Was Bush behaving as a religious fanatic, rather than as a reasonable politician, when he decided upon the Iraq war? [quote]'A French Revelation, or The Burning Bush' ~ JAMES A. HAUGHT Incredibly, President George W. Bush told French President Jacques Chirac in early 2003 that Iraq must be invaded to thwart Gog and Magog, the Bible’s satanic agents of the Apocalypse. ... Chirac recounts that the American leader appealed to their “common faith” (Christianity) and told him: “Gog and Magog are at work in the Middle East…. The biblical prophecies are being fulfilled…. This confrontation is willed by God, who wants to use this conflict to erase his people’s enemies before a New Age begins.” This bizarre episode occurred while the White House was assembling its “coalition of the willing” to unleash the Iraq invasion. Chirac says he was boggled by Bush’s call and “wondered how someone could be so superficial and fanatical in their beliefs.” http://secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=library&page=haught_29_5 [/quote]

was bush ever a reasonable politician?

I would imagine that people try to speak in "common language" when appealing to allies so they would use phrases they felt would resonate with the person they were talking to. I cannot imagine Bush talking about "Gog and Magog" in a speech to the us public for example. So I imagine this is more a case that Bush was misinformed about Chirac.

That really surprises me.

From the point of view of us across the pond, I think that most would not be the least bit surprised at him talking about Gog & Magog.

I suppose it's one of those grey areas. Yes leaders will talk in broad terms about issues being a moral imperative, and phrasing things in a way which seems "morally right". But to talk about Gog & Magog would seem over the top to me.

So for example in Obama's inaugural speech he said

"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things."

That would be a mild twinge for me, but only a mild one.