ABSTRACT
George W. Bush excelled at taking action, and he did well as commander in chief in the days and weeks following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. During this period, he was the strong, tough, perseverant leader that the country wanted and he inspired confidence that he would keep the country safe. Over the long term, he had trouble adapting to changing circumstances. He adhered to his original principle that democracy would flourish in Iraq and elsewhere, which turned out to be wrong. Most important, while he succeeded in his short-range goal of defeating Iraq and removing Saddam Hussein, he left behind a costly mess for his successors to deal with in Iraq and Afghanistan.
