--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The question is who ought to make that…" description: "\"The question is who ought to make that decision, the Congress or the commanders? And as you know, my position is clear. I'm a commander guy.\" — George ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/george-w-bush-64_bushism_the-question-is-who-ought-to-make-that-d_1838408.jpg" --- # The question is who ought to make that decision, the… ![“The question is who ought to make that decision, the Congress or the commanders? And as you know, my position is clear. I'm a commander guy.” quote by George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/george-w-bush-64_bushism_the-question-is-who-ought-to-make-that-d_1838408.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/george-w-bush-64_bushism_the-question-is-who-ought-to-make-that-d_1838408.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac4/george-w-bush-64_bushism_the-question-is-who-ought-to-make-that-d_1838408.jpg) > “The question is who ought to make that decision, the Congress or the commanders? And as you know, my position is clear. I'm a commander guy.” [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Decision‑making authority should rest with those who execute, not legislators. **In simple terms:** Commanders decide operational matters. Key Takeaway Respect expertise in execution. Themes leadership authority military Mood assertive serious Type political historical When to use this quote - war planning - policy debates - government oversight Key Concepts civil‑military relations decision theory Questions to Reflect On - Who should balance strategic control? - How to ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Democratic oversight may be reduced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bushism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bushism/) [Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Commander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commander/) [Commanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commanders/) [Commanders Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commanders-know-2330392/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Congress Commanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress-commanders-1748679/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-congress-1748678/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) ## Related quotes > [The question is, who ought to make that decision? The Congress or the commanders? And as you know, my position is clear -- Im…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-question-is-who-ought-to-make-that-decision-the-congress-or-the-2/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'm the commander -- see, I don't need to explain -- I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-m-the-commander-see-i-don-t-need-to-explain-i-do-not-need-to/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'm the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-m-the-president-and-the-commander-in-chief-do-it-my-way/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Let us not forget, the financial crisis had its roots in the decision by Congress to embark on a course of social justice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-royce/let-us-not-forget-the-financial-crisis-had-its-roots-in-the-decision/) [Ed Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-royce/) > [The Court's decision reflects the philosophy that judges should endure whatever interpretive distortions it takes in order to correct a supposed flaw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/the-court-s-decision-reflects-the-philosophy-that-judges-should/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [So, Wesley Clark is running for president. Pretty amazing guy. Four star general, first in his class at West Point, supreme commander of NATO,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/so-wesley-clark-is-running-for-president-pretty-amazing-guy-four-star/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [The next president of the United States needs to figure one thing out quickly - how to be commander in chief. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-next-president-of-the-united-states-needs-to-figure-one-thing-out/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [Some of you...have never read a Patrick O'Brian novel. I beseech you to start now. Start with Master and Commander, which should be available…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-myers/some-of-you-have-never-read-a-patrick-o-brian-novel-i-beseech-you-to/) [Kevin Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-myers/) > [ One of the things I would immediately do \[as Commander in Chief \], in addition to defeating them here at home, is bring back… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/one-of-the-things-i-would-immediately-do-as-commander-in-chief-in/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [The president of the United States is the commander in chief, and the people who work with him at the National Security Council are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-hagel/the-president-of-the-united-states-is-the-commander-in-chief-and-the/) [Chuck Hagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-hagel/) > [America needs a Commander in Chief, not a Global Community Organizer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-cheney/america-needs-a-commander-in-chief-not-a-global-community-organizer/) [Liz Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-cheney/) > [My first job as commander in chief is to keep the American people safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-first-job-as-commander-in-chief-is-to-keep-the-american-people-safe/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/he-who-has-never-learned-to-obey-cannot-be-a-good-commander/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The commander of the forces of a large State may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-commander-of-the-forces-of-a-large-state-may-be-carried-off-but/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Through my time in the military and my deployments, I have recognized the importance of having a Commander in Chief who will not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/through-my-time-in-the-military-and-my-deployments-i-have-recognized/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) ## More by George W. Bush > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [God speaks through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/god-speaks-through-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/you-can-fool-some-of-the-people-all-the-time-and-those-are-the-ones/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-tyrant-has-fallen-and-iraq-is-free/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“One of our energy strategies is to increase the CAFE standards to 35 miles per hour..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/one-of-our-energy-strategies-is-to-increase-the-cafe-standards-to-35/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [On 9-11, we discovered that we cannot escape from the world. To me personally, this was a life-changing experience, and I realized, as did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/on-9-11-we-discovered-that-we-cannot-escape-from-the-world-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [As Americans, we want peace - we work and sacrifice for peace. But there can be no peace if our security depends on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-americans-we-want-peace-we-work-and-sacrifice-for-peace-but-there/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Chanukah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-couldn-t-imagine-somebody-like-osama-bin-laden-understanding-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Explore all 1,717 George W. Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## More Bushism quotes > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Chanukah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-couldn-t-imagine-somebody-like-osama-bin-laden-understanding-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It is not Reaganesque to support a tax plan that is Clinton in nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/it-is-not-reaganesque-to-support-a-tax-plan-that-is-clinton-in-nature/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/free-nations-don-t-develop-weapons-of-mass-destruction/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I reads every chance I can gets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-reads-every-chance-i-can-gets/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [One of the things important about history is to remember the true history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/one-of-the-things-important-about-history-is-to-remember-the-true/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'm telling you there's an enemy that would like to attack America, Americans, again. There just is. That's the reality of the world. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-m-telling-you-there-s-an-enemy-that-would-like-to-attack-america/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'm going to put people in my place, so when the history of this administration is written at least there's an authoritarian voice saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-m-going-to-put-people-in-my-place-so-when-the-history-of-this/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I think -- tide turning -- see, as I remember -- I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of -- it's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-think-tide-turning-see-as-i-remember-i-was-raised-in-the-desert-but/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'm sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-m-sure-something-will-pop-into-my-head-here-in-the-midst-of-this/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I don't particularly like it when people put words in my mouth, either, by the way, unless I say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-don-t-particularly-like-it-when-people-put-words-in-my-mouth-either/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I would guess, I would surmise that some of the more spectacular bombings are done by al Qaeda suiciders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-would-guess-i-would-surmise-that-some-of-the-more-spectacular/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I do remain confident in Linda. She'll make a fine labor secretary. From what I've read in the press accounts, she's perfectly qualified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-do-remain-confident-in-linda-she-ll-make-a-fine-labor-secretary/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [There is a huge trust. I see it all the time when people come up to me and say, 'I don't want you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-is-a-huge-trust-i-see-it-all-the-time-when-people-come-up-to-me/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [My job is a decision-making job, and as a result, I make a lot of decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-job-is-a-decision-making-job-and-as-a-result-i-make-a-lot-of/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Browse all 116 Bushism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bushism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The question is who ought to make that decision, the Congress or the commanders? And as you know, my position is clear. I'm a commander guy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George W. 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