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Contemporary Issues

Contemporary Issues. 1970 – Present. Rachael Carson. Launched the modern-day environmental movement Silent Spring brought environmental concerns to a new height in America Silent Spring was met with fierce denial by chemical companies; it spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy

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Contemporary Issues

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  1. Contemporary Issues 1970 – Present

  2. Rachael Carson • Launched the modern-day environmental movement • Silent Spring brought environmental concerns to a new height in America • Silent Spring was met with fierce denial by chemical companies; it spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy • Led to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides • Inspired a grassroots movement that led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  3. OPEC and Oil Crisis • Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC: Arab oil-producing countries in Middle East and NE Africa • Libya, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Qatar, Nigeria, Algeria • OPEC agreed to not send oil to US (oil embargo) in response to US financial support for Israel, 1973 • US was getting 1/3 of its oil from OPEC • Resulted in fuel shortages, higher prices and long lines

  4. President Jimmy Carter • Elected in ‘76 for honesty & integrity • Focused on human rights • Response to Soviet action in Afghanistan was unpopular • boycotted Olympics in 1980 • grain embargo • Viewed as weak in handling the Iran hostage crisis • Helped secure Camp David Accords between Israelis and Egyptians • Tried to convince Americans to save energy and conserve oil

  5. President Carter’s Energy Policy speechApril 18, 1975 • “I know that some of you may doubt that we face real energy shortages. The 1973 gasoline lines are gone, and our homes are warm again. But our energy problem is worse tonight than it was in 1973 or a few weeks ago in the dead of winter. It is worse because more waste has occurred, and more time has passed by without our planning for the future. And it will get worse every day until we act.” • Does this still ring true today? Ideas?

  6. Iran-Contra Affair • 1985-86 • Contras (rebel group fighting Nicaraguan govt.) needed funding for their war • Iran had US hostages; President Reagan was convinced to sell weapons to Iran in exchange for the hostages • White House Security Council secretly moved the $$ from Iran’s illegal weapons to the Contras’ war effort

  7. Iran-Contra Affair (cont.) …..Or to put it in song!

  8. Iran-Contra Affair (cont.) Okay, so maybe we should give a little bit more explanation.

  9. Iran-Contra Affair (cont.) • A full-scale Congressional investigation (similar to Watergate) took place • Reagan admitted to the weapons sale to Iran, but didn’t know about the Contras • Full details were not known due to cover-ups, destruction of key documents, and perjury

  10. Iran-Contra Affair (cont.) Questions to think about. Do the “end’s” justify the “means?” Does the President’s role as Commander and Chief and Constitutional obligation of keeping the nation secure ALSO give him(or her) the right to violate U.S. law?

  11. Fall of the Berlin Wall • In 1989, Soviet Union’s leader Mikhail Gorbachev, called for glasnost, opening, and perestroika, restructuring, of the Soviet Union • The Berlin Wall coming down signified the end of the Cold War • November 1989

  12. Persian Gulf War • Aug 1990- Feb 1991 • War started when Iraq invaded Kuwait • United Nations, led by US, sent troops to get Iraq out of Kuwait • Operation Desert Storm: massive air campaign to destroy the Iraqi air force and anti-aircraft facilities

  13. Results of the Gulf War • Victory over Iraq was achieved by the US • Avoided nuclear war • Stopped atrocities against people of Kuwait • Minimized US troops being killed • due to air, not ground war • Did NOT remove Saddam Hussein from power

  14. September 11, 2001 • Osama bin Laden, leader of al-Qaeda, conducted the first attack on US soil since Pearl Harbor. • May 1, 2011: Navy SEALS killed bin Laden in Abottabad, Pakistan in a covert operation • Al-Qaeda acknowledged his death on May 6, 2011, concurrently vowing to retaliate

  15. September 11, 2001 Next, we’ll take a couple of minutes to watch a short video of photos taken on September 11th, 2001. Questions to think about (write down your thoughts in your notes) What does the silence of the video communicate? What do the images make you think of? Most importantly, what do the images make you feel?

  16. Operation Iraqi Freedom • Began in March 2003: WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) were the main reason the US went in • Goal was to get Saddam Hussein out of power • Saddam was captured in Dec. 2003

  17. Results of Operation Iraqi Freedom • In 2005, official US govt. report concluded that Iraq had no nuclear or biological weapons (WMDs) • Pres. Bush took heat and was labeled a liar • Established new Iraqi govt. • Free elections in 2005 led to Iraqi Constitution • Rival religious groups made free elections difficult • Terrorist groups (former Hussein loyalists and religious extremists) caused violence against US troops and Iraqi civilians • US exited Iraq in December 2011

  18. Questions?

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