I doubt that Jacques Chirac knew what Gog and Magog are or understood the reference; and that if Bush tried somehow to explain it to him, through a translator to boot, Bush’s meaning would no doubt have been lost on Chirac.
(And hence, Chirac’s recall of the conversation would have been garbled.)
A very likely explanation.
Its often hard to use an analogy or allusion across cultural gaps. Its easy to miss getting a meaning across.
One of G.W.Bush’s problems was that he did indeed lack much experience in foreign affairs, or speaking with foreigners other than Mexicans.
Our present President seems to be even worse in this respect.
You said — I doubt that Jacques Chirac knew what Gog and Magog are or understood the reference; and that if Bush tried somehow to explain it to him, through a translator to boot, Bush’s meaning would no doubt have been lost on Chirac.
(And hence, Chirac’s recall of the conversation would have been garbled.)
—
I doubt that Chirac knew, too — but then again, the article indicates that, which is why Chirac asked for some research into it.
After the 2003 call, the puzzled French leader didn’t comply with Bush’s request. Instead, his staff asked Thomas Romer, a theologian at the University of Lausanne, to analyze the weird appeal. Dr. Romer explained that the Old Testament book of Ezekiel contains two chapters (38 and 39) in which God rages against Gog and Magog, sinister and mysterious forces menacing Israel. Jehovah vows to smite them savagely, to “turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,” and slaughter them ruthlessly. In the New Testament, the mystical book of Revelation envisions Gog and Magog gathering nations for battle, “and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”
Now, *just the fact* that Bush mentioned “Gog and Magog” — that’s all the context you need, because that’s about that area of the world and the battle that is coming up. So, this article is not really telling me a lot about Chirac, but more about President Bush, and that others had been able to “reach him” in getting President Bush to understand what the Bible says about the God/Magog War of Ezekiel 38/39, which is coming up in the near future.
And, actually, things are shaping up, in the world situation and the nation alliances over there, for that coming Gog/Magog war.