yellowcake Uranium to Iraq but Bush must have seen too many James Bond films: he chose to believe the 'Brits' rather than his own Foreign Intelligence Agency.

There were failures in communication among the several Intelligence Agencies: NSA (DOD's listening / monitoring 'arm,' with its electronic surveillance), should have 'passed on' information relative to increased activity immediately preceeding 9/11, the FBI and the CIA.

In any case, invading Iraq was absurd! I agree with the war on terror and the attack on the Taliban in Afghanistan, but Iraq was never a threat to the U.S. If Saddam Hussein was a threat to anyone, it was to Europe. But the Germans and French didn't see it that way.
That was me! I have served in the Military; have you?

Eddie: The answer to your question about my military service, eight years USAF.

Doña Carmen writes: Were you addressing me? If so, please provide me with the date of my 'post' describing the Religious Right as 'lepers.' You can't, because I never wrote that or anything similar to that!! Count me as a member of the "secular left:" a practicing Roman Catholic who doesn't vote according to his religious beliefs but rather follows Political, Economic & Social indicators. My most recent Graduate Degree is in Political Science and my voting record and choices probably reflect more my education than my religion. When I vote for someone, it's because I believe that person has what it takes to do a good job in the Office for which he/she is running. Most of those Tele-Evangelists are NOT Ministers! They have no permanent Congregation! They don't even Minister to people's needs: visit the sick, conduct funerals, things like that. They are like the Revivalists with the big tent that comes to your town every year or so (Depending on how much money they made their last visit).
How about a Jewish President, a Buddhist or Hindu or Moslem President? Should we really care about our President's Religious affiliation as long as He (or She) does what's right? G.W. Bush may call himself a Christian ('born again' or whatever), but from what I've seen and as far as I'm concerned, he hasn't followed Christian Principles.

Maybe he doesn't realize he's being manipulated!

I don't know why everyone takes for granted the assumption that our intelligence agency's CIA, FBI, ect; fell down on the job.
It's well known that the Bush Administration had been warned and advised on everything from the terrorists taking flying lessons in Arizona and the immenent threat of a terrosist attack by plane in the US ( Remember Condaleeza Rice evading that question when she appeared before Congress?) to the non-existent WMD's, the so-called nuclear weapons research, the absence of any Iraq Al Qaeda connection, the lack of a plan after invading IRaq, etc; etc; etc;
It should be obvious to any thinking rational person that the Bush's had their own plan(???,$$$) and when it became apparent that they had lied and distorted facts ad naseum, they began to discredit our intelligence agency's. To me it is apparent that there was a modern day "putsch" or coup that occured and our intelligence agency's were made sacrificial lambs in this disaster called the "war on terrorism".
That was when Collin Powell was replaced by the party hack Rumsfeld and we are suffering still for that action.
I just hope our intelligence people can regroup so they can one day again provide non political info.

Now you got me confused Fulano,

Which is it that you believe? God told President Bush to attack Iraq or


Perhaps if you get your premise straight about why President Bush went to war with Iraq, we could argue with you rationally? My guess though is that you, like so many others, really don't care what his rationale was as long as you can slam a conservative, which by their very nature is evil by your way of thinking. How boring.

This is a problem I often have with liberals. They talk of apples and I answer with apples, until they come back with oranges. Their ploy works though. Usually exhausted and frustrated I capitulate.

Footnote: I forgot in my previous post about President Bush being attacked by the media for corruption in connection with Halliburton.

PSS. Fulano, I finally got the time to read the article in your original post, and again the only message I get out of it is that Blitzer and Hersh complaining that President Bush is not listening to their advice. I fail to see why this should alarm you.

Fulano is a liberal?

Fulano can explain what he is left of or maybe 'God can help us' explain the answer.

I just got an answer from God. He told me he is talking to GB right now, then Michael Moore and he will talk to me maybe by Friday.

Bill

Naw!!! I absolutely don't think God ordered Bush to attack Iraq, now's there's the possibilty that Bush thought God told him to attack Iraq, but I doubt it, more like his "Faustian" politburo he has surrounding him figured it was going to be a real bonanza for themselves, and just a walk in the park, as a weak Iraq couldn't possibly put up much of a fight. Wrong!! Remember the old adage "follow the $$$$", there you'll probably get your answer.
Remember Bush in a flight suit (with codpiece) on the deck of the Aircraft Carrier, with the sign above him, "Mission Acomplished" ? That should have been a signal to have him take a "brain scan" or a "lie detector test".
As far as my opinion on the religious beliefs of anyone. I feel it's none of my business, so don't make it my business!, and if one wants to worship God, or Allah, or Yahweay, or Buddha, or the man in the moon, I don't care!, but if one's belief system infringes on my freedoms and constitutional or human rights, and if I feel someone's religious group is moving my country in a direction that I feel crosses the "separation of church and state" statutes and freedom "From" religion, foundations that our country was founded on, then I will speak up and loudly too!

The old ploy that despots use to mask their avarice, deceit, prejudice, and ambition is nothing new and is as old as mankind itself. Religious fanaticism, with all it's related and negative aspects is always anti democratic, extreme, and really "unchristian", there are always "hucksters, con men and manipulators involved who are attracted to it's power, and wealth like moth's to a flame.

Fulano writes: The old: "the Devil made me do it" ploy, often used by pre-teens. Sometimes I wonder if Dubya ever really 'grew up:' I read his fixation on being 'Commander in Chief' and a 'Wartime President' to be signs of possible mental illness and the product of a 'not so healthy' mind. I wonder if he still plays with 'war' toys or if he just traded those toys in for real Tanks and Ships and Airplanes and People in the Military, too many of whom have died in his Game. I think you need to get some of your facts straight! Colin Powell was Secretary of State, not Defense! Rumsfeld is and was SecDef. Powell's replacement at State was Dr. Condoleezza Rice.

Booklady, non-Christian does not automatically mean amoral.