text: did bush say god told him to strike al-qaeda? i want to know if there has been any independent confirmation of ha'aretz's reporting on bush's '03 "god told me to strike al-qaeda" statement in a meeting with abu mazen. there have been other reports to that effect.  the white house had no comment to the washington post when asked about the ha'aretz story, which is a strong hint that they could not deny it.  i'll see if i can find sources for you.  in the meantime, bush has made similar statements about being specifically guided by god.  he told bob woodward that he doesn't have to pay attention to his father, the ex-president's advice, because he answers to a higher father.  and here are more reports: earlier, jackson lears in the new york times reported bush as saying, "''events aren't moved by blind change and chance''..., but by ''the hand of a just and faithful god.'' from the outset he has been convinced that his presidency is part of a divine plan, even telling a friend while he was governor of texas, ''i believe god wants me to run for president.'' this conviction that he is doing god's will has surfaced more openly since 9/11. in his state of the union addresses and other public forums, he has presented himself as the leader of a global war against evil. as for a war in iraq, ''we do not claim to know all the ways of providence, yet we can trust in them.'' god is at work in world affairs, he says, calling for the united states to lead a liberating crusade in the middle east, and ''this call of history has come to the right country.''"  (http://bushwatch.org/evangelist.htm -- a biased site, but the quotes are accurately attributed)