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LISA MULLINS: I'm Lisa Mullins and this is The World, a co-production of the BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH in Boston. George W. Bush called it the ultimate exit interview. Mr. Bush was referring to what's likely to be his farewell news conference today as President of the United States. The President took questions at the White House and in his answers he tried to burnish his foreign policy legacy. The World's Matthew Bell has our story.

MATTHEW BELL: This time President Bush skipped any prepared opening statement and got right to it. He started off by thanking the White House Press Corps.

GEORGE W BUSH: Through it all it's been a, I have respected you. Sometimes I didn't like the stories that you wrote or reported on. Sometimes you mis-underestimated me. But always the relationship I have felt has been professional. And I appreciate it.

MATTHEW: Mr. Bush got a lot of questions about his legacy. He responded by saying there's no such thing as short term history. It takes time, he said, to get the full breadth of any administration's accomplishments. And that includes in his case the story of the nearly six year old war in Iraq. When the history of that country is written Mr. Bush said people will remember his decision to change course when Iraq erupted in violence in 2006.

GEORGE: Rather than accepting the status quo and saying it's not worth it or the politics makes it difficult or you know the party may end up being, you know not doing well in the elections because of the violence in Iraq, I decided to do something about it and sent 30,000 troops in as opposed to withdrawing. And so, that part of history is certain, and the situation did change. Now the question is, in the long run will this democracy survive? And that's gonna be the challenge for future presidents.
MATTHEW: The surge has helped reduce violence in Iraq but the long view of Mr. Bush's handling of the war will take more than the surge into account.

DANIEL BYMAN: Historians will look first and foremost at the decision to go to war, was it merited? And the initial conducts of the war, the problems that brought on.

MATTHEW: Daniel Byman is a Middle East expert with the Brookings Institution.

DANIEL: The initial decision to use military force in Iraq looked flawed in many different ways right now. It was linked to a weapons of mass destruction program that didn't exist. It was linked to ties to Al Qaida that turned out to be minimal. In general the decision to go to war was quite removed from the reality that the United States found when it occupied the country.

MATTHEW: The President was also asked about his biggest mistakes. He said putting up a banner in 2003 with the words “Mission Accomplished” sent the wrong message about the Iraq war. He gave two more examples.

GEORGE: There have been disappointments. Abu Ghraib obviously was a huge disappointment during the Presidency. You know, not having the weapons of mass destruction was a significant disappointment. I don't know if you want to call those mistakes or not but they were, things didn't go according to plan, let's put it that way.

MATTHEW: The President said the job of being Commander In Chief requires making tough calls based on available information. But he said he strongly disagrees that some of his more controversial decisions have damaged America's moral standing.

GEORGE: Most people around the world, they respect America. And some of ‘em doesn't like me. I understand this. Some of the writers and you know the oh piners and all that, that's fine. That's part of the deal. But I'm more concerned about the country. And, and our, how people view the United States of America. They view us as strong, compassionate people who care deeply about the universality of freedom.

MATTHEW: But Daniel Byman says the war in Iraq along with the detention camp at Guantanamo, and allegations of torture have damaged America's image abroad.

DANIEL: This is something that doesn't necessarily last forever. Different American behavior and just as importantly a perception of different American behavior can remedy this. But certainly it's been a step back since these things have come out.

MATTHEW: With so much at stake President Bush said he truly means it when he wishes Barack Obama all the best. The President said his successor will soon feel the weight of the office. Then Mr. Bush dismissed the idea that being President is the loneliest job in the world.

GEORGE: I believe this, the phrase “burdens of the office” is overstated. Yes, it's kinda like, “Why me? Oh the burdens. Why did the financial collapse have to happen on my watch?” It's just pathetic isn't it? Self pity. And I don't believe that President Elect Obama will be full of self pity.

MATTHEW: Next on Mr. Bush's itinerary, it's back to Crawford, Texas, and then he said he's not quite sure what to expect. For The World, I'm Matthew Bell.

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