IRAN AND IRAQ AFFAIRS: THE SHIFTING OF US ALLIANCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Jimmy Carter became president after

Gerald Ford

Jimmy Carter beat Ford because the republican parties image was destroyed by the

Watergate Scandal

The agreement between Egypt and Israel facilitated by Jimmy Carter

Camp David Accords

Operation where the CIA toppled Iranian gov’t and Mossadegh

Operation AJAX

The Shah put into power by the USA/CIA 1953-1979

Reza Pahlavi

America supported the Shah because of..

the desire to acquire oil

Iranian people disliked the Shah because…

He “westernized” the Islamic land, allowed women rights, and there was a lack of civil rights

Ayatollah Khomeini

Claimed the shah would destroy Iran, returned after Shah was toppled by revolutionaries during the Iranian revolution

Iranian hostage crisis

American Embassy workers held hostage for 444 days

What caused the Iranian hostage crisis?

Jimmy Carter allowed the Shah to come to the US for cancer treatment

Failed rescue attempt in which 8 troops died

Operation Eagle Claw

What effect did the Iranian Hostage Crisis have on the election?

Jimmy Carter lost all popularity and lost the election by a landslide

The speech that further plummeted Carters popularity and angered the American people

Malaise speech

Reasons for Ronald Regans popularity

Ex Hollywood actor, tough on communism, Used the cold war to his advantage

They did not release the hostages until after

Reagans inaguration

What country did the USSR invade in 1979 with 100,000 troops and high tech weaponry

Afghanistan

Soviets withdraw because

Afghan freedom fighters make it unprofitable for soviets to stay and internal economics forced them to withdraw

Life after the Soviets in Afghanistan

USA supported rebels, soviets leave. 1/3 of Afghans dead or displaced.

Why was the Taliban the most powerful faction?

Because of their desire to return to traditional life based on Islamic teachings

What was the “New Right”

The new conservative coalition, to “restore Christian values,” reduce welfare programs, called for reduction in size/power of gov’t but favored huge military budget

The 1980s “revolution”

Conservative party gained popularity, Regan was the “great communicator”

Who was John Hinckley Jr?

A man who attempted to assassinate Reagan just 69 days into presidency

What were the ideas of Reganomics

Cut taxes to put more money in the hands of businesses- lower taxes for the rich, promote and create new jobs

Supply side vs Keynesian

Conservitives favored tax breaks for the rich, liberals favored tax breaks for the working class

What was the New Federalism

Regans style, limited government, reduced unemployment compensation, lowered welfare benifits,

What did Reagan do for the military

Built it up, sharp increase in spending, new weapons/tech, Strategic defense “Star Wars”

Regan and the recession

1981-1982, Inflation slowed, consumer spending increased- 1980 National debt = $909 Billion, 1990 = 3.2 trillion