“President George Bush has claimed he was told by God to invade Iraq and attack Osama bin Laden’s stronghold of Afghanistan as part of a divine mission to bring peace to the Middle East, security for Israel, and a state for the Palestinians. The President made the assertion during his first meeting with Palestinian leaders in June 2003… the former Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath says Mr. Bush told him and Mahmoud Abbas, former prime minister and now Palestinian President: ‘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,’ Mr. Bush is quoted as telling the two, ‘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.’ “ [The 15th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– Robert Cornwell, “God Told Me to Invade Iraq,” The Independent, Oct. 7, 2005