Similarities Between George Bush And President Obama

According to Stephen Walt, the theory of realism “emphasizes the enduring propensity for conflict between states” (Walt 30). In classical realist theory, this means that states have an “innate desire to dominate others” (Walt 31). In addition to these definitions, realists tend to embrace moral political principles, question American exceptionalism, and see the national interest as related to U.S. power (class notes). It seems that George Bush and President Obama both fall somewhere in between realist and liberal, with neither being completely ideologically consistent. However, in terms of policy as well as actions, George Bush was not a realist, and President Obama is.
1. Was George Bush a realist?
George Bush was not a realist due to his belief in
In class we discussed how in general, realists do not emphasize democracy promotion. This seems to be due to the fact that the road to democracy is generally a rocky one, characterized by instability, war, and disdain toward the U.S. after intervention. In Bush’s inaugural address he stated that US policy works "to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world." His rhetoric toward Iraq was much the same and pushed democratization as one of the reasons for invasion. His desire for democratization around the world goes directly against realist beliefs, and caused multiple instances of unnecessary U.S. intervention. According to the reading by Schmidt and Williams, realists are “cautious about the use of military force” and did not support the use of force against Iraq in 2003 (Schmidt 193).