Pat Robertson, a prominent evangelical Christian and founder of the US Christian Coalition, said Wednesday that President George W. Bush told him before the 2003 Iraq invasion that he anticipated no American casualties in the conflict. Robertson said the two met in Nashville, Tennessee, ahead of the March 2003 invasion, describing Bush as extraordinarily self-confident.
According to Robertson, he urged Bush to prepare the public for potential losses, only to be told there would be none. More than 1,100 US military personnel have since died in Iraq following the invasion that removed Saddam Hussein from power.
The Kerry campaign quickly demanded clarification, with adviser Mike McCurry pressing Bush to state publicly whether Robertson was telling the truth or not. The White House offered no immediate response.
Robertson, who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1988, has occasionally broken with Bush, criticizing him previously over Liberia policy. He also echoed Kerry's argument that Bush refuses to acknowledge errors. Despite those criticisms, Robertson praised Bush and predicted he would defeat Kerry in the 2 November election, saying "the blessing of heaven is on Bush."
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in October 2004, in its own words.