<u>Factors that shaped U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East during George H.W. Bush’s administration:</u>
Bush endorsed free trade policies and regulations, but sometimes used protectionist measures.
He had extensive experience in foreign policy, but he downplayed his dream and emphasized patience and cautious management as compared to Ronald Reagan. Secretaries of state James Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger were its major foreign policy advisors as well as Brent Scowcroft, National Security Advisor.
US external policy was a curious beast for a long time. Since the earliest days of the United States, its international relations have been linked to the great myths of the often fragile politics.
Such misconceptions are many, but the "myth of selection" (Ruether 2007: 7)–that the United States is in one sense the protector of liberty, ordained to spread freedom all over. Those myths are the oldest and most important to foreign policy.
