[chris v]

According to CNN and Pat Robertson:

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/...raq/index.html

Robertson: I warned Bush on Iraq casualties

President's response: 'We're not going to have any'

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The founder of the U.S. Christian Coalition said Tuesday he told President George W. Bush before the invasion of Iraq that he should prepare Americans for the likelihood of casualties, but the president told him, "We're not going to have any casualties."

Pat Robertson, an ardent Bush supporter, said he had that conversation with the president in Nashville, Tennessee, before the March 2003 invasion. He described Bush in the meeting as "the most self-assured man I've ever met in my life."

"You remember Mark Twain said, 'He looks like a contented Christian with four aces.' I mean he was just sitting there like, 'I'm on top of the world,' " Robertson said on the CNN show, "Paula Zahn Now."

"And I warned him about this war. I had deep misgivings about this war, deep misgivings. And I was trying to say, 'Mr. President, you had better prepare the American people for casualties.' "

Robertson said the president then told him, "Oh, no, we're not going to have any casualties."

Robertson, the televangelist who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1988, said he wishes Bush would admit to mistakes made.

"I mean, the Lord told me it was going to be A, a disaster, and B, messy," Robertson said. "I warned him about casualties."

More than 1,100 U.S. troops have died in Iraq and another 8,000 troops have been wounded in the ongoing campaign, with the casualty toll significantly increasing in the last six months as the insurgency there has deepened.

Asked why Bush has refused to admit to mistakes on Iraq, Robertson said, "I don't know this politics game. You know, you can never say you were wrong because the opposition grabs onto it: 'See, he admitted he screwed up.' "

Even as Robertson criticized Bush for downplaying the potential dangers of the Iraq war, he heaped praise on Bush, saying he believes the president will win the election and that "the blessing of heaven is on Bush."

"Even if he stumbles and messes up -- and he's had his share of stumbles and gaffes -- I just think God's blessing is on him," Robertson said.

As for Bush's Democratic rival, Sen. John Kerry, Robertson said, "I don't think he's a leader. He's a ponderous debater, a good senator probably."

[Dakar]

My question is, what's Robertson's stake in saying this?

[Nicko]

Originally posted by Dakar:
My question is, what's Robertson's stake in saying this?

MB he is hedging his bets?

[Taliesin]

Originally posted by chris v:
"We're not going to have any casualties."

I find that remark espescially sarcastic: No casualties? I don't care about the 1,000+ killed US-soldiers or about the 8,000 wounded US-soldiers, they knew exactly that they went to war, and what that means. But what about the 15,000+ (conservative guess, probably many more) killed iraqi civilians (!) in Iraq, and many more wounded ones, and the number is still growing every day, eventhough war is over, and more so because of US-airstrikes than because of Al-Kaida-terror-attacks with car-bombs?

All the americans, from both sides, care for is how many US-soldiers died, and what can be done to reduce the death-rate of US-soldiers, ha!

Taliesin

[chris v]

Originally posted by Dakar:
My question is, what's Robertson's stake in saying this?

He's obviously a dupe, a shill, for the Kerry campaign, who is probably hiding some sort of self-interest, like a book he wants to promote, or something. Cilnton got a blowjob.

[gatekeeper]

Originally posted by chris v:
He's obviously a dupe, a shill, for the Kerry campaign, who is probably hiding some sort of self-interest, like a book he wants to promote, or something. Cilnton got a blowjob.

Not to mention that Kerry brought a pen. Damned cheater.

[icruise]

I have to admit to being confused when I read that this morning. Robertson is an idiot, but he's not likely to make something up that would make Bush look bad.

[constrictor]

Originally posted by chris v:
He's obviously a dupe, a shill, for the Kerry campaign, who is probably hiding some sort of self-interest, like a book he wants to promote, or something. Cilnton got a blowjob.

In keeping with my doctrine of forum preemption, you are hereby awarded:

SMACKDOWN!!!

[chris v]

Actually, I bet it's an alpha-male thing. Robertson is probably p*ssed that Bush is trying to horn in on his Direct™ Line© to G*d®.

[xi_hyperon]

Originally posted by chris v:
Actually, I bet it's an alpha-male thing. Robertson is probably p*ssed that Bush is trying to horn in on his Direct™ Line© to G*d®.

WTF? God doesn't have call-waiting?

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by chris v:
According Pat Robertson:
"I mean, the Lord told me it was going to be A, a disaster, and B, messy," Robertson said. "I warned him about casualties."

Sounds like the Lord has been sending out mixed messages.

[constrictor]

Originally posted by Wiskedjak:
Sounds like the Lord has been sending out mixed messages.

That's mexed missages.

[UNTeMac]

This coming from man who said 6 months ago that Bush would win in a landslide because God personally told him so. Take everything this man has ever said with a grain of salt.

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by UNTiMac:
Take everything this man has ever said with a grain of salt.

Pat Robertson or the Lord?

[UNTeMac]

Originally posted by Wiskedjak:
Pat Robertson or the Lord?

Ahem....

Take everything this man has ever said with a grain of salt.

[zigzag]

Sounds like Robertson is saying "This war is a disaster, Bush is incompetent, blame Bush, don't blame me, God bless him."

This might be the part where Republicans start to distance themselves from a potential loser.

A Christian with four aces - funny image.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by constrictor:
In keeping with my doctrine of forum preemption, you are hereby awarded:

SMACKDOWN!!!

Sorry, but I believe Spliffdaddy (as he is it's originator) is the only one who can officially authorize a "SMACKDOWN!!!" You can nominate posts for the highly coveted award. But without his sanction it isn't authentic and can't be universally recognized.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:
Sorry, but I believe Spliffdaddy (as he is it's originator) is the only one who can officially authorize a "SMACKDOWN!!!" You can nominate posts for the highly coveted award. But without his sanction it isn't authentic and can't be universally recognized.

Nobody cares what you flip-flopper (I used to be a poser for Bush and then Kerry before posing against him) thinks.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
Nobody cares what you flip-flopper (I used to be a poser for Bush and then Kerry before posing against him) thinks.

My mom cares.

[chris v]

Originally posted by aberdeenwriter:
My mom cares.

Then she should get you to the shrink, stat. You're still taking the intarnet WAY too seriously.

[ebuddy]

There were already dead soldiers from Afghanistan when Robertson and Bush talked. Bush would not have said this in light of the other things Bush said prior to our having gone over to Iraq. Bush warned us it would be long and difficult. This does not equate to; "no casualties".

In short, Robertson is lying and has some thing to gain from this. What that is is yet to be determined as he finished his statement by reiterating his 100% support for Bush in the upcoming election??? The statements he made are not consistent with his prior view that Bush is blessed by God and would win the election, etc...I'm not sure what the heck is going on here, but I watch with great curiousity.

I'm sure Robertson was aware of the growing threat to Israel and Robertson has been on record warning Bush to not change his stance regarding US/Israel policy. Why then would he critique an action that would offer Israel respite from one of it's major threats?

[warmspit]

Originally posted by ebuddy:
There were already dead soldiers from Afghanistan when Robertson and Bush talked. Bush would not have said this in light of the other things Bush said prior to our having gone over to Iraq. Bush warned us it would be long and difficult. This does not equate to; "no casualties".

In short, Robertson is lying and has some thing to gain from this. What that is is yet to be determined as he finished his statement by reiterating his 100% support for Bush in the upcoming election??? The statements he made are not consistent with his prior view that Bush is blessed by God and would win the election, etc...I'm not sure what the heck is going on here, but I watch with great curiousity.

I'm sure Robertson was aware of the growing threat to Israel and Robertson has been on record warning Bush to not change his stance regarding US/Israel policy. Why then would he critique an action that would offer Israel respite from one of it's major threats?

GASP! it must be hard for the fundies to decide who is lying...I see in your case, you preferred to think Robertson must be, because no one is holier than Bush.

[ebuddy]

GASP! it must be hard for the fundies to decide who is lying...I see in your case, you preferred to think Robertson must be, because no one is holier than Bush.

Careful, young padiwan poster. Your intolerance and hatred is hanging out.

I am not to question one because they claim to believe in God? I prefer to think Robertson is being disingenuous at best not because I believe Bush to be holier than he my knee-jerk friend, but...

A. because this is not consistent with what Bush had said publically to the entire world. And...
B. We already had dead soldiers coming home from a much less complex theatre when they spoke.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally posted by chris v:
Then she should get you to the shrink, stat. You're still taking the intarnet WAY too seriously.

Uh oh. I just called her and found out I was wrong.