Decision Points

staff, the doctors and nurses of the White House Medical Unit, the crews of Air Force One and Marine One, and the great team at Camp David. On behalf of Barney, Spot, and Miss Beazley, I extend special thanks to Dale Haney, Sam Sutton, Robert Favela, Cindy Wright, Robert Blossman, and Maria Galvan.

I am fortunate to be surrounded by a great team in Dallas, led by my talented and capable chief of staff, Mike Meece. I am grateful to Blake Gottesman and Jared Weinstein, two former personal aides who took months out of their lives to help me set up my office. Everyone in the Office of George W. Bush contributed to this book: Mike Meece, Brian Cossiboom, Logan Dryden, Freddy Ford, Ashley Hickey, Caroline Hickey, Caroline Nugent, David Sherzer, and Justine Sterling. I also thank Charity Wallace, Molly Soper, and Katie Harper for taking good care of Laura.

Aside from writing this book, I have spent the past eighteen months working to build my presidential center at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. I thank Mark Langdale for overseeing the endeavor, SMU President Gerald Turner for his close partnership, and Jim Glassman and Stacy Cinatl for their leadership at the George W. Bush Institute. I am particularly grateful to Don Evans, Ray Hunt, and Jeanne Johnson Phillips for all they have done to make the project a success.

I often tell people that I don’t miss the politics of Washington, but I do miss the people. I am grateful to my many friends in Congress, fellow world leaders, and even members of the press corps.

Finally, I thank the men and women of the United States military. While I dedicated this book to Laura, Barbara, and Jenna, nobody did more to inspire me than those who wear the uniform of this country and their families. Their achievements will rank alongside those of the greatest generations in history, and the highest honor of my life was to serve as their commander in chief.

A

AARP

Abbas, Mahmoud, Chapter 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4

Abdullah, King of Saudi Arabia, Chapter 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4

Abizaid, Gen. John, Chapter 8.1, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5

abortion issue, Chapter 4.1, 4.2

Abrams, Elliott

Abu Abbas

Abu Dhabi

Abu Ghraib scandal

Abu Nidal

Acheson, Dean

Adame, Yesenia

Adams, John, Chapter 3.1, 6.1, 14.1

Adams, John Quincy

Adger, Sid

adoption, Chapter 1.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3

Afghanistan war

America’s commitment to Afghanistan

battle plan, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5

bin Laden’s escape, Chapter 7.1, 7.2

address to Congress on

assessment of

decision to undertake

farewell trip to Afghanistan, Chapter 7.1, 7.2

casualties and families of the fallen, Chapter 7.1, 7.2

coalition for, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5

government for Afghanistan, Chapter 7.1, 7.2

insurgency, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5

invasion of 2001, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3

liberation of Kabul and Kandahar

micromanagement, avoidance of

nationbuilding mission

Pakistani tribal areas

Pakistan’s role, Chapter 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4

post-invasion troop levels

rebuilding effort

review of strategy in 2008

roots of terrorist presence in Afghanistan

Russia’s assistance with, Chapter 7.1, 7.2

second-guessing and criticism regarding

“silent surge” of 2006

Africa, Chapter 11.1, 11.2

visits to, Chapter 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4

Malaria Initiative, Chapter 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 See also AIDS policy

African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)

Agris, Joe

Aguirre, Eduardo

Ahmadinejad, Mahmoud, Chapter 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4

AIDS policy

ABC prevention strategy, Chapter 11.1, 11.2

Bush daughters’ involvement

African visits and, Chapter 11.1, 11.2, 11.3

Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Chapter 11.1, 11.2, 11.3

goals of

International Mother and Child HIV Prevention Initiative

international support

as key element of Bush foreign policy

managers for, Chapter 11.1, 11.2

President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Chapter 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9

war on terror and, Chapter 11.1, 11.2

Air Force One, Chapter 5.1, 5.2

airline security

Alexander, Lamar

Alito, Samuel, Chapter 3.1, 3.2, 10.1

Allbaugh, Joe, Chapter 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 10.1, 10.2

Allen, Vice Adm. Thad, Chapter 10.1, 10.2

Allison, Jimmy, Chapter 1.1, 1.2

al Qaeda, Chapter 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 14.1

American International Group (AIG), Chapter 14.1, 14.2, 14.3

Ana’s Story (Bush)

Andover (Phillips Academy)

Annan, Kofi

Annapolis peace conference of 2007

anthrax attack