oedipus complex/president bush

The Oedipus story itself is an unrealistic story just by the amount of drama that is added. However the psychology of the story ties into allot of modern issues throughout this modern era. The Oedipus story line is that he killed his father in an earlier dispute and later on married his mother but none of this was done intentionally. One example of how the Oedipus story ties into modern day issues is through the President of The United States. George Bush Junior who is the son of former President George Bush Senior in some ways can be called Oedipus; however he didn't kill his father and marry his mother.

Oedipus was a king whom held a great deal of power in the story. In the story he kills a stranger unaware that he is his father in an earlier dispute between rivals. After the death of Oedipus's father, Oedipus marries a woman unaware that she is his mother. He is soon confronted with the unfortunate events and is filled with despair and sorrow.

George Bush Senior whom is The United States former forty- first presidents was elected in 1989 and finished his term in 1993. His son George Bush Junior is our current President. When senior was in office he was faced with many world issues that had gone on while he was Vice President under President Regan. The Berlin Wall fell, The Soviet Union ceased to exist, and the Cold War ended after 40 years. However his biggest problem came when Iraq's president Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring Kuwait. Hussein's intention was to rule the people of Kuwait and take their oil. Kuwait, which is abundant in oil recourses used to sell oil to the U.S. at that time. George Bush Senior decided to step in and help the country in need. Senior sent 425, 000 troops over to Kuwait to try and drive Saddam out, which was a success but not for long. After the U.S. drove Saddams army from Kuwait the troops headed back to The United States. Bush decided not to peruse Saddam into Iraq. Instead our troops stopped at the Iraq Kuwait border. Some questioned Bush's reasoning for leaving Kuwait. Critics argued that Saddam Hussein would live to fight another day. Bush Senior had his reasons. First, U.S troops had accomplished their mission of driving Saddam and his forces out of Kuwait. Second, any attempts to capture Saddam would probably be unsuccessful. Third, once engaged in a war in Iraq U.S troops would find it difficult to stabilize the country and leave.


George Bush Junior whom has gotten the United States into a great deal of trouble has also gotten the U.S. into the predicament that his father tried to prevent. After 911 when the twin towers where attacked George Bush declared war on Iraq and Bin Laden's army. Bush Junior allowed the U.S. troops to go into Iraq searching for Bin Laden and his group of terrorist. Following the invasion of Iraq Saddam was perused, caught, and eventually executed. However, as predicted by his father the U.S.troops has had difficulty stabilizing the country preventing the extraction of our troops.


The Oedipal complex ties into modern issues because George Bush tried to out do his father. George Bush Senior predicted that if a war began it would never end, and American troops would not return to the U.S. Although Bush Junior did not marry his mother and kill his father he has potentially marginalized his father by invading Iraq. Psychologist study that most men don't really become men until after their fathers die, because they are constantly living behind their father’s shadow. However, when Bush junior decided to invade Iraq it proved that he didn't need his father.