1. Why are we so involved in the Middle East?
Us and mid East
Why are we so involved in the Middle East?

2. Persian Gulf War
Dates =

3. Persian Gulf War Countries Involved US Kuwait United Nations (UN) Iraq
Saudi Arabia

4. Persian Gulf War Continued
Cause
Iraq accused Kuwait of stealing oil
UN warned Iraq to leave Kuwait
Iraq was mad that Kuwait wanted $ back from Iran-Iraq war

5. Hussein in power
Saddam Hussein ~ leader of Iraq led invasion of Kuwait, refused to leave Kuwait
President Bush ~ led US to invade Iraq
UN cuts off Iraq’s trade

6. Outcomes Many killed (Kurds) Iraqi air force destroyed
Iraq set Kuwait’s oil fields on fire
Saddam Hussein still in power
Iraq defeated
Must destroy WMD

7. Iraq burning Oil Fields

8. “Global War on Terrorism”
Dates
2001-now

9. Who is this “war” between?
Countries US
Afghanistan

10. WHY??
US searching for Bin Laden b/c of Sept. 11 attacks

11. September 11, 2001
On 9/11 terrorists hijacked 4 planes headed to east coast California
2 jets crashed into the World Trade Center towers in NYC
The 3rd plane crashed into the pentagon in Washington, DC
The 4th plane crashed into an open field in Pennsylvania after the passengers fought back

13. Crash at the Pentagon

14. Crash in Pennsylvania

15. 9/11 Memorial

16. Who was behind the 9/11 attacks
An Islamic terrorist organization known as Al-Qaeda
It’s members believe that the U.S. and its allies are evil
Their Leader Osama Bin Laden was living in Afghanistan, he was a former millionaire of Saudi Arabia
Afghanistan's government was controlled by Islamic extremists called the Taliban
The Taliban was protecting Bin Laden

17. What did the U.S. do? Demanded that the Taliban turn over Bin laden
They refused – Oct US began bombing Taliban air defenses and air fields and command centers
They also struck several al-Qaeda training camps
Us provided support to rebel groups who opposed the Taliban

18. Outcomes: Many die Longest US war Cost $Billions
By December, 2011 – the Taliban was weakened and the U.S. killed Osama bin Laden

21. Operation Iraqi Freedom
2003-now (“2010”)

22. Countries involved US
Iraq
Britain
Kuwait (marched through to Iraq)

23. WHY??
US feared WMDs and Hussein’s power
Al-Qaeda growing
Feared more terrorist attacks

24. Key Events
Saddam Hussein captured and killed
Iraqi army defeated
The last U.S. troops left Iraqi territory on December 18, 2011

25. What happened to Saddam?
Captured in December of 2003
Charged by the Iraqi’s with war crimes
Charged with the murder of 148 people
Illegal arrest of 399 people
Torture of women and children
Found guilty and sentenced to death in 2006

27. Overall Outcomes
No WMDs found
Many died
Democracy established in Iraq
Hussein killed