WASHINGTON — Former governor of Florida and likely Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush says that he’s his “own man” — pushing back against critics who say he’s beholden to the legacy of his brother, former President George W. Bush, and his costly wars overseas. But Jeb was largely absent from debates around the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, so much so that it is hard to conclude where he stands on those divisive issues. It wasn’t until 2006, when Jeb joined three other governors in a surprise trip to Iraq, that he affirmed his commitment to the mission by borrowing one of his brother’s favorite slogans.
“I’d just like to reiterate what the other governors have said, that it is very important that we stay the course, that we provide support for these incredible people that are doing such a service for liberty around the world and protecting our freedoms here,” Jeb said during a press conference at the White House following the trip, with his brother at his side.
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Bush’s newly announced circle of advisers may also give his critics pause. He will be consulting many of the same advisers his brother relied on, such as Paul Wolfowitz, who served as deputy secretary of defense and was an architect of Iraq War policy. Also on the list are former Homeland Security Secretaries Michael Chertoff and Tom Ridge, former national security adviser Stephen Hadley, former CIA Director Porter Goss and former NSA Director Michael Hayden.
