Declassified Files Reveal Bush Saw Iraq War as a ‘Mission from God’

Newly released UK government documents detail concerns over Bush's approach to the Iraq War and calls for restraint from US and UK officials.

Former US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage revealed that George W. Bush believed he was on a divine mission to combat Iraqi insurgents during the Iraq War.
Armitage urged UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to persuade Bush to adopt a more measured political strategy in Iraq, warning that military overreach could destabilize efforts to establish an independent Iraqi administration.
Documents highlight internal US disputes, with Armitage criticizing military claims about quickly suppressing the Fallujah uprising as unrealistic and politically damaging.
The April 2004 Fallujah offensive resulted in significant casualties, including 27 US troops, around 200 insurgents, and an estimated 600 Iraqi civilians, before the operation was called off.
The files also reveal broader concerns from UK advisers about disproportionate US military tactics and their impact on Iraqi public perception and coalition political capital.