Presentation Transcript

1. Warm Up What does the term “impeachment” mean? Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, may include the removal of that official from office as well as criminal or civil punishment. List the presidents that you know that have been impeached. Andrew Johnson (trial) and Bill Clinton (trial). The House Judiciary Committee voted on Articles of Impeachment for President Richard Nixon, but he resigned before the full House of Representatives could vote on any articles. Since the entire House did not vote, Nixon was never impeached.

2. William (Bill) Clinton 1993-2001

   (Democrat)
3. The Balkans Crisis (American Intervention in Bosnia) – the U.S. provided air and naval support to the UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the early 1990s. In 1995, the U.S. participated as part of the NATO peacekeeping force sent to enforce the Dayton Peace Accords. These agreements ended local hostilities and laid the foundation for the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina to become stable and rebuild.
4. Meanwhile in Asia: Taliban Takes Over Afghanistan – The Taliban spread from Pakistan into Afghanistan and formed a government, ruling as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from September 1996 until December 2001. However, it gained diplomatic recognition from only three states: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Taliban had overthrown the Mujahedeen who they believe were corrupted by the West. While in power, it enforced its strict interpretation of Sharia law, and leading Muslims have been highly critical of the Taliban's interpretations of Islamic law. The Taliban were condemned internationally for their brutal treatment of women.
5. Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan - In 1996, bin Laden moved to Afghanistan from Sudan. Bin Laden was able to forge an alliance between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. The Al Qaeda-trained 055 Brigade integrated with the Taliban army between 1997 and 2001.
6. American Embassy Bombing in East Africa - After the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Africa, bin Laden and several Al-Qaeda members were indicted in U.S. criminal court. In response to the 1998 Al-Qaeda bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa that killed a dozen Americans and hundreds of Africans, Clinton ordered cruise missile strikes on terrorist targets in Afghanistan and Sudan. After missile strike in Afghanistan. We missed bin Laden by a few hours. American Embassy
7. Somali Civil War - The Battle of Mogadishu occurred in Somalia in 1993. During the operation, two U.S. helicopters were shot down by rocket-propelled grenade attacks to their tail rotors, trapping soldiers behind enemy lines. This resulted in an urban battle that killed 18 American soldiers, wounded 73 others, and one was taken prisoner. There were many more Somali casualties.
8. U.S./China Relations - On October 10, 2000, Clinton signed into law the U.S.–China Relations Act of 2000, which granted permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) trade status to People's Republic of China.
9. The Oslo I Accord - was an attempt in 1993 to set up a framework that would lead to the resolution of the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict. It was the first face-to-face agreement between the government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). An agreement was reached and signed by Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin, just in time for the official signing in Washington. The Accords were officially signed on 13 September 1993, at a Washington ceremony hosted by U.S. President Bill Clinton.
10. 1993 Attack on the World Trade Center -  The first Islamist terrorist attack on the World Trade Center occurred on February 26, 1993, at 12:17 p.m., a Ryder truck filled with 1,500 pounds of explosives, planted by Ramzi Yousef, detonated in the underground garage of the North Tower. The blast opened a 100 foot hole through five sublevels. Six people were killed and 50,000 other workers and visitors were left gasping for air within the 110 story towers.
11. Yousef fled to Pakistan after the bombing but was arrested in Islamabad in February 1995, and was extradited back to the United States to face trial.  Yousef and EyadIsmoil were convicted in November 1997 for their carrying out the bombing. Four others had been convicted in May 1994 for their involvement in the 1993 bombing. According to a presiding judge, the conspirators' chief aim at the time of the attack was to destabilize the north tower and send it crashing into the south tower, toppling both landmarks. Yousef stated: "Yes, I am a terrorist, and proud of it as long as it is against the U.S. government and against Israel, because you are more than terrorists; you are the one who invented terrorism and using it every day. You are butchers, liars and hypocrites." He was sentenced to two life sentences for his part in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and Bojinka plot.
12. Domestic Policy and Issues The Economy - Clinton also oversaw a boom of the U.S. economy. Under Clinton, the United States had a projected federal budget surplus for the first time since 1969.
13. Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) - On September 21, 1996, Clinton signed into law the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage for federal purposes as the legal union of one man and one woman, allowing individual states to refuse to recognize gay marriages performed in other state.  In defense of his actions, Clinton has said that DOMA was an attempt to "head off an attempt to send a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage to the states", a possibility he described as highly likely in the context of a "very reactionary Congress."
14. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” - That month, Clinton implemented a Department of Defense directive known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", which allowed gay men and women to serve in the armed services provided they kept their sexuality a secret, and forbade the military from inquiring about an individual's sexual orientation.
15. President Clinton’s impeachment – 42nd President of the United States, was impeached by the House of Representatives on two charges, one of perjury and one of obstruction of justice, on December 19, 1998. Two other impeachment articles, a second perjury charge and a charge of abuse of power, failed in the House. The charges arose from the Lewinsky scandal and the Paula Jones lawsuit. He was acquitted by the Senate on February 12, 1999. Requiring a two-thirds majority for a conviction, only 50 senators (out of 100) voted guilty on the obstruction charge and 45 on the perjury charge. The Senate was 17 votes short of removing Clinton from office.
16. The voting in the House and Senate was largely partisan. In the House, only five Democratic Representatives voted to impeach. In the Senate, which had 55 Republican Senators, none of the Democratic Senators voted for conviction. It was only the second impeachment of a President in American history, the other being that of Andrew Johnson, who was also acquitted by the Senate, but by the margin of one vote. Even though President Clinton was acquitted the public approval rating for the president’s office declined just has the Watergate scandal negatively affected public opinion of Richard Nixon.