- #1
Loren Booda
- 3,108
- 4
As world history is decided by all peoples, wherein it will President George W. Bush eventually stand?
How will George W. Bush figure in world history?
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SUMMARY
President George W. Bush's legacy in world history is likely to be viewed unfavorably, primarily due to his administration's handling of the economy and foreign policy, particularly the Iraq War. His response to the September 11 attacks, while initially seen as a decisive action against terrorism, may ultimately be overshadowed by the perception of his presidency as a disaster. Discussions highlight that historians and the public will likely remember him for his failures rather than successes, with significant events like 9/11 and the Iraq invasion defining his tenure.
PREREQUISITES- Understanding of U.S. foreign policy during the early 2000s
- Familiarity with the events surrounding September 11, 2001
- Knowledge of the Iraq War and its implications
- Awareness of historical perspectives on presidential legacies
- Research the impact of the Iraq War on U.S. foreign relations
- Examine the economic policies of the Bush administration
- Study the historical context of presidential legacies and public perception
- Analyze the role of media in shaping the narrative of political figures
Political historians, students of American history, and individuals interested in the analysis of presidential legacies and their long-term impacts on global politics.
- #2
selfAdjoint
Staff Emeritus
Gold Member
Dearly Missed
- 6,839
- 11
Probably low but not at the bottom. He will get a little raise from his speeches after 9/11, but his actions on the economy will have by then been shown to be disasterous, and his administration's high handedness in nearly all areas will not go down well with historians.
- #3
motai
- 364
- 2
That and he is the only one to choke on a pretzel and have passing resemblances to a monkey.
- #4
russ_watters
Mentor
- 23,810
- 11,257
I think its a little tough to judge now since he's not even halfway through his presidency.
- #5
selfAdjoint
Staff Emeritus
Gold Member
Dearly Missed
- 6,839
- 11
You wish!
- #6
LURCH
Science Advisor
- 2,549
- 119
True, the speaches were stirring and elloquent, and rencered all the more so by the fact that he isn't a very good speaker most of the time. At least, that's what impressed me most about those speaches.
But I think that of all the events in his first term, it will be his actions regarding 911 that will be remembered the most. The WTC massacre will probably be seen as the turning point where the US truly decided to get serious about terrorism. And because he was the president in office at the time, and the one who intiated the actions taken against terrorism since, he will most likely be remembered for his roll in the inititation of an all-out effort to stem the growth of terrorism worldwide.
I truly hope that he will be remembered for the "Freedom Car" initiative because if he is, it will be because that program sparked a revolution in the global energy economy. Likewise, I hope he will be remembered as the president who led us to the first human landings on Mars. But these are more wishes than predictions, not because I want him recalled as a great man, but just because I hope these things will happen.
- #7
Zero
I think history will see him accurately, which means it will see him poorly.
- #8
jimmy p
Gold Member
- 399
- 73
history only remembers the things it WANTS to remember
i mean correct me if I am wrong and I am using the old cliche, Hitler was a monster who ordered hundreds of thousands to their deaths etc... but a lot of people don't know that in the earlier days before the war, he built Germany back up from the ashes.
Bush will be remembered for his downfalls.
i mean correct me if I am wrong and I am using the old cliche, Hitler was a monster who ordered hundreds of thousands to their deaths etc... but a lot of people don't know that in the earlier days before the war, he built Germany back up from the ashes.
Bush will be remembered for his downfalls.
- #9
member 5645
agree.
- #10
Loren Booda
- 3,108
- 4
How will humanity as a whole differ significantly from Americans in lasting judgement of President Bush?
- #11
Zero
Probably the world at large will see Bush's presidency as a disaster. Most Americans will too, over the course of time. How much of a disaster is up for grabs though, at least for Americans. Plus, we have to consider whether we are discussing professional historians' view, or "popular" history. After all, Nixon was both a better and worse president than popular history gives him credit for, because his presidency was defined in the common view as "Watergate". Clinton was a credible moderate Republican president, but the popular view is all "Lewinski".
Since Bush has screwed up nearly every aspect of the presidential duties, who knows exactly what history will remember him for?
- #12
Loren Booda
- 3,108
- 4
Zero
A-hem! A Dem!
- #13
russ_watters
Mentor
- 23,810
- 11,257
Actually, I don't. But unfortunately, there aren't any good alternatives, so his re-election is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
- #14
Zero
In name only.
- #15
Kalimaa23
- 277
- 1
Wasn't it Michael Moore who stated the Clinton was, without a doubt, the best Republican president ever?
- #16
Zero
He is not even nearly the only one. In fact, my understanding was that Clinton was only a Democrat because early in his career he completely alienated the Arkansas Republicans, and had little choice but to run as a Dem.
- #17
Shahil
- 115
- 21
In Afrikaans, there's a word which PERFECTLY suits mr. bush. He's a DOOS!
I'm sure you enterprising guys will find out the meaning of that!
I'm sure you enterprising guys will find out the meaning of that!
- #18
member 5645
Wooh! Now we're calling names!
- #19
Chemicalsuperfreak
- 218
- 2
I'd say somewhere between Nixon and Hoover.
- #20
Kalimaa23
- 277
- 1
Een doos is a box in Dutch. You're saying that's an insult down there?
- #21
Shahil
- 115
- 21
Doos is a colloquial saying meaning something on the lines of someone really stupid. I don't speak afrikaans so can't really directly translate it but its a common saying known by most South Africans.
Sorry phatmonky but I really find it hard to respect Mr. Bush. Unfortunately he's probably the most important man in American history because of how events are panning out in the world today but still, I just can't credit him for being great AT ALL!
- #22
member 5645
In Afrikaans, DOOS is box literally, but slang for female genitalia.
- #23
Zero
Can we get back on track here?
- #24
Shahil
- 115
- 21
Sorry Zero!
Back to the actual topic, even though I severly dislike Mr. Bush, maybe his decisions that he took were actually the only routes that could be taken? I mean, if my country was bombed (911) and I knew that my country is the strongest in the world, I WOULD retaliate. It just seems logical. Dunno, maybe, taking this into account, Bush ain't such a bad historical figure after all when put in context?
- #25
Zero
He would have been ok if he had focused troops and money in Afghanistan. Instead, he abandoned that country to the warlords, and moved on to Iraq for no logical reason.
- #26
Loren Booda
- 3,108
- 4
I think that sums up his pivotal foriegn policy blunder(!), and may lose him the next election.
- #27
Shahil
- 115
- 21
Don't you just think that he HAD to leave Afghanistan coz if he stayed, American resentment would have gone to such a level that the AMerican backed govt would have suufered a coup and then Bush would've really been red faced.
Also, by leaving Afghanistan, media attention has been focused else meaning any "blunders" that are occurring there now are reserved for those half an hour specials on BBC or CNN (ie. news that doesn't have the impact of headline news) rather than in the main news bulletin.
Strategically, I think he did his best to save face in the circumstances of adversity.
BUT, at the end of the day - I still totally disagree with his war mongering which was done terribly.
- #28
Ivan Seeking
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Gold Member
- 8,213
- 2,659
I think that President Bush will be remembered for lying about the war and destroying American credibility abroad. I think the consequences of this are only beginning to be revealed. As Hans Blitz said yesterday, for example, the failure of US intelligence over a period of months to recognize that the "Aluminum tubes" documents were forged, as opposed to the one day that it took the Europeans, "is scandalous".
- #29
schwarzchildradius
I seem to remember him voted "worst president in history" here a little while back... He's going to be low but not at the bottom. By far the worst in a century. :(
- #30
Beren
- 90
- 0
Remember Franklin Pierce? Grover Cleveland?
Yeah, me neither. Same concept. All but forgotten.
Yeah, me neither. Same concept. All but forgotten.