16.4.1. In 1975, a joint Soviet-American space mission took place. Two spacecraft successfully docked in space. It was a symbol of the ending of the Cold War. Unfortunately, that spirit didn't last long. The Soviet involvement in Afghanistan was one of the reasons. When Ronald Reagan, an anti-Communist, became president, international relations grew from bad to worse. In 1980, the USA boycotted the Olympic Games in Moscow, and four years later The Soviets staged a boycott of the Games in LA. There was danger of a new war in the air.
16.4.2. The spirit of the day is reflected in the international media event – the visit to the Soviet Union of an 11-year-old American girl Samantha Smith with her parents. It took place in the summer of 1983 and became a true sign of the times. After that more people from both countries began to contact with one another. The new Soviet leader Gorbachev started the perestroika. Gorbachev and Reagan met several times, and as a result important agreements on banning certain categories of nuclear missiles were signed.
16.4.3. After in the late 1980s the Soviet Union's power diminished, leading to its collapse in 1991, the leadership role was taken by the United States and its allies. The Gulf War under President George H. W. Bush, and later the Yugoslav Wars helped to preserve the USA's position as the world's last remaining superpower.
President Bill Clinton was elected in 1992 on a wave of expectations for change. Despite domestic success, Clinton's presidency ended under a cloud. The controversial presidential election of 2000 was resolved by a Supreme Court decision that effectively awarded the presidency to Texas governor George W. Bush, son of George H. W. Bush
16.4.4.. On September 11, 2001, terrorists struck the World Trade Center in New York Cityand the Pentagon, killing nearly three thousand people. In the aftermath, President Bush launched the War on Terrorism under a military philosophy. In late 2001, U.S. forces led a NATO invasion of Afghanistan, removing the Taliban government and al-Qaeda terrorist training camps. Taliban insurgents continue to fight a guerrilla war against the NATO-led force.
In 2002, the Bush administration began to press for regime change in Iraq on controversial grounds. The U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, removing President Saddam Hussein from power. Although facing both external and internal pressure to withdraw, the United States maintains its military presence in Iraq. The United States has been criticized for its use of torture and other violations of human rights in its pursuit of the War on Terrorism.
LECTURE 17
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