The Bush Administrations and Saddam Hussein: Deciding on Conflict (Advances in Foreign Policy Analysis) 2006th Edition by A. Hybel (PDF)

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The authors present a vital analysis of the foreign policy-making processes of the two Bush administrations prior to the attacks on Iraq. In a thorough comparison, they show how both presidents used historical analogies to evaluate information, relied on instinct to formulate decisions, and drew on moral language to justify their choices.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review “This is an important read about a misadventure that left at least two nations in tatters, Iraq and the United States. It also exposes the failure of so many institutions, including the media. The terrific writing makes this an easy read. The story, however, is one about hard failure.” – Bob Franken, Columnist for King Features Syndicate and TV Commenter””Alex Roberto Hybel and Justin Matthew Kaufman combine analytical vigor and readable prose in this fascinating comparison of White House decision-making in the two Bush presidencies that resulted in two wars against Iraq, with very different results for America. Their dissection of the styles of Bush I and II, as well as the variations in the role of the intelligence community and the impact of prior war precedents in each episode, add immeasurably to the historical debate that will continue for years on what went wrong and why.” – Judge Patricia Wald (Retired), Member of the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction”No activity of a state demands more of its citizens or evokes more fervent emotions than war. Yet few are subject to less hard analysis by those who make the critical decisions. This distressing axiom is splendidly illustrated by Hybel and Kaufman. With precision and intellectual objectivity, they demonstrate on both a theoretical and practical level how emotion and wishful thinking supplanted rationality in the two Iraq wars.” – Ronald Steel, author of Temptations of a Superpower and Pax Americana”The Bush Administrations and Saddam Hussein is an insightful and skillfully researched examination of the key U.S. decisions on Iraq. The book cuts through the rhetoric and conventional wisdom about the steps leading to war and presents a powerful and persuasive, even if unflattering, picture of how decision-making really worked. It is a valuable resource for understanding not only how the momentous decisions on Iraq were taken, but also how U.S. foreign policy in general is made.” – Paul R. Pillar, Professor of Security Studies, Georgetown University, former National Intelligence Officer for the Near East About the Author Author Alex Roberto Hybel: Alex Roberto Hybel, Connecticut College, USA Author Justin Matthew Kaufman: Justin Matthew Kaufman, Attorney

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐In The Bush Administrations and Saddam Hussein Alex Hybel and Justin Kaufman attempted to explain the decision making process behind the senior and junior Bush presidents when they dealt with Iraq in the Gulf War and 2003 Invasion and find an appropriate theory to help understand them. They found the two presidents were strikingly similar. The authors argued that both administrations reacted instinctively to Saddam, seeing the world in stark black and white terms. Instead of being rational actors they both fell victim to group think by refusing to consider alternatives after they quickly made decisions about what to do about Iraq.The book does a good job describing how both Bush administrations immediately made decisions about Iraq without having any real discussions. The first Bush was trying to forge better relations with Iraq leading him to completely ignore warnings that Saddam was going to invade Kuwait. The president felt betrayed and the day after the invasion he and his National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft decided that they would send troops to Saudi Arabia and use the threat of force without consulting with anyone else. This was presented as a fait accompli to the cabinet and would lead to the Gulf War. Additionally, Bush interpreted events using a historical analogy relevant to him: Adolf Hitler and appeasement in Munich in 1938 which led to the Second World War. Bush saw Saddam as Hitler and believed sanctions and containment would be just like appeasement and make the situation worse. Similarly, the second Bush was unprepared for 9/11 even though there were growing warnings that Al Qaeda was planning a spectacular attack upon the United States. The president immediately jumped on Iraq, and believed that Saddam was a deceitful and dangerous man that could not stand after the shock of the attacks on New York and Washington D.C. Again, he decided this upon his own, and was supported by many of his top cabinet members who also disliked Saddam. There was no real debate upon other options, and the White House constantly pushed how easy both the war and postwar situation would be because they were so sure of their actions. Both presidents had a stark vision of the world divided between good, the U.S., and evil, Iraq. They did not go through a cost benefit analysis of what to do about Saddam, but rather immediately decided to take military action. Hybel and Kaufman used noncompensatory decision making theory to describe this process where foreign policy makers don’t analyze their situations, but act instinctively, and then justify their choices and ignore the alternatives. The authors find both presidents very much alike in their approaches and decisions. They had the same type of black and white world views. Neither believed in real discussions when it came to Iraq. Both also claimed publicly that they did not want conflict when they immediately decided to use force.The Bush Administrations and Saddam Hussein is a very short read but packs a lot. The authors make a good comparison of the two Bushes and the discussion of theory doesn’t go to deep as to lose the casual reader. Many people believe that leaders are rational actors and have advisers there to help them with decisions. That proved more an image than a reality when it came to the Gulf War and 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Both presidents made up their minds very quickly on their own without any real consultations and consideration of alternatives. The book tries to argue that this happens far more than one would think in foreign policy and therefore needs to be analyzed and theorized about to help understand the world.Musings On Iraq

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