The Bush Presidency (41) George H.W. Bush Election of 1988 Michael Dukakis (D) George H. W. Bush (R) Main issues: taxes building a “kinder America”

Domestic Issues Supreme Court becomes more conservative Flag-burning toughened laws dealing with the death penalty restricted situations in which women could have abortions Flag-burning Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

War on Drugs Illegal drug use becomes a national issue Bush tries to stop traffic from Colombia and Panama

AIDS Epidemic AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Caused by HIV Virus destroys the body’s ability to fight off disease or infection Virus is transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids

Economic Woes High National Debt Savings and Loan Crisis “Read my lips, no new taxes!”

A New World Order Reforming Communist Societies in the West Poland Eastern Europe Berlin Wall

World of Technology Birth of Email and the Internet Genetic engineering Environmental changes global warming deforestation acid rain

The Persian Gulf War Operation Desert Storm January 16 – February 28, 1991

Background: The Iran–Iraq War 1979 – Saddam Hussein becomes leader of Iraq Sept 1980 – Iraq invades Iran; Hussein predicts a two-week war July 1988 – Iran accepts terms of cease-fire Iraq wins but now has $500 billion war debt

World Oil Reserves (1990)

The Invasion of Kuwait August 2, 1990 Saddam Hussein announces his intent to annex Kuwait

Building an International Coalition Economic Sanctions Use of Military Force US and allies deploy massive military force along the Kuwaiti and Saudi border 690,000 troops (425,000 American) President Bush and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia

A Line in the Sand November 29, 1990 – UN authorizes military action to expel Iraq from Kuwait, if they do not withdraw by January 15th January 16, 1991 – Allied forces begin to attack

World’s Largest Armies (1990)

Modern Warfare Allies rely heavily on air power Ground troops are mostly secondary to the heavy bombardment Allied bombing lasts six weeks; meets only token resistance from small Iraqi air force F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter

End of the War February 28, 1991 – Iraq announces its acceptance of allied terms for cease fire agreement. US battlefield losses are less than 150 Iraqi losses are estimated at more than 100,000

Ecological Terrorism Hussein orders retreating troops to open the Kuwaiti pipeline, spilling oil into the gulf 700 oil wells are set ablaze All fires extinguished in less than a year