Monday:
Gorbachev comes to power opens up the soviet union introducing glasnost perestroika. Signed the INF treaty with Reagan
Berlin Wall comes down November 9 1989.
Boris Yeltsin first democratic president in Russia history. 1991 - 1999
Why did we Win/ Why did they Lose:
- We had close ties with our allies and the USSR didn't
- China started siding with us after 1972
- The Soviet economy was in shambles whereas the US was flourishing.
- the strong anti- communist presidency of Reagan
- Gorbachev's willingness for change and reform
- Glasnost, perestroika, admitted soviet mistakes, took blame on cold war.
- Gorbachev said that they will stop with eastern Europe ending the cold war and basically communism.
- Arms reduction talks.
- SALT, INF, Reagan- Gorbachev meetings.
Began the War on terror/ 9/11
Tuesday:
Bush Doctrine - US had the right o secure itself against countries that harbor or give aid to terrorist groups.
Wednesday:
History of AL-Qaeda and Terrorism against the USA
- Al Qaeda means the base it is a stateless (meaning without a country) terrorist organization
- It was led and financed by Osama Bin Laden a radical Sunni Muslim
- the beginnings of AL-Qaeda go back to the 1980's when USSR invaded Afghanistan
- Bin Laden and the Arab forces fought the Soviets. USSR left in 1989
- US help the Afghans by giving weapons.
- Desert Storm (Gulf War) in 1990's Iraq invaded Kuwait.
- Desert Shield- US would protect Saudi Arabia from Iraq invasion.
- Saudi chose the USA and snubbed Bin Laden
- 1991 - Bin laden leaves Saudi Arabia for Sudan.
November 2002 bin laden wrote his "Letter to America" outlining moves
- Western support for attacking Muslims in Somalia
- Supporting Russian atrocities against Muslims in Chechnya
- Supporting the Indian oppression against Muslims in Kashmir
- Supporting the Jewish aggression against Muslims in Lebanon
- The presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia due to Iraq invading Kuwait
- U.S. support of Israel
- Economic Sanctions against Iraq
Thursday:
USA in Somalia
Bush Sr, Sends 28,000 troops to Somalia to fight drug lords
Operation enduring freedom
Invaded Afghanistan (Oct. 7, 2001)
Mission - Capture Osama Bin Laden, Destroy Al-Qaeda network, Remove Taliban Rigime.
Friday:
When Obama took office the war causalities were higher than Bush
Iraq -
- The cradle of civilization
- the fertile crescent
- The birthplace of writing
- Iraq was once the location of many empires.
- After WWI Britain and an monarchy was established
- Iraq was under control by the Ba'ath Party led by Saddam Hussein from 1968 - 2003
Genocide against Kurds
- Series of military and gas attacks against the Kurdish people
- Saddam was hung by the new Iraqi government.
- Hung on December 30, 2006
Operation Iraqi Freedom - freeing the Iraqi people.
The US and GB claimed that Iraq had WMD.
Bush polices
- Started the war in 2003
- War was supported at first but no WMD's found led to war becoming very unpopular
- Abu Ghraib
- Accused of not having an exit strategy
- Helped established a new democratic government in Iraq
- The surge took place in 2007. It helped get the violence under control in Iraq
- Started Troop reduction in 2008
Obama's Policies
- Opposed to war at the outset as a Senator
- After being elected President, Obama switched the focus to the war in Afghanistan
- pulled all troops out of Iraq.
Casualties between Iraq and Afghanistan
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