George W Bush – An obituary

He served as the 41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1993; he earlier served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He had also been a congressman, ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.

The ex president got a state funeral in Washington that was attended by the country’s five living presidents and foreign dignitaries, Bush’s flag-draped casket was flown to Texas for a final farewell.

During his presidency, Bush skilfully handled foreign affairs during a tumultuous time for the nation. Just months into his first term, he responded to the dissolve of the Soviet Union and oversaw the U.S. military’s removal of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega from power.

Not long after, Bush responded to then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait (August 1990), creating a national coalition and leading a military strike to drive Hussein out of the oil-rich country. Bush’s handling of the invasion in Kuwait is largely viewed as his greatest presidential success.

Despite his global successes, Bush’s inability to handle economic problems at home were blamed for his re-election bid failure in 1992.

In 2005 he joined forces with former president Bill Clinton — the Democratic candidate who defeated him in the 1992 election — to help people affected by Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the Gulf Coast region, especially Louisiana and Mississippi. The Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund raised more than $100 million in donations in its first few months.

The world has lost a great statesman who was known for his legacy of service and his impact on history.