Newspaper Article - The New York Times

From George to Barack: A Look at Secret Bush Memos to the Obama Team

    Author:
  • Peter Baker
| Feb. 14, 2023

WASHINGTON — The world was a volatile place when President George W. Bush was leaving office. So on the way out the door, he and his national security team left a little advice for their successors:

India is a friend. Pakistan is not. Don’t trust North Korea or Iran, but talking is still better than not. Watch out for Russia; it covets the territory of its neighbor Ukraine. Beware becoming ensnared by intractable land wars in the Middle East and Central Asia. And oh yes, nation-building is definitely harder than it looks.

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For more information on this publication: Belfer Communications Office
For Academic Citation:

Baker, Peter. “From George to Barack: A Look at Secret Bush Memos to the Obama Team.” The New York Times. The New York Times, February 15, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/14/us/politics/bush-obama-memos.html.

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Peter Baker

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Meghan O'Sullivan

Meghan L. O'Sullivan

  • Director of Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
  • Jeane Kirkpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School
  • Member of the Board, Belfer Center
  • Faculty Affiliate, Middle East Initiative
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