Test by Fire The War Presidency of George W. Bush

by Swansbrough, Robert

• ISBN13: 9780230601000
• ISBN10: 0230601006
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-04-15
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

This book revolves around three closely related questions. First, how did George W. Bush-a wisecracking cutup, mediocre student, failed oil patch entrepreneur and fighter pilot in the Texas Air National Guard's 'Champagne Unit'-become a War President? Did George W. Bush go too far-invading Iraq, abandoning the Geneva Conventions' safeguards for captured prisoners and conducting surveillance over American citizens without court approval-in wielding his powers as War President? And finally, will George W. Bush receive history's accolade as a great American president for his leadership in the war on terror?

Author Biography

Robert Swansbrough is Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Science and Professor of Political Science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xi
Foreword	p. xiii
Preface	p. xvii
Introduction
A War President's Decisions: Seeking Insights	p. 3
The War President	p. 3
Changing Personas	p. 5
Three Analytical Lenses	p. 11
Critical Choices	p. 14
An Ambitious Agenda	p. 17
Path to the White House
The Fortunate Son: Star-Spangled Eyes	p. 23
Looking Up to Dad	p. 23
The Family Business	p. 29
Deep Pockets, Empty Wells	p. 31
The Loyalty Thermometer	p. 32
Political Home Run	p. 34
Lone Star Challenger: A Taste of Power	p. 37
Karl Rove, the Architect	p. 37
Changing the Texas Landscape	p. 39
Challenging an Icon	p. 44
Lone Star Governor	p. 48
Launching a Second Term	p. 51
White House Quest: Selling the Son	p. 53
Crafting the Plan	p. 53
Bumps in the Road	p. 55
The Image Battles	p. 61
Debate Face-Off	p. 64
Nose-to-Nose Finish	p. 65
A War President Emerges
The Early Months: Clear-Eyed Realism	p. 71
A Seasoned Team	p. 71
Strategic Ambiguity or Confusion?	p. 78
Missile Defense, Not Terrorism	p. 81
Rejecting Clinton's Diplomacy	p. 84
A Unilateralist Course?	p. 85
Ignored Warnings: A Call to Destiny	p. 89
A Zigzag Return	p. 90
Taking Charge	p. 91
Opportunity Costs	p. 95
A Flawed Process	p. 97
Personality and Politics	p. 101
New Kind of War: Breaking the Rules	p. 105
The "Quaint" Geneva Conventions	p. 106
Walk on the Dark Side	p. 108
Hidden from View	p. 111
Big Brother is Listening	p. 113
Creating a New Paradigm	p. 117
March to War: Vision or Vengeance?	p. 123
Victory or Unfinished Business?	p. 123
The Neoconservatives' Moment	p. 125
Next Step in War on Terror	p. 128
Words of War	p. 130
Decision-Making in the Shadows	p. 136
Bush's War: Break It...and It's Yours	p. 139
Shock, Awe, and Chaos	p. 139
Viceroy in Combat Boots	p. 144
A Bloody Cakewalk	p. 147
A Futile Search	p. 149
The Blame Game	p. 152
Pursuing a Vision
Axis of Evil: An Inverted Threat Matrix	p. 159
Friends to Bitter Foes	p. 160
Rejecting Engagement	p. 162
A Diplomatic Agreement	p. 168
A Visceral Enemy	p. 170
A Revised Approach	p. 174
Ending Tyranny: Bush's Democracy Agenda	p. 177
Controlled Path to Democracy	p. 178
Israel in His Heart	p. 182
Democracy Boomerangs	p. 186
The Hezbollah Challenge	p. 189
Clashing Goals	p. 191
Conclusion
Tested by Fire: Mixed Legacy	p. 197
Progress or Morass?	p. 198
The Decider	p. 202
A Last Hurrah	p. 205
Assessment of the War President	p. 209
Hallowed Pantheon	p. 212
Notes	p. 215
Bibliography	p. 255
Index	p. 280
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