Leaders And Foreign Policy Analysis:G.W.Bush And2003Iraq War

The Research area covered the Leaders Psychology and Small Group Dynamics, specifically studies about Individual level of Foreign Policy Analysis in Foreign Policy Decision Making Process. It is obvious that human beings are the initial decision makers when it comes to issues going on in the international community and other aspects of life in general. On making decisions human beings are guided by their Psychological and behavioral characteristics that are different from each other depending on factors surrounding them such as experiences, values, emotions and beliefs. This is the same even on the conduct of Foreign Policy Decision Making Process, whereas in most cases leaders are the ones playing greater roles in the whole process. Referring this, most of the Foreign Policy Decisions are carrying the imprints of the particular country individual leader, hence their roles matters. The roles of individual leaders in FPDM matters especially when the leader is interested in the matter/decision to be made, during Crisis situations, level of confidence and ego in the individual, individual level of advancement in the decision making structure and also depending on the Regime type. In this respect the Dictatorship form of government is the one considered to allow leaders influence in the FPDM, however other forms of government can also face the same kind of situation when an individual is given an opportunity to make final decisions.The study assessed the Psychological roles of individual leaders upon Foreign Policy Decision Making Process and how it affects the whole decision Making Process in the administration. President George W. Bush and the2003Iraq war employed as the case study. On approaching the problem, the researcher basically relied on information supporting the problem as provided by some Articles, Journals, Books and the Press. The given information was applied to the problem using content analysis and Psychobiography methodologies to find out the Psychological roles of President G.W.Bush on the Foreign Policy Decision Making Process to invade Iraq. Psychobiography methodology involved the examination of President Bush’s background before becoming a President. The main focus was his early upbringing, success and failures while Content analysis involved examination of what President G.W.Bush has been doing and the speeches he has made.From the analysis made, the Personality findings points out that the Psychology of President George W. Bush played a greater role on influencing his decision to invade Iraq, mainly his religious interpretation of events. Bush as an evangelical Christian believed that through the bible and prayers God sends him different messages and it was his duty to make sure that all the directions given by God are successively implemented. His religious interpretation of events resulted to description of the War between "the good and the evil". In this respect, Bush believed that going to war with Iraq was part of his administration responsibility by linking God and freedom; hence it was the duty of US to rescue the Iraq people from poverty and the undemocratic Saddam regime. Bush’s neo-conservative thoughts are also part of his personality, towards the war with Iraq. Neo conservatism emphasizes on" freedom and greatness" in a sense that its principles puts more emphasis on war rather than peace. His (Bush) adoption of the Pre emptive doctrine was part of the neo-conservatives principles on the use of force on Preventing Enemies from Threatening US, their Allies, and their Friends with Weapons of Mass Destruction as chapter V of the doctrine displays. The Doctrine refers to threat as political and religious extremism joined by the availability of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).All these were used by Bush as a convincing power to the international community on invading Iraq. On the other hand Bush’s the use of forged documents to justify his war actions, displays the other side of his personality as he was trying to make sure that there is enough evidences to justify the invasion. His personal experience from the1991-Gulf Wars and his belief that Saddam is an evil who tried to kill his father (GH.W.Bush). Bush’s Perceptions that Iraq owned Weapons of Mass Destruction and his view that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq was the undemocratic regime that must be toppled down also influenced his decision to invade Iraq.On the other hand, President Bush’s "Distrust " to some of his administration members affected the whole decision Making Process as he didn’t believe or consider much the information provided by the intelligence group that there were no any evidence that Iraq was owning Weapons of Mass Destruction. This resulted to poor policy outcomes as after the invasion no WMD were found.The major findings of this research includes the fact that’Not only in Dictatorship forms of Government that Leaders Psychology can affect the Foreign Policy Decision Making Process but also in other forms of government ’when the Leaders are empowered on Making central decisions within the government. The President can seek advice and delegates authority but at the end of the day he/she is the one that is going to make Central decisions, being guided by his/her own feelings, emotions, believes, values, attitudes and other behavioral characteristics. Therefore the particular leader’s Psychology in this aspect also affects the administration’s Foreign Policy Decisions in one way or another.