Clearly, a smart leader can bone up on Middle East policy over time. Our next president, however, won't have time for a learning curve. He or she will take office at a challenging point in history.
The Bush administration's errors and arrogance have severely undercut U.S. influence abroad and provoked a level of anti-Americanism, even in allied countries, that I've never seen before. Such sentiments help mobilize jihadi recruits.
Such a dismal Bush legacy will require the next president to make crucial foreign-policy decisions from the get-go. So experience will matter.
But in these extraordinary times, other qualities also will be key. The next president must possess the long-term vision to grasp how the world has changed and what must be done to restore the country's global standing. This will require a sharp adjustment to U.S. military and diplomatic approaches to the Middle East. It also will require a leader who can project a fresh image of the United States.