George W. Bush: I Do Not Agree with Obama's Current Approach to Managing the World

Former U.S. President George W. Bush criticized the policies of current President Barack Obama regarding the Middle East, calling his approach to issues such as Iran's nuclear file and the fight against the Islamic State group 'naive.' According to a report from Bloomberg on April 26, Mr. Bush made these remarks at a gathering of Jewish financial supporters held on April 24. The meeting took place with the presence of the Republican Jewish Coalition and was chaired by Sheldon Adelson at the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas. Adelson is a major financial supporter of the Republican Party and has previously stated that to eliminate Iran's nuclear activities, a nuclear bomb should be used. Bush had not previously criticized Obama's policies and had stated that political campaigning is difficult work and he does not wish to disrupt the work of the U.S. president. The New York Times also reported on April 26 that all of Bush's statements were based on quotes from attendees of the meeting, as it was held behind closed doors without journalists present. According to those present, Bush remarked, 'Iran has a new president named Hassan Rouhani. He is a nice guy. But you have to ask yourself, has the policy changed or just the spokesperson?' Bush described Obama's statements that if Iran does not cooperate, sanctions can be reinstated as 'thought-provoking' and stated that such a deal (regarding the nuclear file with Iran) is a 'bad deal' and not beneficial for U.S. national interests in the long run. He asked, 'Do you think the Middle East is now full of chaos and disorder? You should look now and see what the situation will be when our grandchildren grow up.' Although Bush himself signed the agreement for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, he stated that negotiations for stability were supposed to take place afterward, which he claims the Obama administration did not pursue. Regarding the Islamic State group, Bush stated that they are the 'second part' of al-Qaeda, and although their name has changed, their preferred tactic is still 'killing.' He referred to confessions from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in Guantanamo Bay, saying, 'The same person who cut Daniel Pearl's (Wall Street Journal reporter in Pakistan) throat is now doing the same thing in front of television cameras.' Bush said, 'The Obama administration has said it wants to confront and incapacitate the Islamic State group, but has not presented any policy or strategy. When we realize a policy is not working, we change it. For a president to be effective, when he says he will do something, he must do it. That means these (Islamic State group) must be killed.' The former president also referenced a meeting he had with Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that he is wealthy, divorced his wife, loves power, and derives all his power from media control. 'If I had NBC, I would be popular now,' he said. He also commented on Hillary Clinton's candidacy in the U.S. presidential election, stating, 'We will have to see what path she chooses. Either she will continue Obama's policies or oppose them. If she defends the previous administration's policies, it means she accepts their ineffectiveness, but if she does not defend them, it means she holds the president (Obama) responsible for that.' According to Bloomberg, Bush stated that he does not agree with the current U.S. president's approach to managing the world and has also not taken responsibility for some of the policies he was involved in.