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Gulf War
On August 2 Iraq invaded Kuwait due to a variety of debated reasons. In response the United Nations demanded Iraq withdrawal from the country. Iraq refused leading to the U.S. to take military action. By mid August there was over 700,000 U.S. troops in theater. The war ended with a complete Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait. The conflict proved to be the last major U.S. military conflict of the century. The war left mixed opinions back home and questions around foreign policy. "Kruse and Zeiler, 204" -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
After turbulent decade the Soviet Union officially ceased to exist upon the resignation of Mikhail Gorbachev the day after Christmas of 1991. After the costly war in Afghanistan, Chernobyl, unrest in proxy states and even a failed coup the Soviet Union had succumbed to its wounds. The collapse left China as the only major communist state left in the world and the United States as the sole superpower. The capitulation of the USSR marked a major moral victory over their longtime adversary. -
Election of Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton ran on leading the country out of a recession as well as advocating of school choice and stopping illegal immigration. By 1992 the nation had entered a recession and many were unhappy about tax hikes enacted by the Bush administration. He would win the election by 202 electoral votes. His presidency is largely considered a success due to the major economic expansion that was fostered. Clinton marked the 90s as an era of political moderation and middle ground. "Kruse and Zeiler, 204" -
First Attack on the World Trade Center
Six men orchestrated an attack on the World Trade Center with the intention of bringing down both buildings. Although the attacked failed in bringing down the buildings it did kill six and wound over a thousand. The men responsible would be arrested and convicted shortly after. The attack was one of the first major terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and proved to be a percussor of what was to come between both 9/11 and the Global War on Terror that still defines our nation in so many ways. -
U.S. Embassy Bombings in Kenya & Tanzania
Two U.S. embassies were attacked by Islamic terrorists almost simultaneously killing 224 and wounding over 4000. The attacks furthered the notion that the U.S. was in an undeclared war against Islamic terrorists and also proved how formidable an enemy the nation was up against. The attack was the second of three major ones that happened during Bill Clinton's presidency and lead to lingering questions about the U.S.' ability to deal with an unconventional enemy. -
Bin Laden Determined to Strike the U.S.
On the morning of August 6 2001 in the President's daily brief from the C.I.A. Bush is informed the a terrorist threat orchestrated by Osama Bin Laden is imminent. Bush responds to the analyst who wrote the brief with "all right. you covered your ass". The brief was leaked to CBS News in May of 2002 would be a major black eye to the Bush administrations and proved to be the biggest intellegence disaster in U.S. history. -
9/11
On the morning of September 11 2001 two planes strike the World Trade Center in New York City, one hitting the Pentagon and another crashing in a field. The attack orchestrated by Osama Bin Laden killed over 2000 people. The attacks proved to the stamping point of the Bush administrations. It has been the during factor in US foreign policy to this day. Even today those who were there today are feeling its effects through cancer especially members of the NYPD, FDNY and PAPD. -
No WMDs in Iraq
The CIA's chief intel officer on the case for WMDs in Iraq announces that there are in fact none in country and that they had been working off of bad intel and were lead on a wild goose chase by Iraqi informant and defectors. Tales of WMDs were Bush's main reason for the invasion and with people now realizing that the claims were unfounded the war only became more unpopular. -
Pat Tillman is Killed in Afghanistan
Ex NFL player turned Army Ranger Pat Tillman is killed by friendly fire while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan. Tillman made national headlines for enlisting in the Army after a pro bowl 2001 season. In the midst of an ambush Tillman was killed by a member of his own team. Tillman's death would further the already anti war opinion of the public and lead to mistrust in the military by the public due to the allegations of a cover up and even that Tillman was murdered. -
End of the Iraq War
In a nationally televised announcement from the Oval Office President Obama announces the draw down of U.S. forces in Iraq but emphasizes the long term commitment the U.S. will have to the nation of Iraq and its people. He uses the platform to reflect on the seven year long conflict. Less than two weeks prior the last American combat units departed the country. The withdrawal while on our terms still left the American public wary of what had taken place during the previous seven years.