Bush follows the Costanza doctrine: do the opposite of what you should do. Financial Times article.

[Hamlette]

The doctrine is from the Sienfeld episode where George says everything he does is wrong so Jerry says, if you do the opposite of what your training and experience tells you, it will be the right thing to do.


"Similarly, in its geopolitical incarnation, adherents to the Costanza doctrine cast aside many of the fundamental tenets they learnt at staff college or graduate school. Let me name a few.

First, military and diplomatic resources are finite and should be directed towards your greatest priority. An example of the opposite approach would be for a country that has been attacked by a non-state terrorist group to retaliate by removing a state regime that had nothing to do with the attack.

Second, take care not to weaken your intimidatory powers through poor military performance. Aim for short, sharp victories (such as that in the 1991 Gulf war) that get your adversaries worrying about the extent of US power. The opposite would be to launch a war of choice involving the drawn-out occupation of an Arab country – the kind of thing that gets your allies worrying about the limits of US power.

Third, you get by with help from friends. Although the powerful are sometimes tempted to go it alone, international support helps determine the perceived legitimacy of an action, which affects its risk and costs. Building this support requires discussion and compromise. The opposite would be to spurn real negotiations, slough off your allies, bin multilateral agreements you do not like and declare that you are not bound by the rules that govern everyone else.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f1874316-de08-11db-afa7-000b5df10621.html
Many more at the link, a short but great read.

[AndyA]

1. Comparing Georges: Bush to Costanza.

It makes sense to me. Both are major F ups, opportunists who do what's right for them, and to hell with anyone else.

I recall the Seinfeld episode where the building caught fire, and George shoved women and children to the ground so he could escape. George Bush would do the same.

[bahrbearian]

2. Costanza didn't close and lock the door behind him.

[MLFerrell]

3. Oh! Burn!

Of course, * would have also started the fire in the first place.