President George HW Bush (1988-1992)

President George HW Bush (1988-1992) • Presided over collapse of Soviet Union: • decreased threat of nuclear war • U.S. seen as the main superpower • Violence in Balkans Pres. Bush and Yeltsin

Fighting Apartheid in South Africa • What was Apartheid? • Rigid system of segregation • Global movement for Divestment in 1980s • Divestment – withdrawing all investments • Congress imposed sanctions, but stopped short of full divestment • President Bush met with Nelson Mandela Sun City Video

Operation Just Cause • Invasion of Panama by U.S. to oust Noriega (Dec. 20, 1989 – Jan. 3, 1990) • Manuel Noriega on CIA payroll (1959-80s) • Bush Director of CIA in 1970s • Noriega working with AND against drug cartels in “War on Drugs” • Reasons for Invasion: • Safeguard U.S. citizens in Panama • Defend Human Rights and Democracy • Combat drug trafficking • Protect Torrijos-Carter Treaties • Casualties: 24 U.S. soldiers, 200 Panamanian soldiers • Civilians – 200 to 4000; fires raged throughout city • Noriega sentenced to 40 years (reduced to 30 later) • Clinton transfers Canal Zone back to Panama in 1999

Operation Desert Storm • First Persian Gulf War with Iraq • Kuwait was diagonal drilling into Iraq’s wells • Iraq invaded Kuwait • U.S. led UN-sanctioned effort to help Kuwait • Quick war • Few American casualties; many Iraqi casualties • Sadaam Hussein remained in power • Economic sanctions on Iraq

Operation Restore Hope • Somalia (Dec. 1992 to May 1993) • Chaos in Somalia – local warlords vying for power • 500,000 Somalis dead of starvation; 1000’s more refugees at risk • Humanitarian groups targeted for violence • Effort to ensure the success of humanitarian aid in Southern Somalia • UN sanctioned multinational force (UNITAF – Unified Task Force) • Battle of Mogadishu (1993) – Black Hawk Down

President George HW Bush (1988-1992)