George W. Bush has told advisers that the world is better off without Saddam Hussein — and he has not changed his mind about that.
Tag Archives: Bush, George W
Americans Have Mostly Forgotten the Iraq War. I Haven’t.
For some, even 20 years later, the war hasn’t ended.
20 Years After U.S. Invasion, Iraq Is a Freer Place, but Not a Hopeful One
Conversations with dozens of Iraqis offer a portrait of a nation that is rich in oil, hobbled by corruption and unable to guarantee its citizens’ safety.
20 Years On, a Question Lingers About Iraq: Why Did the U.S. Invade?
Two decades after the Bush administration said it wanted to disarm weapons of mass destruction and free Iraqis, the debates rages on about who knew what when, and which motive mattered most.
Don’t Call It a Bailout: Washington Is Haunted by the 2008 Financial Crisis
The colossal bailouts after the 2008 collapse arguably saved the global economy, but they also provoked a ferocious popular backlash.
Trump Knows How to Make Promises. Do His Rivals?
Mike Pence and Nikki Haley somehow manage to propose ideas that are both implausible and unpopular.
When Trump Passes the MAGA Hat, His Aides Clutch Their Wallets
Unlike other recent presidents, Donald Trump has rarely received campaign donations from his top advisers. They offer a range of explanations.
Ian Fishback’s American Nightmare
He was a decorated soldier, a whistle-blower against torture. Then he was undone by his own mind — and a health care system that utterly failed him.
From ‘Birth of a Nation’ to ‘Till’: Confronting Racism in the White House Screening Room
“History matters,” President Biden said before showing a movie about Emmett Till, whose murder galvanized the civil rights movement.
From George to Barack: A Look at Secret Bush Memos to the Obama Team
Newly declassified memos offer a window into how the world appeared as the Bush administration was winding down.
As Archives Leans on Ex-Presidents, Its Only Weapon Is ‘Please’
The National Archives does not have any independent ability to enforce its request that former presidents and vice presidents to scour their files for classified documents.
Biden Leery of Involvement in Potential Plea Deal in Sept. 11 Case
A proposal to end a decade-long attempt to seek the death penalty before a military tribunal carries political risks, but the Trump administration also decided the system failed.
How the U.S. Government Amassed $31 Trillion in Debt
Two decades of tax cuts, recession responses and bipartisan spending fueled more borrowing — contributing $25 trillion to the total and setting the stage for another federal showdown.
How Classified Information Is Handled
Presidents have established and developed the classification system through a series of executive orders around World War II and the early Cold War.
The Invention of Elise Stefanik
To rise through the Trump-era G.O.P., a young congresswoman gave up her friends, her mentors and her ideals. Will it be enough?
Jenna Bush Hager Is Making a List. Authors Are Obsessed With It.
She was born into a life in the public eye. Then she chose to go on morning TV.
Can America Really Envision World War III?
As the last generation that remembers full-scale global war is disappearing, the United States may be stumbling into a catastrophe.
Five Readings for Your Thanksgiving Table
These very different American leaders explain why the peaceful transfer of power and the legitimacy of our democratic system are so critical.
Michael J. Gerson, Presidential Speechwriter and Columnist, Dies at 58
He composed many of George W. Bush’s signature addresses, and later, as a writer for The Washington Post, took a stand against Donald J. Trump.
The Red Puddle Election of 2022
That neither the Republican nor the Democratic coalition can achieve anything like hegemony over the political system is unusual in the history of American politics.
Trump Is the Chief Obstacle to a Republican Revival
The party’s midterms setback could bring renewal.
In 2022, Reality Has a Conservative Bias
Can liberalism adapt itself to what reality is asking?
The Huge Problem That Nobody Cares About
Republicans as well as Democrats have abandoned fiscal restraint, and it’s not sustainable.
How the Right Became the Left and the Left Became the Right
A pair of prominent headlines highlight the reversals.
Can Republicans Tax the Rich?
The continuing quest for a conservative policy reformation, and its continuing problems.
To Cut Gas Prices, Congress Should Allow the U.S. to Sue OPEC
Congress should allow the Justice Department to sue OPEC for violating antitrust laws.
Secret Emergency Orders May Include Focus on Internet, New Files Show
Dating back to 1950s preparations for nuclear war and revised after the Sept. 11 attacks, the presidential directives are not shown to Congress.
Justice Thomas Says Leaked Opinion Destroyed Trust at Supreme Court
In remarks at a conference in Dallas, he also decried the recent protests at justices’ homes and said conservatives would not adopt such tactics.
Why We Need Wartime Dissent
The reasons to doubt the wisdom of our foreign policy establishment have not suddenly evaporated.
They Predicted the Ukraine War. But Did They Still Get It Wrong?
What Putin’s invasion has revealed about realism and idealism in foreign policy.
Indicted. Under F.B.I. Investigation. And Still Popular With Texas Republicans.
Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, earned the most votes in Tuesday’s G.O.P. primary. His embrace of Trumpism has helped him weather a series of allegations.
The Yes Men: Revenge of the Pranksters
A collective that blazed a trail with corporate hoaxes occupies an uneasy space between art and activism.
How McConnell Hopes to Thwart Trump in the Midterms
Senator Mitch McConnell is working furiously to bring allies to Washington who will buck Donald J. Trump. It’s not going according to plan.
Hawks Are Standing in the Way of a New Republican Party
Conservatives must make a clear break with neo-neoconservative foreign policy.
Mentally Ill Detainee, Suspected of Planned Role in 9/11, Set for Transfer
A parole-like board for prisoners at Guantánamo Bay recommended repatriating the Saudi man, whom the military tortured and so could not be put on trial.
End Affirmative Action for Rich White Students, Too
Obviously.
We Need to Think the Unthinkable About Our Country
It’s plausible that the United States as we know it could disintegrate. Institutions need to consider worst-case scenarios — to help avoid them.
How the Capitol Riot Led to a Broken America
The collapse of decency feeds the attacks on democracy.
Joan Didion, Conservative
Why I am drawn to Didion’s earlier work and its ambiguities.
Petition to Rescind Tony Blair’s Knighthood Gets Hundreds of Thousands of Signatures
Nearly 15 years after he left office, the prime minister’s support for the Iraq war has not been forgiven by many in Britain.
Harry Reid Had a Unique Political Superpower
He possessed a quality rare among politicians: profound comfort in his own skin.
How Hispanics Became Swing Voters
Republicans see an opportunity. Democrats have a lot of work to do.
Ally, Member or Partner? NATO’s Long Dilemma Over Ukraine
NATO promised Ukraine full membership in 2008, but without explaining how or when. Putin sees that promise as an ongoing threat to Russia.
Republicans Have a Golden Opportunity. They Will Probably Blow It.
The party’s good fortune in avoiding profound punishment for all its follies is the reason those follies will probably continue.
Assessing the Legacy of Colin Powell
Readers pay tribute to Mr. Powell but also criticize aspects of his record. Also: Sexism harms everyone.
Colin Powell, Former U.S. Secretary of State, Dies of Covid Complications
A former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, secretary of state and national security adviser, Mr. Powell died on Monday, his family said.
Terry McAuliffe’s Other Obstacle in Virginia Race: Democrats’ Apathy
Though the state is getting bluer, voters’ exhaustion is imperiling the former governor’s comeback attempt against his Republican rival, Glenn Youngkin.
Newsom’s Anti-Trump Strategy in the Recall Offers Republicans a Warning for 2022
California Democrats were able to nationalize the vote — thanks to an avalanche of money, party discipline and, above all, an easily demonized opponent.
George W. Bush 2021, Meet George W. Bush 2001
The former president was an active participant in the politics he now bemoans.
The Legacy of America’s Post-9/11 Turn to Torture
Twenty years after the attacks, the United States is still grappling with the consequences of brutal interrogations carried out in the name of national security.