Megana Boddam (President), Jasmine Tarabeih (Advisor), Jason (Advisor)
AP U. S. History/ Period 5
GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH (1989 – 1993)
Major accomplishments
Bush sent American troops into Panama to overthrow the regime of General Manuel Noriega, who was threatening the security of the canal and the Americans living there. Noriega was brought to the United States for trial as a drug trafficker.
Bush was appalled by Noriega’s thwarting of democracy when he nullified the results of a democratically elected president in Panama. Because of US interests to promote democracy and humanitarianism in the world, Bush launched “Operation Just Cause” which was the largest military deployment since the Vietnam War. Although it violated international law, polls conducted among the Panamanians showed an overwhelming support for US presence in Panama
Another event was when Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, then threatened to move into Saudi Arabia. Bush was trying to free Kuwait, and so he rallied up the United Nations, the U. S. people, and Congress and sent 425,000 American troops. They were joined by 118,000 troops from allied nations. After weeks of air and missile bombardment, the 100-hour land battle dubbed Desert Storm routed Iraq's million-man army. Unfortunately, during this process, Bush increased Deficit Spending and then created much more inter rural violence among the cities, the economy continually decreasing, this is what caused him to not win the next election.
Bush primarily was more focused on ideas of foreign policy in relation with the United States. When Germany was in the process of reunifying, the Soviet Union was collapsing and the Cold war was coming to an end. This is about the time when Bush started his presidency. He is also credited with helping to improve U.S.-Soviet relations. He met with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (1931), and in July 1991, the two men signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Which essentially was a negotiation among the United States and Soviet Union which limited how many missiles and nuclear weapons were allowed to be used among each other, or any country in the world.
1st gulf war (Iraq + Saddam Hussain + Schwarzkopf)
World war 2 veteran - convinced that we need military action (operation desert storm) to be able to put back Saddam Hussain’s forces ( compared to Adolf Hitler)
Because efforts at peace were rebuked by Hussain – freezing Kuwaiti and Iraqi assets and economic sanctions didn’t work
Strengthened an international coalition (of Britain, US, Soviet Union, some Arab countries) over Iraq’s attack. Diplomatic relations using the force of this coalition didn’t work
After months, Congress finally authorized the coalition’s member states to “to use all necessary means” to make Iraq withdraw from Kuwait
Spent a lot of time in the reviewing war plans to make sure US didn’t lose
Schwarzkopf – general of allied military forces
Sent to Saudi Arabia to be ready to defend.
Disliked the slow escalation strategy used in the Vietnam War.
Preferred direct overwhelming force. Seen as uncreative.
Epitomized Duty, service, and creed. Good, Decent Man. Dear Friend.
Didn’t take out Hussain from power because international peace is more important and because not overstepping the boundaries of the U.N. security council is more important than removing Saddam Hussain from power
Why did he use force?
With doing this, we will establish the precedent for a “New world order that will be freer from the threat of terror, stronger in the pursuit justice and more secure in the quest for peace”
Savings and loan Scandal the savings and loan industry was meant to provide mortgages, and to do that they needed a stable deposit base http://what-when-how.com/conspiracy-theories-in-american-history/savings-and-loan-crisis/ 70’s and 80’s federal and state governments had de-regulated the S&L industry, making it almost like a banking industry
So, Some industries ventured into riskier investments