Essential Questions

1) What were political issues addressed under George W. Bush?

2) Why are the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars such a hot topic issue? Explain

He passed a series of tax cuts.

Bush promoted the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act to raise national academic standards.

Bush pursued an aggressive conservative agenda when he took office.

In 2003, despite criticism, Bush worked with Congress to extend Medicare to cover prescription drugs for seniors.

*Signed in 2001, started in 2002

*States create their own standards and then assess off of those standards

*Relies on standardized testing

*Funding from the gov’t is based on testing results

*Recession began in early 2000’s

*Bush pushed for tax cuts- more money in people’s hands

*Bush wanted to reform the Social Security Program– Privatize it

*Unemployment rose and start of Financial Crisis

*George W. Bush defeated John Kerry (D) 286-251 in electoral votes

*Bush won popular vote 62 million to 59 million

*American response to 9/11

*Goals included:

*End all terrorist organizations

*Capture/kill terrorist leaders

*Help countries establish strong government

*Defend US citizens

*PATRIOT ACT & Department of Homeland Security

Included war in Afghanistan, Iraq, and various operations in Africa, Philippines, and Middle East

*Signed Oct. 26, 2001

*Less restrictions for law enforcement

*Increase of authority for Treasury Dept. to regulate financial transactions

*Legal on any suspected terrorists

*Includes wiretaps, checking library records, financial records, increase in detaining suspects, email

*Passed very quickly with House 357-66 and Senate 98-1

*Department created after 9/11

*Combined 22 departments and over 180,000 employees

*Now includes over 240,000 employees

*Includes Secret Service, Coast Guard, Immigration, FBI, FEMA

Bush first focused on the terrorists who perpetrated 9/11.

Osama bin Laden, leader of the al Qaeda network, was thought to be hiding in Afghanistan where the Taliban allowed him to operate.

The United States and its allies sent forces to Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban. Known as Operation Enduring Freedom.

Oct. 7, 2001-Present. War has lasted over 11 years thus far.

War in Afghanistan

* A group known as the Taliban ruled in Afghanistan.

* Governed according to strict Islamic law

* Close relationship with bin Laden

* Bush demanded that the Taliban seize bin Laden and give him to the United States.

* The Taliban refused and so on October 7, 2001, the United States and Great Britain attacked the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Results of the War

*U.S. and British troops relied on fighters of Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance—a group that opposed the Taliban.

*The Taliban was defeated by early December.

*Bin Laden, however, managed to avoid being captured.

*Over 2,228 U.S. soldiers have died in the war

*Some legal questions exist about war—violates UN

*Plan to withdraw in 2014

*Has cost over $400 billion

*Possibility of a failed state

*Democratic gov’t has been established

Bush then turned his attention to Iraq, where many feared Saddam Hussein was stockpiling Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

In 2003, U.S. and British forces invaded Iraq.

With the war in Afghanistan going successfully. Bush wanted to start focusing his attention on other hot spots in the Middle East.

*Invasion started on March 20, 2003

*U.S. withdrew in December 2011

*4,486 U.S. causalities

*Reasons for war were based on Iraq having WMD’s and harboring al Qaeda members---neither was ever proven true

*Saddam Hussein captured and executed

*Very controversial: No WMD’s found, no evidence of helping al Qaeda

*Cost estimated at over $1 trillion

*Democratic gov’t has been established

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwfDHXT7RBM

http://usiraq.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000668