Unit 13: Entering the 21st Century
Persian Gulf War
(1990 - 1991) Conflict between Iraq and a coalition of countries led by the United States to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait which they had invaded in hopes of controlling their oil supply. A very one sided war with the United States' coalition emerging victorious.
George W. Bush
43rd president of the US who began a campaign toward energy self-sufficiency and against terrorism in 2001
Family and Medical Leave Act
Allows employees of government agencies and companies with more than fifty employees to take up to three months of unpaid leave during or after a pregnancy.
Election of 1996: Clinton (D) v. Dole (R)
Bill Clinton (D) v. Bob Dole (R). Dole, Senate majority leader, faced off with Clinton. Clinton had made a comeback and took credit for a rebounding economy and depicted the Republicans as extremists while Dole pinned his hope on the appeal of a promised 15% tax cut. - Voter turnout was low, but Clinton became the first Democrat since FDR to be elected for a second term. He garnered 49.2% of the popular vote.
Election of 1992
Bill Clinton won over George H.W. Bush because of the economy's problems and the solving of foreign policy problems, Bush's greatest strength.
Oklahoma City Bombing
Bombing of Murrah Federal Building. The blast, set off by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, killed 168 people, including 19 children in the building's day-care center.
Al Gore
Clinton's vice president; presidential nominee in 2000
Norman Schwarzkopf
Commander of US Central Command in the Gulf War; Commander of the coalition forces. Led operation "Desert Storm"
Taliban in Afghanistan
Conservative Islamic group that has controlled large portions of Afghanistan; opposes any Westernization
Bush's ultimatum to Saddam Hussein
Gave Hussein 48 hours to leave Iraq and hand over his WMDs
death of bin Laden
In May 2011, he was killed by the U.S. in clandestine operation in Pakistan. (p. 689)
War on Terror
Initiated by President George W. Bush after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the broadly defined war on terror aimed to weed out terrorist operatives and their supporters throughout the world.
Invasion of Kuwait
Iraq invaded Kuwait which led to the Persian Gulf War
Overthrowing Saddam
Iraqi people start a "civil war" with each other for who will get power
operation desert sabre
Land combat to push Iraqi army back into Iraq
Brady Bill
Law passed in 1993 requiring a waiting period on sales of handguns, along with a criminal background check on the buyer.
Patriot Act (2001)
Law responding to 9/11. Expands anti-terrorist powers (wiretapping, surveillance); 4th Amendment concern for civil liberties.
Gulf War Syndrome
Mysterious complex of symptoms experienced by veterans of the Persian Gulf War; some feel is attributable to chemical weapons.
Contract with America (1994)
Newt Gingrich (Republican congressman) planned for success of Republican party in upcoming election by pledging tax cuts, congressional term limits, tougher crime laws, balanced budget amendment, popular reforms &c.
Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003)
Removal of Sadaam Hussein Bush authorized the mission to rid Iraq of tyrannical dictator Saddam Hussein and eliminate Hussein's ability to develop weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Operation Iraqi Freedom illustrated the Bush administration's pledge to use unilateral, pre-emptive strikes if necessary against nations believed dangerous to American national security.
Clinton Impeachment
Result of a political sex scandal emerging from a sexual relationship between United States President Bill Clinton and a 22-year-old White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.
War in Afghanistan, 2001
Starts after 9/11 when NATO forces lead by the U.S. dismantle Al Queda and attempt to remove the Taliban from power
Bush's Ultimatum to the Taliban
Taliban must do the following or face an invasion: deliver Al-Qaeda leaders (including Bin Laden) to USA, release all US citizens in jails, protect foreigners in Afghanistan, Close terrorist facilities. Taliban refuse to negotiate with Bush because he is a non-Muslim. Bush invades Afghanistan
Iran-Iraq War
The war began when Iraq invaded Iran on September 22 1980 following a long history of border disputes and fears of Shia insurgency among Iraq's long suppressed Shia majority influenced by Iran's Islamic revolution.
Operation Desert Storm (1991)
U.S.-led multi-country military engagement in January and February of 1991 that drove Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army out of neighboring Kuwait. In addition to presaging the longer and more protracted Iraq War of the 2000s, the 1991 war helped undo what some called the "Vietnam Syndrome," a feeling of military uncertainty that plagued many Americans. (1050)
UN/American Response
UN/America responded to the invasion by reinforcing Saudi Arabia border to prevent Saddam Hussein's forces from invading them as well
Department of Homeland Security
US federal agency created in 2002 to coordinate national efforts against terrorism
Operation Enduring Freedom
US invades afghanistan to eliminate taliban to destroy Al Qaeda
Iraq War (2003)
USA forces overthrew Saddam Hussein. President George W. Bush believed Saddam held weapons of mass destruction.
Bush v. Gore (2000)
Use of 14th Amendment's equal protection clause to stop the Florida recount in the election of 2000.
Saddam Hussein
Was a dictator in Iraq who tried to take over Iran and Kuwait violently in order to gain the land and the resources. He also refused to let the UN into Iraq in order to check if the country was secretly holding weapons of mass destruction.
Operation Desert Shield
after Iraq invaded Kuwait Bush sent 230,000 troops to protect Saudi Arabia
Osama bin Laden/al-Qaeda
international terrorist network, led by Bin Laden; goal to purge Muslim nations of Western influence
U.N. weapons inspectors in Iraq
looking for WMD's after Saddam was told to get rid of them in 1991. Found about 85%
George H.W. Bush
president during the Gulf War, ability to quickly bring the war to a conclusion while suffering relatively few casualties resulted in the second-highest approval rating of any president, 89%
