Pat Robertson’s comments about casualties in Iraq continue to rouse interest: first CNN, then Pete at The Dark Window, and now the AP. Pat has once again proven his psychic (sorry, spiritual) powers by pronouncing a prophecy about the conflict. According to Pat:
“I mean, the Lord told me it was going to be A, a disaster, and B, messy,” Robertson said. “I warned him [President Bush] about casualties… I had deep misgivings about this war, deep misgivings.”
Not sure how B is distinct from A…The context makes clear that Pat/God is talking about US military, not Iraqi, casualties, since Bush allegedly told him (just Pat) that there would be none (an allegation Robertson had also made on Hardball on June 22 [link snagged from Jesus’ General])
So, how prophetic is Pat really? In Februrary 2003, Pat expressed “concerns” on CNN (link from Jesus’ General, emphasis added):
ROBERTSON: Connie, I have, over the last year or so, been quite concerned about entering into this war. We should have gone in after him in the Gulf War I. This thing is fraught with danger. And I think we need to understand that. I told the president that just recently, that we have got to prepare the American people for civilian casualties, for possibly our casualties, for gassing, for various chemical weapons against them…
CHUNG: So are you saying to the president, go ahead, but warn…
ROBERTSON: I think that’s it. We’re too far along the way to stop back now. And you have no choice but to go forward, so be resolute, but please tell the American people to expect trouble and don’t think it’s going to be a cakewalk.
This is still less than a prophesised “disaster”, and Pat’s main worry is the WMDs. Pat’s supernatural powers are also underwhelming during this exchange on CBN with UPI Moon-minion Arnaud de Borchgrave the following March 19, just hours before the invasion began. Here Pat does at least use the term “messy”:
PAT ROBERTSON: There’s no question that this is going to be a messy war, it’s going to be very painful. Undoubtedly Saddam is going to hide his military installations behind civilian targets.
de Borchgrave concurs that there will be civilian casualties, caused by Saddam using his WMDs in a scorched-earth policy. Overall, however, Robertson seems cautiously optimistic, although prepared for US deaths (emphasis added):
ROBERTSON: We will win, but it will be very bloody?
de BORCHGRAVE: Well, the casualties estimated by some contacts of mine, who are generals at the Pentagon, vary between 100 KIA and 1,500 U.S. KIA.
ROBERTSON: I hate to say that’s modest, by certain standards of war, if that’s all it is. What about civilians?
de BORCHGRAVE: Well, civilians always — we’ve known this for a long time now. I was in the Blitz in London in 1940, and I’m sure you remember how many thousands of civilians were killed versus hardly any military, and that’s what happens in war, unfortunately.
ROBERTSON: Arnaud de Borchgrave, thank you for being with us for these insights. We appreciate it.
de BORCHGRAVE: You’re welcome.
It’s a bit worrying when you have less of a “reality based” view of the world than Pat Robertson and Arnaud de Borchgrave, even if Robertson has now over-egged his supposed pre-war divine revelation of “disaster”.
Despite his disageement with Bush, Pat weirdly invoked Confucianism to show his continuing support for him:
“And you remember, I think the Chinese used to say, you know, it’s the blessing of heaven on the emperor. And I think the blessing of heaven is on Bush. It’s just the way it is.”
Perhaps Pat might like to look at World History.com:
The idea [of the Mandate of Heaven] was different from the European notion of Divine Right of Kings in that it legitimized the overthrow of a dynasty and it also put some limits on the behavior of the emperor. If the emperor ruled unwisely or failed to perform the proper rituals, the emperor could lose the Mandate of Heaven and be overthrown. On the other hand, it also promoted “might is right” ideas, since any successful dynastic founder was considered to have the Mandate by virtue of his success, and any failed ruler was considered to have lost it, no matter how great his personal virtue.
Remember that if Kerry wins. However, Pat may have been thinking of this other aspect of the doctrine:
It also encouraged both Chinese unity and a disdainful attitude towards the outside world, since there was only one Mandate, and so only one true ruler of humankind—the Emperor of China.
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[…] Pat Robertson must be green with envy…Phinn continues: “…We have lied to the people. The absence of the prophetic ministry has helped to promote the rise of witchcraft, the rise in the occult, the new age movement and so on…If Christians had exercised this ministry, a lot of the flourishing obeah men [shamans], new agers – there would be no need for them. But I don’t think it is too late.” […]