“Dead Certain”

An insightful review of President George W. Bush’s recently released memoir titled “Decision Points” (George Packer, The New Yorker) paints the ex-president in a harsh light.  Bush, it could be argued, was the quintessential charismatic leader whose word was (sometimes literally) law.  He didn’t hesitate to make decisions (often to the detriment of the country), and often caused a loss of agency for his subordinates. Packer writes, “Bush once told an elementary-school class in Crawford, Texas, ‘Is it hard to make decisions as president? Not really. If you know what you believe, decisions come pretty easy. If you’re one of these types of people that are always trying to figure out which way the wind is blowing, decision making can be difficult. But I find that I know who I am. I know what I believe in.’ For Bush, making decisions is an identity question: Who am I? The answer turns Presidential decisions into foregone conclusions.”  So when it came to decisions about invading Iraq, water-boarding as an interrogation technique, or unlawful surveillance of American citizens, his reasoning was quick and direct, American’s have been hurt by insurgents, therefore the end justifies the means.  He did not consider the moral or practical consequences of his decisions, only the emotional ones.  In striking similarity to Rob Hall’s team on mount everest, Bush’s leadership style was authoritative and over confident.  He planned for the best case scenario and continued on, despite turbulent events, well past the “trun-back point,” and, it could be argued, he got a lot of people killed.