George Bush - Decision Points

Aside from writing this book, I have spent the past eighteen months working to build my presidential center at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. I thank Mark Langdale for overseeing the endeavor, SMU President Gerald Turner for his close partnership, and Jim Glassman and Stacy Cinatl for their leadership at the George W. Bush Institute. I am particularly grateful to Don Evans, Ray Hunt, and Jeanne Johnson Phillips for all they have done to make the project a success.

I often tell people that I don’t miss the politics of Washington, but I do miss the people. I am grateful to my many friends in Congress, fellow world leaders, and even members of the press corps.

Finally, I thank the men and women of the United States military. While I dedicated this book to Laura, Barbara, and Jenna, nobody did more to inspire me than those who wear the uniform of this country and their families. Their achievements will rank alongside those of the greatest generations in history, and the highest honor of my life was to serve as their commander in chief.

A

AARP

Abbas, Mahmoud, Chapter 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4

Abdullah, King of Saudi Arabia, Chapter 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4

Abizaid, Gen. John, Chapter 8.1, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5

abortion issue, Chapter 4.1, 4.2

Abrams, Elliott

Abu Abbas

Abu Dhabi

Abu Ghraib scandal

Abu Nidal

Acheson, Dean

Adame, Yesenia

Adams, John, Chapter 3.1, 6.1, 14.1

Adams, John Quincy

Adger, Sid

adoption, Chapter 1.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3

Afghanistan war

America’s commitment to Afghanistan

battle plan, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5

bin Laden’s escape, Chapter 7.1, 7.2

address to Congress on

assessment of

decision to undertake

farewell trip to Afghanistan, Chapter 7.1, 7.2

casualties and families of the fallen, Chapter 7.1, 7.2

coalition for, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5

government for Afghanistan, Chapter 7.1, 7.2

insurgency, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5

invasion of 2001, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3

liberation of Kabul and Kandahar

micromanagement, avoidance of

nationbuilding mission

Pakistani tribal areas

Pakistan’s role, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4

post-invasion troop levels

rebuilding effort

review of strategy in 2008

roots of terrorist presence in Afghanistan

Russia’s assistance with, Chapter 7.1, 7.2

second-guessing and criticism regarding

“silent surge” of 2006

Africa, Chapter 11.1, 11.2

visits to, Chapter 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4

Malaria Initiative, Chapter 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 See also AIDS policy

African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)

Agris, Joe

Aguirre, Eduardo

Ahmadinejad, Mahmoud, Chapter 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4

AIDS policy

ABC prevention strategy, Chapter 11.1, 11.2

Bush daughters’ involvement

African visits and, Chapter 11.1, 11.2, 11.3

Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Chapter 11.1, 11.2, 11.3

goals of

International Mother and Child HIV Prevention Initiative

international support

as key element of Bush foreign policy

managers for, Chapter 11.1, 11.2

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Chapter 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9

war on terror and, Chapter 11.1, 11.2

Air Force One, Chapter 5.1, 5.2

airline security

Alexander, Lamar

Alito, Samuel, Chapter 3.1, 3.2, 10.1

Allbaugh, Joe, Chapter 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 10.1, 10.2

Allen, Vice Adm. Thad, Chapter 10.1, 10.2

Allison, Jimmy, Chapter 1.1, 1.2

al Qaeda, Chapter 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 14.1

American International Group (AIG), Chapter 14.1, 14.2, 14.3

Ana’s Story (Bush)

Andover (Phillips Academy)

Annan, Kofi

Annapolis peace conference of 2007

anthrax attack

Apple, Johnny

Aquariums of Pyongyang (Kang)

Arafat, Yasser, Chapter 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5, 13.6

Armitage, Richard

arms control

Armstrong, Anne and Tobin

Ashcroft, John, Chapter 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit

Assad, Basher, Chapter 13.1, 13.2

Atkins, Thane

Atta, Mohamed

Atwater, Lee

Austin, Roy

auto industry loans

Awakening movement, Chapter 12.1, 12.2

Aznar, José Maria, Chapter 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4

B

Bachman, John

Badger, Doug

Bagge, Sgt. Christian

Baker, James, Chapter 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4

Balkenende, Jan Peter

Bandar, Prince of Saudi Arabia

Bank of America, Chapter 14.1, 14.2

Barak, Ehud

Barbour, Haley, Chapter 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4

Barclays

Barroso, José, Chapter 8.1, 8.2

Barry, John

Bartlett, Dan, Chapter 1.1, 2.1 3.1, 5.1, 8.1, 9.1, 12.1

baseball, Chapter 1.1, 2.1, 6.1, 9.1

Baucus, Max

Beamer, Todd

Bear Stearns

Beckwith, Bob

Bellmon, Henry

Benedict, G. Grenville

Benedict XVI, Pope

Bennett, Robert

Bentsen, Lloyd, Chapter 1.1, 3.1

Bergner, Gen. Kevin

Berlusconi, Silvio

Bernanke, Ben, Chapter 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6, 14.7, 14.8, 14.9

Beschloss, Michael

Betts, Roland and Lois

Bhutto, Benazir

Biden, Joe, Chapter 8.1, 11.1, 12.1

Biloxi, Mississippi, Chapter 10.1, 10.2

Bin Laden, Osama, Chapter 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 9.1, 12.1, 12.2, 14.1

Bishop, Nina

Bixby, Lydia

Blahous, Chuck

Blair, Cherie

Blair, Tony, Chapter 4.1, 5.1, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 9.1, 12.1, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4

Blanco, Kathleen, Chapter 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.7

Blasingame, Ken

Blix, Hans, Chapter 8.1, 8.2, 8.3

Blount, Red, Chapter 1.1, 2.2

Blum, John Morton, Chapter 1.1, 1.2

Blunt, Roy

Boehner, John, Chapter 9.1, 12.1, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3

Bolten, Josh, Chapter 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 10.1, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 12.1, 12.2, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6, 14.7, 14.8, Epilogue

chief of staff, selection as

Boni, Yayi

Bono, Chapter 11.1, 11.2

border security programs, Chapter 9.1, 9.2

Botswana, Chapter 11.1, 11.2

Boyd, James

Bracero Program

Brave New World (Huxley)

Breaux, John

Bremer, L. Paul “Jerry,” Chapter 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 12.4

Brenly, Bob

Bridges, Calvin

Broder, David

Brokaw, Tom

Brooks, Mike

Brown, Bobby

Brown, Gordon

Brown, Mike, Chapter 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4

Buchanan, Pat

budget deficits

Bullock, Bob, Chapter 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

Burger, Warren

Burke, Sir Edmund

Burkina Faso

Bush, Barbara [daughter], Chapter 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 9.1, 9.2, 11.1, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, Epilogue

AIDS work

Bush’s decision to run for presidency

presidential campaign of 2004

Bush, Barbara Pierce [mother], Chapter 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 8.1, 9.1, 10.1, 11.1, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, Epilogue

Bush’s relationship with

daughter’s death

miscarriage

parenting style

Bush, Bucky

Bush, Columba Garnica, Chapter 1.1, 1.2

Bush, Doro, Chapter 1.1, 1.2, 5.1, 7.1, 8.1, 13.1

Bush, Dorothy Walker, Chapter 1.1, 1.2

Bush, George H.W., Chapter 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 7.1, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1, 11.1, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 13.5, 14.1, Epilogue