May 4-8

Monday- Cold war notes

Mikhail Gorbachev Come to power in USSR-1985
Perestroika and Glasnost-1985-
Perestroika-Restructuring of the Soviet economy and political system
More democracy
Free elections
Glasnost- More openness of the Soviet government and for it's people
Free speech and press
INF Treaty- Which banded certain nuclear weapons
November 9, 1989 Berlin wall came down
Boris Yeltsin- President of Russia-1991-1999
Why did the US win the cold war- 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's was flourishing
1. Huge deficit
2. High inflation
3. Corruption
4. Social problems
5. Shortage of basic needs(food, housing)
The strong anti-communist presidency of Reagan
Gorbachev's willingness for change and reform
1. Glasnost and perestroika
2. admitted Soviet mistakes
3. took blame for the cold war
4. communist systems had failed
5. allowed Eastern Europe to do what they wanted
Arms Reduction talks
Soviet Mistakes-
invasion of Afghanistan
ignoring social concerns
spent everything on military
In the 1990's the world seemed to be a much more peaceful time
President Clinton closed down numerous military bases around the country
What impact did the Fall of the Soviet Union and Communism have on Europe and the World-
New countries broke out of the USSR
-Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Berlarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan,
East and West Germany re-unified in 1990
Rise of democracy and capitalism throughout Europe
Wars and Ethic Cleansings-Yugoslavia,(Serbia, Kosovo, Monterego, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Coratia, Solvernia)
The world became more unified and more interdependent
The rise of radical Islamic groups-Taliban, al-Qaeda
The United States emerged as the singular major power in the world
Russia vs. Ukraine 2014-15
Ukraine wanted to join European Union but leader didn't want to as he was Pro-Russia
Ukraine leader is forced out
Russia moves troops in the Crimean Peninsula and annexes it after Crimean voters vote to approve annexation
The United Nations declares this act by Russia as illegal
Remembering 9-11
September 11, 2001 New York-Arlington/D.C-Shanksville
New York-
In the early morning hours of September 11, 2001, four commercial airlines were hijacked
8:46 am American airlines flight 11 was the first to take off
The second crash was captured on live television
Structural damage to both the North and South Towers caused them to collapse
The south tower collapsed first at 9:59 am
North tower collapsed 29 minuets later
2,606 people killed
Arlington, Virginia-D.C.
9:37 am- American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon
The western side of the building was engulfed in flames
Part of the building collapsed
189 people were killed
64 aboard Flight 77
125 inside the Pentagon building
Shanksville, Pennsylvania-
The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, was expected to head toward the Capitol Building in Washington D.C.
Passengers in that plane, however, prevented that from happening
Unfortunately, at 10:30 am the plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing everyone aboard
Rescue and Recovery Efforts-
It took months to complete the rescue and recovery efforts
Some survivors were found and rescued from under the rubble but not many
The fires beneath the rubble burned for weeks, and the cleanup was not fully completed till may 2002
In all 2,996 people died that day, including the 19 hijackers
The youngest victim was a 2 year old girl
Broader Effects-
Beyond those who last their lives on September 11, many thousands more were directly affected
It is estimated that about 3,000 children lost a parent and more than 1,600 people lost a spouse
20% of Americans knew someone who was either hurt or killed
Sporting events were postponed
National parks and landmarks closed for a while
Late night comedians took some time off
Movies, TV shows, video games were delayed and changed or cancelled
Airports closed for a few days and became much more secure leading to longer waiting times
The Department of Homeland Security was set up
Led to water boarding by the CIA at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
War in Afghanistan- October, 2001
Patriotism increased
Bush Doctrine-
US had the right to secure itself against countries that harbor or give aid to terrorist groups
United States should depose foreign governments that represent a potential threat to the security of the United States
Encourage democracy around the world, especially in the Middle East as a strategy for combating terrorism
One world Trade Center-
1776 ft tall
Opened November, 2014

Tuesday-

Watergate Scandal-
Nixon was the 37th president
only president to resign
IN may 1972 Nixon's reelection committee broke into Democratic Headquarters
Stole top secret documents
Bugged offices phones
Burglars were caught the second attempt
Nixon tried to paying people off
5 pleaded guilty
Other two convicted in January 1973
When the Pentagon papers were released to the public Nixon was losing popularity
Nixon knew in order to win the elections of 1972 he had to get dirt on the Democrats
Nixon hired 5 men to wiretap two phones in the Democrats headquarters one of which was Robert Oliver who was the executive director of Association of State Democrat
The 5 men where caught on June 17, 1972 by a security guard
Tried and convicted of burglary, conspiracy, and violation fo wiretapping federal law
Alexander Butterfield who was deputy assistant to Nixon testified about Nixon having the films of watergate
Nixon had now to face either resign from Presidency or get impeached
Eventually Nixon resign on the night of August 8, 1974
Vice president Gerald Ford was sworn in the next day
Spiro Agnew he was the first vice president under Nixon
Spiro resigned and then pleaded no contest to the criminal charges
Woodward and Berstein where the only two people in the country that where worried about it
They started tracing the money found on the people that where arrested and found it lead back to Richard Nixon

Wednesday- Concussion test

Thursday-

Why did bin Laden turn his attention to attacking the US
In November 2002, bin laden wrote his Letter to America outlining motives
1. Western support for attacking Muslims in Somalia
2. Supporting Russian atrocities against Muslims and Chechnya
3. The presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia due to Iraq invading Kuwait
4. US support of Israel
5. Economic Sanctions against Iraq
Why did they attack us-
Thought we and our allies where treating the Muslim world bad
USA in Somalia-
Dec. 4, 1992, George H.W. Bush sends 28,000 American troops to Somalia
Bush wanted to help the Somali people since all attempts to send food to them were intercepted by war lords
Black Hawk Down-
In 1993, 18 Americans died when their Black Hawk helicopter was shot down over Mogadishu, Somalia
Al Qaeda-
The US thinks al Qaeda operatives taught the Somalians how to shoot down helicopters just like they did against the Russians
1993- The 1st World Trade Center by bombing it
It killed 6 people and injured over 1,000 he used a car bomb at the base
May 1996- Sudan expels bin Laden and he returns to Afghanistan
Afghanistan-
It isn't a easy place to fight a war
population-32 million
Size-Texas
Language- Afghan Persian
70 different languages
Associated with Tribes
Literacy Rate-36%
Land- Mountain and Dessert
Landlocked
Diverse Nation
Conquered in past by:
Persians, Romans, Ottomans
1979 Soviet Invasion- Beat USSR in 89 with US aid
Taliban govt in power
Harsh and repressive government
Radical Muslims
Drug Trade which leads to famine
The Taliban didn't plan the 9/11 attacks
Fatwa-
In August of 1998, Al Qaeda, led by bin Laden and Ayman Zawahi declared a Holy war on the US
Embassy bombings: 1998
Two American embassy where bombed
Clinton Responds
President Clinton decided to attack
US sends missiles against Qaeda training camps in Sudan and Afghanistan '
USS Cole Attack Oct. 2000
In Yemen, al Qaeda sent a suicide bomber aboard a small ship near the USS Cole and detonated its bomb blowing a large hole in the US Navy ship
17 sailors killed
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed- he was the master mind behind the 9/11 attacks
Bush Doctrine
US had the right to secure itself against countries that harbor or give aid to terrioist groups
Operation Enduring Freedom
Invaded Afghanistan (Oct. 7, 2001)
Mission-
1. Capture Osama bin Laden
2. Destroy Al-Qaeda network
3. Remove Taliban Regime
What are the problems-
Friend or Foe
Suicide Bombers
IED- Improvised Explosive Devices
Drug Trade Flourishes
Famine
Never Known democracy
Extreme Islamic Groups
Mountain and terrain
Border crossing
Untrained Afghani Troops
Legitimate Government
Civilian Casualties
Successful or Unsuccessful
New Democratic Government in Afghanistan
Unstable however
Taliban no longer in control
Yet have re emerged in SE Afghanistan and now parts of Pakistan
Girls now attend school again since our invasion
Declared a failed state by UN
14 years of war
Obama pulled all but 9800 US troops out by the end of 2014
All US troops will be pulled out by the end of 2016
Seal Team Six killed Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011
Are Iraq/Afghanistan wars another Vietnam
Long dragged out conflicts with no end in sight
Can't tell whose friend of foe
Not popular at home
Not popular with other governments or their people
Not winning the hearts and minds of the people
Fighting less technological people with nothing to lose
!8,000-20,000 Afghan Civilians Killed 2001-Present
US spending on Afghanistan (in billions)
2011 119 billion dollars
2012 114 billion dollars
US military deaths- 2,201 and 19,964 US W.I.A.
Iraq was controlled by the Ba'ath Party form 1968 until 2003(Saddam Hussein's party)
After the invasion in 2003 by American and British forces, the Ba'ath party was removed from power
Iraq came under military occupation by a multinational coalition
Power was transferred to the Iraqi Interim Government in June, 2004
Genocide against the Kurds-
Series of military and gas attacks against the Kurdish civilian populations of rural Northern Iraq
Conducted between 1986 and 1989
Some reports cite Saddam Hussein's army being responsible for 200,000 civilian deaths
December 30, 2006 was when Saddam Hussein was hanged
A new constitution was approved by vote and a new government of Iraq was elected
Foreign troops remained in Iraq after the establishment of a new government due to an insurgency/civil war that developed shortly after the invasion
In August 2010, the US became the last member of the coalition to cease combat operations in Iraq
in December 2011, the last US troops left the country
US military advisers sent back in late 2014 to assist Iraq against ISIS
Persian Gulf War
August 2, 1990-February 28, 1991
Commended Operation Desert Storm
Aftermath-
By March, 1991, 540,000 American troops began to move out of Persian Gulf area
Consequences on Iraq
Economic sanctions remained
Weapons inspectors
No fly zone
Iraq war 2003-2011
Called Operation Iraqi Freedom by the united States military
The United States and the United Kingdom claimed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction which was a threat to our security
In 2002, the United Nations Security Council called for Iraq to completely cooperate with UN weapon inspectors to verify that Iraq was not in possession of WMD
The United Nations found no evidence of wmd's
After the Iraqi invasion, it was concluded that Iraq had ended it WMD program in 1991 and had no active programs at the time of invasion
The invasion of Iraq led to and occupation and the eventual capture of president Hussein
Hussein was later tried in a Iraqi court of law and executed by the new Iraqi government
Other Possible Causes
Some accused Saddam Hussein of harboring and supporting al-Qaeda but no evidence was never found
Iraqi government human rights abuses
Wanted to spread democracy to the country
Oil interests
President Bush wanted to fix his fathers mistakes
Issues in Iraq after Invasion
Violence against coalition forces
Civil war and sectarian violence
The emergence of Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Abu Ghraib torture and pisoner abuse-2004
We got rid of Saddam Hussein, now what
President Bush's Policies
Started the war in 2003
Was 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 establish a new democratic government in Iraq
The surge took place in 2007. it helped get the violence under control in Iraq
Started troop reductions in 2008
Obama's Policies
Opposed the war at the outset as a Senator
After being elected president, Obama switched the focus to the war in Afghanistan
Pulled out all US combat troops in August, 2010
Pulled all US troops out in December , 2011 thus ending the Iraq war
Since 2011
After we left ISIS formerly al-Qaeda in Iraq, moved in and has taken over much of Northern Iraq and Syria
Obama sent 1500 military advisers back in late 2014
Obama started a bombing campaign against ISIS

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May 4-8

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