Michael F. Cairo
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780813136721
- eISBN:
- 9780813141275
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813136721.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
Just as George H.W. Bush’s and George W. Bush’s worldviews impacted their decisions regarding war, these worldviews impacted their approach toward the Middle East peace process. It begins by ...
More
Just as George H.W. Bush’s and George W. Bush’s worldviews impacted their decisions regarding war, these worldviews impacted their approach toward the Middle East peace process. It begins by illustrating how George H.W. Bush was initially reluctant to pursue peace in the Middle East, but later translated victory in the Persian Gulf War into a diplomatic process promoting Middle East peace. The chapter then turns to George W. Bush’s unwillingness to directly engage in the peace process. The chapter returns to the George H.W. Bush administration, discussing George H.W. Bush’s negotiations to ensure a peace conference between Israelis and Palestinians at Madrid, Spain. It concludes by examining the impact of George W. Bush’s neglect of the peace process. Throughout, the chapter focuses on the importance of personal relations. George H.W. Bush’s relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir proved to jump-start the peace process, since George H.W. Bush’s dislike of Shamir translated into his willingness to deal with the Israelis more sternly than his predecessors had. Likewise, George W. Bush’s relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon led him to support the Israeli policy, often unquestionably.Less
Just as George H.W. Bush’s and George W. Bush’s worldviews impacted their decisions regarding war, these worldviews impacted their approach toward the Middle East peace process. It begins by illustrating how George H.W. Bush was initially reluctant to pursue peace in the Middle East, but later translated victory in the Persian Gulf War into a diplomatic process promoting Middle East peace. The chapter then turns to George W. Bush’s unwillingness to directly engage in the peace process. The chapter returns to the George H.W. Bush administration, discussing George H.W. Bush’s negotiations to ensure a peace conference between Israelis and Palestinians at Madrid, Spain. It concludes by examining the impact of George W. Bush’s neglect of the peace process. Throughout, the chapter focuses on the importance of personal relations. George H.W. Bush’s relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir proved to jump-start the peace process, since George H.W. Bush’s dislike of Shamir translated into his willingness to deal with the Israelis more sternly than his predecessors had. Likewise, George W. Bush’s relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon led him to support the Israeli policy, often unquestionably.
Michael F. Cairo
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780813136721
- eISBN:
- 9780813141275
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813136721.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
Despite the appearance of familiar faces in both Bush administrations, significant differences existed between the foreign policies of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. The Gulf refers to these ...
More
Despite the appearance of familiar faces in both Bush administrations, significant differences existed between the foreign policies of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. The Gulf refers to these differences and argues that they can be explained by the personal beliefs and styles of each George Bush. Describing George H.W. Bush as an “enlightened” realist and George W. Bush as a “cowboy” liberal, the book begins by exploring the life experiences that contributed to each president’s belief system. Comparing and contrasting each president throughout, it focuses on each administration’s policy in the Middle East, with specific attention given to the Persian Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Madrid Peace Conference, and the Road Map for peace. The book suggests that presidents rarely fit into a realist or liberal model and combines the two approaches to explain presidential worldviews. George H.W. Bush’s emphasis on defensive rather than offensive strategies, and international organizations rather than the power of democracy to foster peace and stability, combine to create an “enlightened” realist worldview. George W. Bush’s emphasis on offensive strategies and the power of democracy to foster peace and stability combine to create the “cowboy” liberal worldview. The book concludes by offering general and specific lessons illuminated by the cases. Suggesting that the study is more than an isolated comparison of the Bushes, the book offers examples of the importance of understanding presidential leadership styles and worldviews.Less
Despite the appearance of familiar faces in both Bush administrations, significant differences existed between the foreign policies of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. The Gulf refers to these differences and argues that they can be explained by the personal beliefs and styles of each George Bush. Describing George H.W. Bush as an “enlightened” realist and George W. Bush as a “cowboy” liberal, the book begins by exploring the life experiences that contributed to each president’s belief system. Comparing and contrasting each president throughout, it focuses on each administration’s policy in the Middle East, with specific attention given to the Persian Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Madrid Peace Conference, and the Road Map for peace. The book suggests that presidents rarely fit into a realist or liberal model and combines the two approaches to explain presidential worldviews. George H.W. Bush’s emphasis on defensive rather than offensive strategies, and international organizations rather than the power of democracy to foster peace and stability, combine to create an “enlightened” realist worldview. George W. Bush’s emphasis on offensive strategies and the power of democracy to foster peace and stability combine to create the “cowboy” liberal worldview. The book concludes by offering general and specific lessons illuminated by the cases. Suggesting that the study is more than an isolated comparison of the Bushes, the book offers examples of the importance of understanding presidential leadership styles and worldviews.
