Why George W. Bush thinks we invaded Iraq
In the latest issue of PS: Political Science and Politics, Richard Rose recounts his meeting — along with a few other experts — with George W. Bush in the Oval Office. The idea — set up by Peter Feaver when he was at the NSC — was for Bush to interact with experts on divided ...
In the latest issue of PS: Political Science and Politics, Richard Rose recounts his meeting -- along with a few other experts -- with George W. Bush in the Oval Office. The idea -- set up by Peter Feaver when he was at the NSC -- was for Bush to interact with experts on divided societies to see what lessons could be applied to Iraq. It's entitled, "What Do You Tell the President in Three Minutes about Iraq?" I was a little surprised to see this section: We were told to expect a wide-ranging and free-flowing discussion--and this forecast was accurate. After the President made several references to the importance of liberty, I reminded him that Isaiah Berlin was not only in favour of liberty but also of order. The place to talk about liberty was not in discussions about a land lacking order but when he next saw President Putin. When the conversation became too academic, the President even began leafing through a book of mine that I had given him that ends with a chapter about America's victory over Iraq in Kuwait, a victory that left his father riding the crest of a wave--after which there was only a one-way option down. The President listened far more than he spoke and when he did it was to make simple points that many critics dodge, such as: We had to do something after 19 young people blew up 3,000 Americans. (emphasis added)
In the latest issue of PS: Political Science and Politics, Richard Rose recounts his meeting — along with a few other experts — with George W. Bush in the Oval Office. The idea — set up by Peter Feaver when he was at the NSC — was for Bush to interact with experts on divided societies to see what lessons could be applied to Iraq. It’s entitled, “What Do You Tell the President in Three Minutes about Iraq?” I was a little surprised to see this section:
We were told to expect a wide-ranging and free-flowing discussion–and this forecast was accurate. After the President made several references to the importance of liberty, I reminded him that Isaiah Berlin was not only in favour of liberty but also of order. The place to talk about liberty was not in discussions about a land lacking order but when he next saw President Putin. When the conversation became too academic, the President even began leafing through a book of mine that I had given him that ends with a chapter about America’s victory over Iraq in Kuwait, a victory that left his father riding the crest of a wave–after which there was only a one-way option down. The President listened far more than he spoke and when he did it was to make simple points that many critics dodge, such as: We had to do something after 19 young people blew up 3,000 Americans. (emphasis added)
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner
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