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Bush gives longtime allies top US civilian honor
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-14 10:16

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard (R) receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President George W. Bush during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, January 13, 2009. The award is the highest civilian honour that is given in the United States. [Agencies]

Blair and Howard stood with Bush during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan that toppled the al-Qaida-backed Taliban government. They also supported Bush as he invaded Iraq in 2003, a decision that defined the remainder of his presidency and deeply divided his country.

Other members of Bush's former circle also joined the ceremony. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was the United States' top diplomat during Bush's first term, sat in the front row. Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who oversaw the military invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and his Pentagon deputy Paul Wolfowitz also attended.

The Medal of Freedom was established by President Harry S. Truman in 1945 to recognize civilians for their efforts during World War II. The award was reinstated by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 to honor distinguished service. It is given to those deemed to have made remarkable contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, culture or other private or public endeavors.

Before Tuesday's awards, Bush had awarded 78 medals during his tenure in office. Bush gave the awards to other international figures, including South African leader Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II and former Czech President Vaclav Havel.

Among the most controversial came in December 2004, when Bush gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former CIA Director George Tenet, former Iraq administrator L. Paul Bremer and retired Gen. Tommy Franks, three people central to his early policy in Iraq. Bush was especially criticized for including Tenet, who came under fire for intelligence failures leading to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the Iraq war.