Nexus of Thought: George Herbert Walker Bush (1924-2018)

If ever a man’s life story encapsulates the events of the bulk of the 20^th century it is that of President H.W. Bush. Love him or hate him, what cannot be understated is that the man was a faithful servant of the Republic.George Herbert Walker Bush was born in 1924. He was the 41^st President of the US and its 43^rd Vice President. His eventful life started early when he put on hold his university studies to enlist with the US Navy on his 18^th birthday becoming the youngest aviator in history. He served in the Pacific, survived being shot down (including a four hour period hanging on for his life in shark infested waters) and would be awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals and a Presidential Unit citation for his service.

Bush’s pre-presidential career is arguably one of the most distinguished of all-time – he became a millionaire oil man in Texas, was elected to represent Texas in the House’s 7^th District (1966), was Chief Liaison Officer to China (appointed by Ford), Ambassador to the UN (1971-1973), Chairman of the Republican Party (1973-1974), Chief Liaison Officer to China (appointed by Ford – 1974-1975) and Director of the CIA (1976-1977). He also headed the Council of Foreign Relations between 1977 and 1979.

Bush lost the 1980 Republican Presidential Primary to Ronald Reagan but was chosen by the former California governor to be his running mate for Reagan’s successful 1980 Presidential campaign.

As Vice President, Bush was known for his low profile with the public but behind the scene he was very active. He held the fort during the turbulent period following the attempted assassination of Reagan, worked to build bridges with South Korea and Singapore and represented US interests in Africa during the Namibia-Angola standoff, taking a hard line against Soviet backed Cuban troops in the region.

He was also involved in Arms reduction talks, pressured the El Salvadorian government to put an end to its death squads and was active in the campaign against International drug smuggling. As VP he cast the tie breaking vote that saved the MX missile system.

Bush for the most part avoided the fallout from the Iran-Contra scandal although he did take a strong stance against Daniel Ortega’s Sandinista regime in Nicaragua.

In 1988, Bush stood for President and overcame a competitive Republican field that included Bob Dole, Jack Kemp and Pat Robertson. He chose Indiana Senator Dan Quayle as his running mate, delivered the well articulated Thousand Points of Light Speech at the GOP convention (albeit with the Read my lips caveat) and stood firmly in support of the Pledge of Allegiance, the life of the unborn, gun rights and capital punishment.

In a mudslinging campaign that included the infamous Willie Horton ads (where the Democratic challenger Michael Dukakis was depicted as being soft on crime) Bush flipped a huge popularity deficit winning the White House with 426 of the 538 electoral college votes available.

Bush’s presidency coincided with the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Berlin Wall came down on November 9^th, 1989 and by the 26^th, December of 1991 the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Bush had to deal with the fallout dealing with an immediate change in the geo-political paradigm. He met with Mikhail Gorbachev on 1990, signed the START I treaty in 1991 and initiated a ‘strategic partnership’ with Boris Yeltsin in the same year.

In office he continued (for better or for worse) the policy of the War on Drugs that had been the mainstay of US presidents since the Nixon era. This would see the US involved in an invasion of Panama in 1989, the overthrow of the regime of Manuel Noriega and the later conviction of the Panamanian leader on charges of racketeering and drug trafficking in a US court in May of 1992.

However it was the First Gulf War that defined the Bush presidency. On August 2^nd 1990 Iraq emboldened by its success in its war against Iran invaded its neighbour Kuwait under the pretext of an oil dispute. Working with Congress and the United Nations Bush began authorizing a troop build up in Saudi Arabia to counteract the Iraqi threat and the belligerency of its leader Saddam Hussein. Following several months of heated diplomacy a US lead coalition of nations invaded Kuwait, drove out the Iraqis and returned to power the Kuwaiti royal family. Bush’s popularity soared as he declared that the US had kicked the malaise of Vietnam, in what was for all intent of purpose the high point of his presidency.

Nevertheless his critics would grow louder. Many felt that he had not gone far enough in the Gulf War and should have worked to force the removal of Saddam Hussein when the US held the military advantage. Others accused him of letting down the Kurds in the aftermath of Operation Desert Storm. Libertarians were incensed by his growing of big government and others pointed to deteriorating race relations that reached a head during the LA Riots of 1992. On the environment his record was mixed, with Bush’s opposition to the 1992 Rio Summit blighting the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment that he had advocated earlier with the advice of EPA administrator William Reilly.

However he was also the President who signed into law the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) that expanded the rights and protection for millions of Americans. On gun control he placed a temporary ban on semiautomatic weapons, losing his endorsement from the NRA. With respect to SCOTUS he would disappoint conservatives by nominating David Souter but absolve himself in the same eyes with his later pick of Clarence Thomas (arguably the leading Originalist sitting on the highest court).

On the domestic front the pressure would build. The US economy was realizing the effect of a post Cold War slump. Conservatives were angered by his backtrack on the ‘Read-my-lips’ no new taxes pledge and the unfortunately the benefits of the NAFTA deal, which his administration had so championed, were still not realized.

He was challenged by Patrick Buchanan from the right and then following the Republican Primaries had to fend off the populist campaign of billionaire Ross Perot (the strongest Third Party voice in modern presidential election history) and the charismatic New Democrat candidate, Bill Clinton, who had made the economy his number one focus. Bush would lose to Clinton in 1992, in an election where no candidate would garner the majority of the popular vote.

It was the end of an era for a man who had literally been at the table of many of the strategic events impacting the US over the last two decades. He would leave with grace, offering commentary on foreign policy and involving himself in humanitarian initiatives with some of his old adversaries (including Bill Clinton).

He lived a life in service to his nation and for this he is owed much respect. May he rest in peace.

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