The Gulf: The Bush Presidencies and the Middle East

Introduction

1 Introduction Prior to 2000, the casual observer of politics might have named the Kennedys as the most important contemporary American political dynasty. However, with the election of George W. Bush to the presidency, eight years after his father had held the office, no one could deny the power and influence of the Bush family on the American political scene. Both Bushes left a significant foreign policy legacy; both led the country into wars that would come to define the post–cold war era. And yet, these presidencies were very different, particularly in their conduct of foreign policy; the idea that George W. Bush’s presidency was a continuation of George H. W. Bush’s was quickly dispelled. What, then, are we to make of these two presidents, particularly in foreign policy, the area in which, arguably, each left an indelible mark? The twelve years of the George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush presidencies brought monumental changes to the world stage and highlighted important differences in policy, warranting a comparison. The changes that took place from 1989 to 1993 and from 2001 to 2009, and the Bush presidencies’ responses to them, were dramatic and consequential. Their effects did and will continue to impact international relations for some time. A complex combination of factors shaped American foreign policy during these periods. Among them are the personalities, beliefs, and values of George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush; the foreign policy leadership style of each president; and the traumatic global events that dictated action. While the trajectory of world events in each of these presidencies is significant, this volume focuses on the personalities and leadership styles of the two presidents as the most important factors in determining the foreign policies of their administrations. The thesis of this book is that personal beliefs and character in the presidency matter in the determination of foreign policy. The way both Bush administrations responded to the global changes taking place was 2 THE GULF a result of how each President Bush, and a small number of his advisors, defined those events. With the election of George W. Bush to the presidency in 2000, much was made of the return of familiar faces to the White House, including many foreign policy advisors who had been present in the first Bush administration, notably Richard B. Cheney, Colin Powell , and Condoleezza Rice. This prompted the question of whether the younger Bush intended a regeneration of the foreign policy of the George H. W. Bush administration. This idea was quickly rejected, as the George W. Bush administration pursued policies that were in stark contrast to the earlier Bush administration. Ultimately, the differences between these two presidencies were more significant than their similarities, and this book suggests that the most important difference lay in the personalities of the men at the top, George H. W. and George W. Bush, especially regarding their conduct of foreign policy and their definition of American interests in the world. The title of this book, The Gulf, alludes to this difference ; while the Gulf denotes an important region of the Middle East, it also denotes the differences between these two presidents. Both presidents held office at a time when the power to define the international scene was facilitated by rapid changes and crises, which gave their administrations exceptional ability to shape circumstances and guide American foreign policy. Occupying the presidency as the cold war came to an end, George H. W. Bush had the opportunity to guide American foreign policy into a new era. The political transition taking place throughout Western and Eastern Europe, and in American relations with the Soviet Union, gave the president an ability to define the “new world order” that was emerging and the American approach to that new order. Likewise, George W. Bush’s response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, led to the adoption of his vision for American foreign policy. Much can be said of the success and effectiveness of George H. W. Bush’s approach at the end of the cold war, but there is heated debate over the impact of George W. Bush’s policy. I side with those who suggest that negative consequences emerged as a result of American actions during the latter period, and George W. Bush’s success in accomplishing his goals must be measured against the effects of his policies. In particular, George H. W. Bush’s and George W. Bush’s disparate character and personalities were of...