Washington (CNSNews.com) – Stephen Hadley, the outgoing Bush administration national security adviser, offered advice to the incoming Obama administration on Wednesday while also praising the often-maligned foreign policy of President George W. Bush.
“This president has put in place the tools to allow future presidents to succeed in the years ahead. I hope the next president will use those tools,” Hadley told a gathering of more than 100 people at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
“History will remember George W. Bush as a president who never wavered, kept the nation safe, and brought the blessing of liberty to millions around the world,” he said.
Hadley said the key challenges and opportunities for President-elect Barack Obama, who takes office on Jan. 20, include maintaining the gains made in Iraq, dealing with the nuclear threat from Iran and North Korea, reaching a peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians and stabilizing Pakistan so that it can work as an ally in the battle against the Taliban and al Qaeda.
Specifically on the Middle East peace process, Hadley urged the Obama administration “not to reinvent the wheel,” and said that the agreements made between Israel and the Palestinians at the Annapolis Conference still show promise despite the current violence in Gaza, where the Israeli military is retaliating against Hamas rocket attacks.
Obama and other Democrats have consistently criticized the Bush administration’s hawkish foreign policy, especially for going to war in Iraq. Critics of the Bush administration have called him a “cowboy,” accusing the president of shunning America’s allies and making reckless foreign policy decisions.
As examples of progress in the Middle East, Hadley noted that Libya has scrapped its weapons and terror programs, also Lebanon has regained its democracy and that Saudi Arabia is an ally of the United States in the war on terror.
“Across the Middle East, more people are competing in competitive elections, and more women hold public office than ever before,” Hadley said.
He also spoke about the progress in Iraq – a country now moving toward self-governance – including Iraq becoming an ally in the war on terror. The United States is set to leave the country by the end of 2011 under the Status of Forces Agreement. Obama has said he wants to bring troops home by mid-2010.
“Sunni, Shia and Kurds are working together for a democratic framework for their country,” Hadley said. “The success of that experiment will advance freedom in the Middle East.”
Regarding two countries that present a nuclear threat, Hadley said the next president must require North Korea to accept a verification agreement to ensure the communist nation is dismantling its nuclear program. He also said negotiation without action will not make Iran change its behavior.
Russia is one U.S. ally trying to ensure Iran and North Korea do not obtain and use nuclear weapons, Hadley said. Russia has been an important partner in other matters as well, he said, but added a caveat.
“Insofar as Russia falls short of the respect of the rights of their people and their neighbors, the scope of the partnership is limited,” he said. “The great powers of the 21st century can’t follow the model of the 19th century.”
‘False choices’
In defending the last eight years of the Bush administration’s foreign policy, Hadley said that the president accepted three major principles after the 9/11 attacks.
The first principle is that “liberty is God’s gift.” The second is “that democratic states are the building blocks to a peaceful order,” and third is that “America is called to leadership” in this regard based on its powerful place and wealth in the world.
He also referred to what he called four false choices frequently presented to the public.
The first false choice Hadley cited was an idealistic versus a realistic foreign policy. “After September 11, the idealistic policy was the only realistic foreign policy” for tackling the terrorist threat in the long term, he said.
The second false choice is multilateralism versus unilateralism. “International partnerships must show results. Like every president before him, President Bush is willing to act alone in the interest of the country.”
The third false choice is hard power versus soft power. Hadley said diplomacy only works when there is a credible threat of military force or economic sanctions. “Hard power makes soft power more effective.”
The final false choice is popularity versus principles. Hadley conceded that U.S. policy has been unpopular with much of the international community and allies, but he said that is in the short term. “Ultimately, it is our principles that make us attractive to most of the world,” he said.