2017/07/28 by Hal Brands, Peter D. Feaver · 1 citation
Social Sciences · #International Relations and Foreign Policy
paper · doi:10.1080/01402390.2017.1348944
openalex publication_date 2017/07/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
This article reassesses the foreign policy legacy of George W. Bush in light of the emerging historical record of his administration. We conclude that, whereas Bush’s foreign policy was in widespread disrepute when he left office in 2009, that reputation is likely to improve – perhaps significantly – in the coming years. We identify six particular arguments that lend credence to an emerging ‘Bush revisionism.’ To be clear, we do not necessarily argue that the balance sheet on Bush’s foreign policy was positive, but the arguments presented here are likely to generate a more sympathetic and favorable historical assessment of Bush’s presidency over time.