George Bush Jr. party. Bush family
George W. Bush was born on July 6, 1946 in New Haven, Connecticut, in the family of a retired pilot, the future 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Bush. George Jr., who was the first-born of his parents, had three brothers - Jacob, Neil and Marvin, and two sisters - Paulina and Dorothy.
Education
George spent his childhood in Midland, Texas, where he graduated from seven grades of school, after which he moved with his family to Houston, continuing his studies at private school"Kincade." After leaving school, George entered Phillips Academy, and higher education received at Yale, where he did not shine with results, but was a recognized leader among students. In 1968, Bush Jr. received a bachelor's degree in history, after which he enlisted in the Air Force National Guard Texas and served as an F-102 interceptor pilot until 1973.
After completing his Air Force service, George studied business at Harvard. After graduating with an MBA, George W. Bush returned to his native Maryland and worked for an oil company until 1986. In 1989, he became a co-owner of the Rangers baseball club. Texas.
Beginning of a political career
George supported his father in his election campaigns as an adviser many times, and in 1977 he ran unsuccessfully for the US House of Representatives.
George Walker Bush was elected Governor of Texas on November 8, 1994. While in this post, Bush successfully collaborated with the opposition, brought him to work in social sphere representatives of different religious communities, and was even supported by influential Democrats in the state. In the 1998 Texas governor's race, Bush won despite accusations from opponents that he had excessively imposed death sentences on those convicted during his first term.
First term as President of the United States
In 1999, Bush Jr. was nominated for the post of President of the United States of America. After the most controversial election in American history, which culminated in lawsuits over allegations of fraud and recounts of votes, on November 7, 2000, George Walker Bush became President of the United States, snatching the “palm” from his Democratic rival Al Gore. In this election campaign, the Bush Jr. campaign successfully exploited the scandal surrounding former president Clinton, linked to Monica Lewinsky, helped a son succeed his father for the second time in US history after John C. Adams. It should also be noted that Bush Jr. became president, losing to his opponent in the number of citizen votes, but ahead of him in the counting of electoral votes.
In his inauguration speech, the newly elected president assured US citizens that he would reform social insurance and significantly reduce taxes. Both liberals and conservatives were brought in to work in the Bush administration, and the result of their efforts was the proposed federal budget of 1.96 trillion in February 2001. dollars, according to which taxes were indeed reduced, and education and the armed forces received additional funding. By this time, the US economy had already felt the pressure of the crisis, and the main financial document was subject to severe criticism. In spite of this, George W. Bush got Congress to advance his tax program.
The Presidential Administration successfully dealt with the unexpected and potentially serious challenges that confronted the United States in 2001. Difficult negotiations for the release of American pilots who made an emergency landing in China, several cases of bioterrorism in the United States, forced Bush to concentrate more attention in the security sphere. As a result, the defense department began implementing a new plan to build a missile defense system, and George Bush unveiled the concept of the “Axis of Evil.”
September 11, 2001 and the Iraq War
The terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, which killed more than 3 million people, shocked the entire world. The Bush administration blamed one of the Taliban leaders, Osama Bin Laden, who was declared US enemy No. 1. After his refusal to extradite him to Afghanistan, where Bin Laden was hiding according to US intelligence, the Bush administration, enlisting the support of a coalition of an unprecedented number of states, launched a military campaign in that country, the goal of which was to remove the Taliban from rule. Military operations of the US armed forces in Afghanistan at the end of 2001 destroyed most of the Taliban and brought to power the Mujahideen group “Northern Alliance”, which initiated the creation of a government of national unity in the country. At the same time, Bush Jr. creates the Office of Homeland Security, which is endowed with unlimited rights in the fight against terrorists. And in December 2001, the United States denounced the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.
In 2003, under the pretext of preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the US Armed Forces invade Iraq. Saddam Hussein was accused by George W. Bush of having ties to al-Qaeda, and military operations were aimed at overthrowing him. The international community did not support Bush's accusations, considering the evidence presented to be far-fetched and insufficient. At the same time investigative journalism refuted the accusations made by the Bush administration, proving the absence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and denying Saddam's connection with terrorists. The real reasons for US aggression in Iraq were cited as the fall in Bush's ratings due to the ineffectiveness of reforms, as well as the desire of large American oil companies to gain access to Iraqi hydrocarbon fields. In addition, the US government has signed multimillion-dollar contracts with private arms manufacturers to meet the needs of the military in Iraq.
Second presidential term
All these events led to Bush Jr. being re-elected to a second term in November 2004, ahead of Democratic representative J. Kerry in the election race. Hurricane Katrina in September 2005 brought irreparable losses to New Orleans and the president's reputation. Slow response federal services the disaster led to the death of several hundred people, and most the city was flooded.
In 2007, the George W. Bush administration came out in support of Ukraine and Georgia joining NATO, which would help the United States deploy elements of its missile defense system in Eastern Europe.
Bush's support among US citizens fell as much in his second term as it had risen in his first term. In 2009, he was replaced by new President Barack Obama. And George Walker Bush today lives in Texas, where he writes his memoirs and studies social activities.
43rd President of the United States, Republican. He was elected to this post twice - in 2000 and 2004, and first took office on January 20, 2001. The presidential term expired on January 20, 2009. The eight years of George W. Bush's reign were marked by the beginning of the US global war against international terrorism (resulting in two large-scale military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq), a large-scale reduction in the tax burden for Americans, the introduction of the famous concept of the “axis of evil,” and the mortgage crisis (which caused global crisis liquidity), as well as unsurpassed statements, popularly called “Bushisms”.
Biography
George Walker Bush was born on July 6, 1946. in New Haven (Connecticut) in the family of Barbara and George Herbert Walker Bush, at that time a student at Yale University, and later director of the CIA and 41st President of the United States (1988-1992).
George Jr. spent his childhood in Texas - in the cities of Midland and Houston. At age 15, he was sent to Phillips Academy in Massachusetts (a boarding school for boys); Having graduated from it, he followed in his father’s footsteps and entered Yale University, where he studied very mediocrely, but, nevertheless, received a bachelor’s degree in 1968.
After graduating from Yale University, George W. Bush joined the Texas National Guard, where he served as an Air Force pilot until 1973. He attended Harvard Business School for the next two years, where he received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, after which he returned to Midland and went into business. However, unlike his father, George W. Bush did not succeed in the oil business: he brought his small business almost to bankruptcy. Definite negative impact There were also problems with alcohol, which George W. Bush experienced until his 40th birthday.
The life of the future president changed dramatically in 1986: it was then that he put an end to his addiction to alcohol, and soon his affairs slowly went uphill. So, he managed to agree on favorable conditions about the merger of his oil company with a larger one, and in 1989. He and his partners acquired the Texas Rangers baseball club. A purchase investment of $600,000 in borrowed funds turned into $15 million after a few years.
Soon George Bush managed to succeed in the political field: in 1994. he was elected governor of Texas, and in 1998. - re-elected to this post. In 1999 George Bush declares his intention to run for the presidency of the United States. And in 2000 wins a highly controversial election that included a controversial recount and weeks of legal battles.
It is noteworthy that George Bush received in the 2000 elections. fewer popular votes (47.9%) than his rival, US Vice President Al Gore (48.4%) - however, he managed to beat the latter in electoral votes (271 versus 266) and thanks to this he became president. Before George W. Bush, there were only three presidents in US history who lost the popular vote but won thanks to the electors.
The fate of the 2000 elections was decided in Florida, where George's brother Jeb Bush was the governor at that moment, and 25 electoral votes were at stake. The initial vote count gave George Bush an advantage of 1 thousand voters with 6 million ballots cast. A. Gore's team filed an appeal, demanding a recount of votes and insisting that errors were made during the counting. The recalculation was carried out several times until Supreme Court The United States did not secure George W. Bush's victory by its decision, refusing another recount of votes in order to avoid a political crisis in the country.
From the very beginning, the new president faced a difficult test: after a little more than six months of his rule, on September 11, 2001. A group of terrorists carried out an unprecedented attack on New York and Washington, using hijacked passenger airliners to hit the World Trade Center (WTC) and the Pentagon. The international terrorist network Al-Qaeda, led by radical extremist Osama bin Laden, claimed responsibility for the attacks. Then George Bush declared a global war on terrorism and demanded that the Afghan Taliban hand over the leader of al-Qaeda, who, according to intelligence, was hiding in the mountains near the Afghan-Pakistan border. The Taliban refused, after which the United States assembled a coalition of allies and at the end of 2001. sent troops into Afghanistan.
Around the same time, George Bush designated the so-called. “axis of evil” - countries supporting terrorism or developing weapons of mass destruction (WMD) with the possible subsequent transfer of them to terrorists. The “Axis” was formed by Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Syria and a number of other states. In 2003 The Bush administration accused the then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein of developing weapons of mass destruction and having ties with al-Qaeda, and under this pretext sent troops into Iraq in March of the same year.
The campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan and the overthrow of the regimes existing there turned into protracted guerrilla wars for the American army with annual budget expenditures hundreds of billions of dollars. The US state budget, which was in surplus under previous President Bill Clinton, has again become deficit. Osama bin Laden was never captured, weapons of mass destruction were never found in Iraq (nor were the ties between Saddam Hussein’s regime and al-Qaeda proven), and thousands of American soldiers died in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns. Despite this, George Bush never repented of his decisions - according to him, thanks to the US military efforts, the world has become a better and more democratic place.
However, the economic situation in the United States under George W. Bush was shaken not only because of costly military campaigns. Two years after his election as president, a loud scandal broke out around the largest corporate bankruptcy in US history - the case of the energy corporation Enron, whose management falsified financial statements and misled investors and employees. A year before the final collapse, Enron shares fell 85 times in price, its former vice president committed suicide, and shareholders lost a total of $60 billion. The fact that Enron was the main corporate sponsor of George W. Bush in the elections added piquancy to the situation. governors of Texas in the 90s, and also one of the largest donors to the 2000 presidential campaign. The Enron scandal led to tighter controls over corporate reporting and company auditing, making the New York Stock Exchange less attractive to investors, who as a result began to move to the more liberal London exchange.
Another shock awaited George Bush at the end of his second term. The US housing boom of the 1990s led to lower real estate prices and an increase in the subprime mortgage market. Gradually, non-payments on such mortgage loans increased, and in August 2007. exceeded a critical level, causing a “domino effect” - securities secured by such loans and other financial instruments depreciated. The mortgage crisis turned into a liquidity crisis and led to multibillion-dollar losses for leading American banks and financial institutions.
George W. Bush's presidential term expired on January 20, 2009. After the new Democratic president took office, George W. Bush retired from public politics, retiring to his ranch in Texas.
Two years later in November 2010. The former President of the United States released a book of memoirs called Decision Points, in which, by his own admission, he wanted to allow readers to look at his work as President "from his own point of view." In the book, he especially dwells on such “decisive moments” of his presidency as the invasion of Iraq, friendship with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who at that time was called his “loyal vassal,” the practice of “special” interrogation methods at the CIA, the devastating Hurricane Katrina ", which hit Louisiana in August 2005, and, of course, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
George W. Bush is a Republican and the 43rd President of the United States. He was elected to this post twice, taking office for the first time in 2001. The period of his presidential powers ended in 2009. 8 years of his reign were marked by the beginning of the US war against terrorism in the world (which resulted in 2 large-scale military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan), the introduction the famous phrase “axis of evil”, a large-scale reduction in the tax burden for Americans, the mortgage crisis, which entailed a global liquidity crisis, in addition, unsurpassed statements, popularly called “Bushisms”.
Childhood
George Walker Bush was born in New Haven on July 6, 1946 in the family of George Herbert Walker and his father, a student at that time, later became the director of the CIA, as well as the 41st president of the United States. The boy spent his childhood in Texas, in the cities of Houston and Midland.
Education
George W. Bush was sent to a boarding school for boys (Phillips Academy) in Massachusetts at the age of fifteen; After graduating, he followed in his father's footsteps by attending Yale University. There he studied mediocrely, but in 1968 he still received a bachelor's degree.
Career
After completing his training, George W. Bush joined the Texas National Guard. There he served as an Air Force pilot until 1973. The next 2 years were spent studying in where I graduated with a Master of Business Administration degree. He then returned to Midland, after which he went into business. At the same time, unlike his father, he failed to succeed in the oil business: he brought his already small business almost to bankruptcy. Quite serious problems with alcohol had a certain influence here - they accompanied George W. Bush until his fortieth birthday.
1986
The future president's life changed dramatically in 1986. Then he put an end to his alcohol addiction, after which his business slowly went uphill (Bush admits that his life until the age of 40 lacked focus). Then he managed to agree on the merger of his company with another, larger one, on terms favorable to him. Together with partners in 1989, he acquired the Texas Rangers (baseball club). Investments in this purchase in the amount of 600 thousand dollars of borrowed funds brought him 15 million dollars after a few years.
Governor of Texas
Soon, George W. Bush was also able to succeed in the political field: in 1994 he was elected governor of Texas, and 4 years later he was re-elected to the same post. George Bush in 1999 announced his desire to run for president of the country. A year later, he won a highly controversial election that included lengthy legal battles and a controversial recount of the votes received.
US President
The new president's initial program was focused on US domestic policy and included large-scale education reform and tax cuts. The focus of his presidential administration shifted dramatically after 2001, when the deadliest terrorist attack in world history occurred on September 11. President George W. Bush then declared a “war on terror.” After this, in 2001, an operation was carried out in Afghanistan, which ended with the overthrow of the Taliban regime. It is worth noting that the foreign policy of George W. Bush was then carried out on the basis of the “Bush Doctrine,” which implied unilateral actions without approval by the international community and the delivery of preventive strikes against the enemy. Bush's anti-terrorism policy also developed within the country itself, after which the powers of law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies were significantly expanded.
Domestic policy of George W. Bush
Bush in domestic policy The country advocated reducing interference in the life of society by the executive branch. The moment that the President international situation understood very poorly, always became an object of ridicule, did not interfere with his popularity and even served as the basis for comparing him with Ronald Reagan. The president's domestic political program was very attractive to different groups voters. In addition to the reduction, he also put forward a number of initiatives in the field of education and pensions, which were considered the “strong point” of the Democrats.
Invasion of Iraq
In 2003, US troops entered Iraq, which, according to George W. Bush, was part of the “axis of evil” along with Iran and North Korea. It is worth noting that the basis for the attack was information that Saddam Hussein’s regime has weapons of mass destruction. But in the end this was not confirmed. In May 2003, the combat phase of the operation ended, but in post-war settlement no decisive success was achieved.
Significant elements of Bush's policy also include multilateral consultations regarding China's nuclear program, as well as participation in resolving the conflict in Israel. Bush was able to establish friendly relations with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, but this did not lead to a resolution of the contradictions that exist between Russia and the United States.
Second presidential term
George W. Bush, whose policies were constantly criticized abroad and domestically, was re-elected to a second term in 2004, defeating the Democratic senator. During the 2nd Bush administration, the main directions of the country's policy did not undergo significant changes. He continued the fight against terrorism in the country, as well as the policy of reducing taxes. In foreign policy, the President tried to overcome the emerging differences with his European allies, which arose due to US actions in Iraq. In 2005, Bush attended the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Victory in Moscow. By the end of 2005, observers noted a significant decline in his level of popularity among Americans, which was mainly due to his policies regarding Iraq.
Lebanese-Israeli conflict
The Lebanese-Israeli conflict that occurred in 2006 became another cause of disagreement with European allies: the United States supported Israel without joining the demands for a ceasefire. George W. Bush, President of the United States, considered the confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel as part of the war on terrorism.
In 2006, she lost in the midterm elections, after which control of both houses of Congress passed to the Democrats. Bush, bowing to their pressure, was forced to dismiss the Pentagon's most unpopular minister. Observers largely expected a change in Iraqi strategy, including a troop withdrawal, but in 2007 the president announced the deployment of new forces.
Relations with Russia
It should be noted that 2007 was marked by an increase in tension in relations between Russia and the United States: the leadership of our country, headed by V.V. Putin criticized the American foreign policy course, including the possibility of deploying a missile defense system on the territory of Eastern European countries.
During the period of hostilities in South Ossetia, Bush condemned Russian actions, calling Russia's military intervention a “disproportionate” use of force, and also threatened our country with international isolation, as well as exclusion from the so-called G8. At the same time, Bush considered the news of the recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia irresponsible, condemned the Russian side and called on it to reconsider this decision.
Bush supported John McCain for president in 2008. But McCain lost to Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee.
George W. Bush, whose biography is described in this article, officially left the presidency on January 20, 2009, when the 44th, new US President was sworn in in Washington during his inauguration.
Personal qualities
Among George Bush's personal qualities, his unique ability to seek compromise stood out - he demonstrated it even during his governorship. Bush, adhering to conservative views, avoided extremes. What he lacked in knowledge of political issues he ably compensated for with his personal charm, and this played a major role in his tremendous electoral success. George is married and is the father of 2 twin daughters.
The 43rd President of the United States, George Walker Bush, was born in New Haven, July 6, 1946. George W. Bush served as President from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009.Bush's father, George Herbert Bush, was a retired naval pilot. Mother, Barbara Bush, later gave birth to her husband four more children: daughter Paulina, who died of leukemia, sons Jacob, Neil and Marvin, the last one was born daughter Dorothy. Grandfather, Perescott Sheldon Bush, 1952 to 1963 served as a state senator. Connecticut.
Bush Jr. spent his entire childhood in Midland (pcs.). After finishing seventh grade, he moved with his family to. In Houston, he completed two classes at the Kincaid private school, after which he entered Phillips Academy. While studying at , Bush did very poorly academically, but he was terribly popular and somehow still received a bachelor's degree in 1968. From 1968 to 1973 Bush served in the National Guard. In the Texas Air National Guard, he was an F-102 pilot.
From 1973 to 1975 – Bush continued his education at business school, where he received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. After this, George returned to his native Mildred. Here he worked for an oil company until 1986.
Bush served as his father's adviser many times during presidential races. In 1977, George W. Bush ran for the House of Representatives. In 1989, Bush bought the Texas Rangers baseball club.
November 8, 1994 Bush is elected governor of the state. In this post, Bush established cooperation with the opposition, proposed that representatives of all faiths participate more actively in social work, and enlisted the support of influential state Democrats. On November 3, 1998, he was re-elected governor. But Bush had opponents, those who accused him of signing death warrants during his first term in office.
In 1999, Bush Jr. announced his decision to run for President of the United States. It was the most controversial election in American history, with allegations of voter fraud, five weeks of legal battles and recounts. November 7, 2000 George W. Bush defeats Albert Gore to become the new President of the United States. During the election campaign, Bush skillfully played up and presented the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal to the public, which played into his hands. He became the second US president (after John Q. Adams) to take office after his father's reign. Another record that is attributed to Bush is that he became the candidate who lost in terms of the number of citizen votes received (by 0.5 million people), but received a majority of electoral votes.
At his inauguration, Bush promised to reform Social Security and cut taxes. Liberals and conservatives worked together in the Bush administration. In February 2001, Bush proposed a federal budget of 1.96 trillion. $, according to which taxes were significantly reduced and allocations for the armed forces and the educational sector increased.
A noticeable economic downturn has begun in the United States. The budget was criticized, but Congress continued to implement the tax program.
In April 2001, American pilots made an emergency landing on Chinese territory. The Bush administration entered into difficult negotiations with the Chinese government over the release of the pilots. At the end of the year, several cases of bioterrorism were recorded in the country. Envelopes with anthrax. The presidential administration began creating a missile defense system. A year later, Bush outlined an "Axis of Evil." In addition, the president suspended research in the field of genetics.
On September 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States. About 3,000 people lost their lives that day. The Bush administration asked the Taliban to hand over the main suspect in these events, Osama Bin Laden, who was hiding from American intelligence services in Afghanistan. But Bush received a sharp refusal. Then the president threatened that he would smoke the Taliban out of their holes and bring them, one way or another, to justice. The United States has created an unprecedented coalition with the right to participate in hostilities in Afghanistan. By the end of 2001, the Northern Alliance mujahideen group, with the support of the US military, won control of Afghanistan. A government of national unity was created in the country, and most of the Taliban were destroyed.
At this time, in the USA, Bush creates the Office of Homeland Security. The department was given unlimited powers against terrorists. In December 2001, the United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Moscow reacted calmly to the US decision.
In 2003, Bush initiated the attack on Iraq. Thus, the United States intended to overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein. Bush accused Hussein of having ties to al-Qaeda and said Iraq was hiding weapons of mass destruction. But many countries considered the US statement far-fetched and did not support Bush. The United States broke the Iraqis, but this also caused mixed assessments from the country's population and the world community as a whole. Subsequent events only confirmed the powerlessness of the Americans in the war on terrorism. What happened next was even worse. Evidence appeared in the press that the terrorist attacks were Bush's adventure and that Saddam never maintained any relations with al-Qaeda. The reason was cited as the falling ratings of the Bush administration, as a result of its ineffective economic reforms; in that it provided the opportunity for large oil refining companies to extract oil in Iraq. In addition, with Bush's permission, private companies were given substantial contracts to produce weapons for the needs of the US Army in Iraq.
In November 2004, Bush won the election again, defeating Democrat John Kerry. In early September 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. This hurricane caused enormous damage to the city and the image of Bush himself. 80% of New Orleans was under water. Due to the slowness of the authorities to evacuate the population, several hundred people died. Residents of New Orleans were asked to leave their homes before the hurricane hit, but most did not have the means to leave the city. In the 2006 midterm elections, the Republicans suffered a complete defeat.
In 2007, Bush actively supported the idea of stationing elements of the United States missile defense system in Eastern Europe and advocated for Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO.
On December 14, 2008, during a press conference in Baghdad, journalist Muntazar al-Zaidi attempted to hit Bush with his boots. The boots did not reach the podium. Bush found the situation "funny." But in Iraq, such an act is considered an insult of the highest order. In addition, the daredevil cursed the president from head to toe. The journalist was arrested and beaten. The boots were examined, but nothing was found in them. explosive substances. On March 12, 2009, the court sentenced Muntazar to three years in prison, but the journalist was released in September 2009 for good behavior.
Wikipedia has articles about other people with this last name, see Bush.
| George Walker Bush George Walker Bush |
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| January 20, 2001 - January 20, 2009 | ||||
| Vice President: | Richard "Dick" Cheney | |||
| Predecessor: | William "Bill" Clinton | |||
| Successor: | Barack Obama | |||
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| January 17, 1995 - December 21, 2000 | ||||
| Lieutenant Governor: | Bob Bullock James "Rick" Perry |
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| Predecessor: | Ann Richards | |||
| Successor: | James Richard "Rick" Perry | |||
| Citizenship: | USA | |||
| Religion: | Methodist Protestant | |||
| Birth: | July 6, 1946 ( 1946-07-06
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(68 years old) New Haven (Connecticut), Connecticut (USA) |
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| Father: | George Herbert Walker Bush | |||
| Mother: | Barbara Bush | |||
| Spouse: | Laura Bush | |||
| Children: | daughters: Barbara and Jenna | |||
| Party: | US Republican Party | |||
| Education: | Yale University (BA) Harvard Business School (MBA) |
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| Military service | ||||
| Years of service: | 1968-1973 | |||
| Affiliation: | USA USA | |||
| Type of troops: | Texas Air National Guard | |||
| Rank: | 1st Lieutenant | |||
| Autograph: |  |
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George Walker Bush on Wikimedia Commons |
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George Walker Bush(English) George Walker Bush [ˈdʒɔrdʒ ˈwɔːkər ˈbʊʃ]; July 6, 1946, New Haven, Connecticut, USA) - American Republican politician, 43rd President of the United States from 2001-2009, Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000.
Son of the 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush, also known as George W. Bush. He graduated from Yale University in 1968 and Harvard Business School in 1975. Served in the Air National Guard from 1968 to 1974. In 1994 he was elected governor of Texas, and in 1998 he was re-elected to a second term. In 2000, he defeated then-Vice President Al Gore in the presidential election.
A few months after Bush took office, a series of major terrorist attacks occurred in the United States on September 11, 2001, in response to which Bush declared a global “war on terrorism.” That same year, the United States invaded Afghanistan and Iraq in 2003. In addition to national security issues, Bush introduced a series of reforms in the areas of health care, education and social security, and seriously cut taxes.
In 2004, Bush was successfully re-elected to a second term, defeating Democratic Senator John Kerry. In 2005, the Bush administration was criticized for its mismanagement of the Hurricane Katrina crisis. In December 2007, the United States entered the largest recession since World War II, which forced the presidential administration to intervene more actively in the economy, implementing a set of measures to stimulate its growth.
Although Bush was a popular president during his first term, his ratings declined steadily during his second. In 2009, he was replaced as president by Barack Obama. Bush returned to Texas and is currently engaged in social activities. In 2010, he published his memoirs, which were published by Crown under the title Turning Points. The book immediately topped the bestseller lists. In Russia, Bush's memoirs were published in September 2011 by the OLMA Media Group publishing house.
Early years
Lt. George W. Bush in the Texas Air National Guard
George Walker Bush Jr. was born on July 6, 1946 in New Haven (Connecticut) in the family of retired naval aviation pilot George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Bush. George was their first son, Pauline was born in 1949 (died in 1953 from leukemia), Jeb in 1953, Neil in 1955, Marvin in 1956, and Dorothy in 1959. George's grandfather, Prescott Sheldon Bush, was a senator from Connecticut from 1952-1963.
Bush Jr. spent his childhood in Midland (Texas). After George graduated from 7th grade, his family moved to Houston. There, Bush studied at the Kincaid private school for two years to prepare for university. He began his education at Phillips Academy. In 1968 he received a bachelor's degree in history from Yale University, where he studied averagely, but was popular.
From 1968-1973 he served in the National Guard. He was an F-102 pilot in the Texas Air National Guard.
In 1973-1975 he studied at Harvard Business School and received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Then he returned to Midland, where he worked in the oil industry until 1986. Several times he actively participated in his father’s election campaigns and served as his adviser. In 1977 he ran for election to the US House of Representatives. In 1989, together with several partners, he bought the Texas Rangers baseball club.
Governor
Became the 46th Governor of Texas on November 8, 1994, when he received 53.5% of the vote. In this position, he gained a reputation as an effective politician who knew how to cooperate with the opposition, taking the position of “compassionate conservatism” (that is, not a complete rejection of social programs), advocated a more active role of the church (different confessions) in social work, achieved support from many of the state's prominent Democrats. Was elected governor again on November 3, 1998, with a record high number votes and became the first governor of Texas to be elected to a second term immediately after the first. He was criticized by Democrats in Texas and other states for signing several death warrants for convicts while he was governor.
Presidency
First term
In 1999, he decides to run for President of the United States. In one of the most controversial presidential elections in the history of the country, on November 7, 2000, as a result of vote counting, recounting and five weeks of legal proceedings, the candidate from Democratic Party Albert Gore. During the election campaign, Bush played up the details of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal in every possible way, which brought him success. He became the second president in US history (after John Q. Adams) to occupy this post after his father. Bush also holds another record (along with the same Adams Jr. and two other presidents of the 19th century: Rutherford Hayes and Benjamin Harrison) - the candidate who received the majority of electoral votes, but lost in terms of the number of citizen votes received (by more than 0.5 million people ).
George Walker Bush in infancy
George Bush with his twin daughters and wife. 1990
In his inaugural speech, Bush promised to reform Social Security and Medicare and reduce the tax burden. The Bush Cabinet consisted of politicians of various stripes and views, from social democrats (“liberals” in American political jargon) to hardline conservatives. In February 2001, the President presented a federal budget ($1.96 trillion) that included tax cuts, increased spending on education and armed forces. During the same period, the first signs of a recession in the US economy occurred. Despite the criticism, Congress passed a powerful tax cut program in June 2001 ($1.35 trillion).
In April, the administration had to conduct difficult negotiations with China over the release of pilots forced to land a reconnaissance plane on Chinese territory. At the end of the same year, bioterrorism swept across the United States; several envelopes with anthrax were sent to offices. In 2001, George Bush announced the early creation of a full-fledged missile defense system, and a year later he outlined the so-called “Axis of Evil.” Bush also froze further research projects in the field of stem cells.
As a result of the events of September 11, 2001, about 3 thousand people died. Accused of organizing these terrorist attacks, the Saudi millionaire Osama bin Laden, according to US intelligence services, was hiding in Afghanistan, and the US administration demanded that the Taliban extradite him. Bush responded to the refusal: “ We'll smoke them out of their holes... and bring them to justice or bring justice to them" As a result of active diplomatic efforts and military preparations, the United States managed to create an unprecedented coalition for military operations in Afghanistan, and by the end of 2001, with the support of airstrikes and American units, a group of Mujahideen called the Northern Alliance established control over Afghanistan and created a government of national unity, and the main Taliban forces were defeated.
To combat terrorism in the United States, the Office of Homeland Security was created, which received almost unlimited rights in relation to persons suspected of terrorism. In December 2001, the United States announced its withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which did not cause serious condemnation from Russia.
In 2003, Bush launched an attack on Iraq to overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein. The pretext for war was Bush's statement about the presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq, which were allegedly hiding from UN inspectors, and Saddam's connections with al-Qaeda. Many countries that supported the invasion of Afghanistan found the evidence presented by the United States inconclusive and refused to take the US side in this war. Despite the fact that the United States again demonstrated its military power, breaking the resistance of regular Iraqi troops within a few weeks, the war received a very mixed assessment from the world community and the US population. Further events, which showed the powerlessness of the American administration in Iraq in the face of a wave of terrorist attacks organized by opponents of the presence of the United States and other powers in the country, and an increase in crime, sharply reduced Bush's rating on the eve of new elections. In addition, statements by official and unofficial persons began to appear that the United States did not have any reliable evidence of the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and Saddam’s connections with al-Qaeda at the start of the war and that the invasion of Iraq was a political adventure by Bush in order to increase his domestic rating, decreased as a result of his unsuccessful economic policies, allowing American oil companies to extract oil in Iraq, and awarding large contracts for the production of weapons to private corporations for the needs of the US army in Iraq. In the documentary and journalistic film by Michael Moore “Fahrenheit 9/11”, this very reason (pressure on the president of the oil lobby, with which he has long-standing friendly and business relations) is named among the main reasons for starting the war.
Second term
On November 2, 2004, he defeated the Democratic candidate, junior senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry, in the 2004 presidential election.
A new blow to Bush's image was the flooding in New Orleans as a result of Hurricane Katrina in late August - early September 2005, when 80% of the city was flooded; Due to the fact that insufficient measures were taken to evacuate the city in a timely manner before the hurricane, the number of victims amounted to several hundred people. Before the hurricane, residents of New Orleans were asked to leave the city, but a large part of the population did not have sufficient funds to do so. In November 2006, the Republicans suffered a crushing defeat in the midterm elections.
In 2007, he was an active supporter of the deployment of US missile defense elements in Eastern Europe, and also advocated the early entry of Georgia and Ukraine into NATO.
In August 2008, he spoke out in defense of Georgia during the Russian-Georgian conflict; On September 23, 2008, speaking at the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly, he accused Russia of violating the UN Charter, saying, in particular:
| « The Charter of the United Nations affirms the “equality of rights of great and small states.” Russia's invasion of Georgia was a violation of these words. Young democracies around the world are watching to see how we respond to this challenge. The United States worked with its allies in multilateral institutions such as the European Union and NATO to maintain Georgia's territorial integrity and provide humanitarian assistance. And our states will continue to support Georgian democracy.»
Original text(English) The United Nations Charter sets forth the “equal rights of nations large and small”. Russia’s invasion of Georgia was a violation of those words. Young democracies around the world are watching to see how we respond to this test. The United States has worked with allies in multilateral institutions like the European Union and NATO to uphold Georgia’s territorial integrity and provide humanitarian relief. And our nations will continue to support Georgia’s democracy. |
Assassination
On May 10, 2005, on Freedom Square in Tbilisi, Vladimir Harutyunyan threw a grenade in the direction of the podium where the presidents of Georgia and the United States were located. The grenade was brought into combat condition, but did not explode.
Incident at a press conference
Main article: Bush boots
On December 14, 2008, at a press conference in Baghdad, journalist Muntazar al-Zaidi tried to hit George Bush with his shoes, throwing them towards the podium. None of them hit George W. Bush, who after the conference described the incident as “funny,” but in Iraq it is considered the greatest insult to both the individual and the man himself. The outburst was accompanied by verbal insults towards the American president. The journalist was arrested and beaten in prison. During the examination, the shoes were destroyed; the presence of explosives and other substances was never revealed. On March 12, 2009, the court sentenced Muntazar al-Zaidi to three years in prison, but for good behavior he was released on September 11, 2009.
Security
On all of Bush's international trips, in addition to political aides and national security advisers, 250 agents accompanied him. secret service, 15 police, 2 convoys of 20 armored vehicles, including the presidential limousine, Sikorsky Sea King and Black Hawk helicopters.
Religion
Main article: Religious affiliation of George W. Bush
George Bush is a member of the Methodist Church.
Personal life
In 1977, Bush married Laura Welch, a former teacher and librarian. On November 25, 1981, the couple gave birth to twin daughters Barbara and Jenna.
Jenna Bush and Henry Hager got married on May 10, 2008 in a modest ceremony at the president's ranch in his native Texas.
Confession
- In 2005, Melanskaya Street in Tbilisi was renamed Bush Street in connection with the visit of the US President to Georgia.
- In honor of George W. Bush, a series of Albanian postage stamps was issued in 2007.
Opinions and ratings
- Bush has been criticized for the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan and his aggressive foreign policy, as well as for his administration’s authorization of the use of torture by US inquiry and investigative agencies against terrorism suspects.
- US Senator from Illinois Barack Obama (later US President) wrote about him in his book “The Audacity of Hope” (2006): “Democrats are often surprised when I admit that I personally don’t think George W. Bush bad person and I think that he and his administration are sincerely trying to work for the good of the country.”
Awards
- Order of Ghazi Amanullah Khan (Afghanistan, December 2008) - for help, assistance and service to the Afghan people.
- Order of Victory named after St. George (Georgia, 2006).
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Three Stars (Latvia, May 3, 2005).
Book
- Key decisions / Translation from English. O. Akimova, M. Kozyreva, E. Ganieva. - M.: JSC "OLMA Media Group", 2011. - 544 p. - 5000 copies. ISBN 978-5-373-04418-9
