THREAD/I wrote my dissertation on George HW Bush's policy toward Iran, which I found to be doggedly pragmatic and non-ideological, offering a largely overlooked opportunity for a reduction in tensions between Washington and Tehran. /1
I think a few episodes in his presidency are worth noting today as we remember Bush's impact on the presidency and the country. /2
Iran was a radioactive topic for Bush, given allegations of his involvement in Iran-Contra. But in his inauguration, Bush extended his now famous outreach to Iran: "goodwill begets goodwill..." /3
He ordered in a classified policy directive that the US should ‘be prepared for a normal relationship with Iran' and authorized negotiations over the hostages held by Hezbollah and other groups in Lebanon /4
This triggered two years of methodical and reciprocal diplomatic steps between Bush and the new Iranian president Rafsanjani, which are rarely evaluated in detail in the literature. /5
Iran facilitated the release of all US hostages in Lebanon. US settled some Iranian claims in The Hague and lifted restrictions on US purchases of Iranian oil. And US worked with UN to issue final report blaming Saddam for starting the Iran-Iraq War. /6
In the midst of this was the Gulf War, in which Iran quietly supported Desert Storm -- enforcing UN sanctions, impounding Iraqi planes, ignoring coalition flights, offering to rescue downed pilots, and not objecting to cruise missile overflight. /7
Following the war, the White House began a secret, full-scale review of US relations with Iran, from the end of 1991 through April 1992. And it was precisely during this time that Iranian support for terrorist activity accelerated and Tehran's nuclear program expanded. /8
This, I argued, ultimately torpedoed the US outreach, driving a new approach and setting the direction for US policy for two decades. /END
