The state where George Bush Jr. was born. George Bush Sr. - biography, information, personal life. Military intervention in Panama: Operation Just Cause

Republican George W. Bush in the 1988 presidential election received an office at a time of significant changes in the world: the fall of the Berlin Wall, the impending collapse of the Soviet Union, the not-so-good economic situation in the United States of America itself ... The president's rating was affected by attempts to resolve the budget deficit remaining after Ronald Reagan, and the actual failure to fulfill election promises due to insufficient mutual understanding with Congress in the field of economics.

Bush Sr.'s foreign and domestic policy was significantly different from the actions of his predecessor, who was distinguished at the same time by more radical actions and more conservative views. During the presidency of Ronald Reagan, the statesman, the future forty-first president of the United States, served as vice president for eight years. At the same time, Bush Sr. ran for a high position precisely as Reagan's "heir" and successor.

1988 presidential election: George W. Bush Sr. wins

Due to the fact that Ronald Reagan, who at the end of his second presidential term was still distinguished by high ratings, could no longer run in the 1988 elections, the then Vice President George W. Bush Sr. was nominated by the Republicans. The Democratic Party nominated M. Dukakis for Governor of Massachusetts.

The democrat's election campaign was characterized by several serious failures and sharp, in most cases unfounded criticism (for example, the demand to disclose the candidate's medical history to the public and hints of M. Dukakis's history of mental illness). Bush Sr. skillfully and very successfully positioned himself, using the popularity of his predecessor in his favor, which made it possible to win a landslide victory.

The political career of the candidate from the Republican Party has made another round. Traditionally for the United States, on January 20, 1989, George Bush Sr. took office as president. Many ordinary Americans and the media then called the coming to power of George W. Bush Sr. the “third term” of Ronald Reagan.

Election pledges for the 41st President of the United States

Many political scientists and journalists believe that the victory of George W. Bush in the 1988 presidential election was the result of a competent election campaign and a successful bet on the continuation of Ronald Reagan's course. Bush Sr. promised not to raise taxes, minimize the role of the federal government in the state's economy, continue to fight crime and drug addiction, alcoholism, homosexuality and abortion, and protect family values.

The bright speech delivered by the future owner of the White House (usually not very eloquent) in 1988 at the Republican Party Convention was remembered by voters and the media as "A Thousand Colors of Light." The speech described George W. Bush's vision of America. The candidate expressed unconditional loyalty to the flag, supported school prayer and the death penalty, the right of citizens to freely own firearms and spoke out against abortion.

Domestic politics of George W. Bush

Bush Sr., whose domestic policy was not particularly successful following his presidency, paid more attention to resolving foreign policy issues. The president had to break his main campaign promise, but managed to ensure that the national course in the social and economic sectors became less ideological, which was clearly observed under Reagan. Below are some of the highlights of the domestic policy of the forty-first President of the United States.

A number of "social" laws adopted by George W. Bush Sr.

Under the 41st President of the United States, legislation was passed to support the disabled, protect the environment, and protect employees from discrimination. George W. Bush sought to take the first steps in the presidency, ensuring a high moral level of activity. He ensured that all the top positions in the Department of Health and Human Services were filled by anti-abortion politicians. In addition, Bush Sr. vetoed budgetary funding for abortions for women from needy families.

Budget deficit and tax hike

“Inheritance” of George Bush Sr. was the state budget deficit, which tripled in ten years (1980-1990). The president urged Congress to cut government spending, but no consensus was reached. The Democrats believed that the only sure way to solve the problems was to raise taxes and cut social security. As a result, not only was a new individual tax in the amount of 31% of profits introduced, but the rate on existing deductions was also increased.

The level of the US economy, steadily growing during the time of Bush Sr.'s vice presidency, stopped rising, and later a decline began altogether. The reason for this was the president's focus on foreign political activity.

It was the failure to fulfill the main election promise that caused the president's defeat in the next election - in 1992, Bill Clinton won. However, the "Bush clan" reminded the world community of itself in 2001, when the son of George W. Bush came to power. Bush Jr. remained in office until 2009.

Strategic armament and refusal to stop nuclear tests

Another point of the domestic policy of the forty-first President of the United States of America is closely related to foreign policy activities. President Bush Sr. continued to lay the foundations for a new militarism, increased funding for the military sector, even despite the weakening and subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union - the main enemy of the United States in the Cold War.

In addition, the politician refused to stop testing nuclear weapons after a corresponding step on the part of the USSR. Bush Sr. supported and continued to develop the Star Wars program, the most famous military program implemented by the United States since the Reagan era. By the way, some of the developments that were obtained during the implementation of an ambitious program later became “public property” - GPS technology, for example, is now available for civilians, and navigation devices are freely available.

Constitutional amendment prohibiting the burning of the national flag

Bush Sr. mentioned the need to adopt an amendment to the US Constitution to ban the burning of the national flag even during the election race in his “Thousand Colors of Light” speech. The President considered the burning of the flag a desecration of the state symbols of the United States of America. However, Bush Sr.'s aspirations did not receive support. Opponents have appealed in the First Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for "burning the stars and stripes" as an element of demonstrations and rallies.

Foreign policy of George W. Bush

Bush Sr.'s foreign policy was distinguished by several successful military operations and a decrease in tension between the US and the USSR (in February 1992, an agreement was signed between the forty-first president of the United States and the then head of the Russian Federation to end the Cold War). The rating of public confidence in the actions of Bush Sr. reached 89% after the order to launch military operations in Panama and the Persian Gulf.

Military intervention in Panama: Operation Just Cause

Bush Sr., whose policy in relations with other states received a positive response in American society, ordered the invasion of Panama on December 17-18, 1989. The official targets of the invasion, according to authorized persons, were:

ensuring the safety of US citizens in Panama;

protection of the Panama Canal, which is of great geopolitical importance;

support for the authorities of Panama, legally elected in the course of elections;

the overthrow of the regime of General Noriega and the subsequent trial as a war criminal (in addition, General Noriega was accused of drug trafficking).



The invasion was preceded by pressure on Panama, the imposition of economic sanctions by the United States and the increase in the US military contingent in an independent state. Subsequently, the main operational tasks assigned to groups of saboteurs and US tactical aviation were completed in full in one day:

an attempt was made to capture the President of Panama;

television broadcasting was stopped (the emblem of the US Department of Defense and the requirement not to attack American soldiers were broadcast);

airdrops of the military and equipment were carried out at several airfields and an air base.

The last fights took place on Christmas morning 1989. As a result of the US military operation, the government of Panama was overthrown by force, and the new president was sworn in at a US military base. Manuel Noriega is still in an American prison, and the Panama Canal is under US control.

Reaction to the collapse of the communist system

George W. Bush, whose policy in foreign activities was distinguished by resoluteness, expectedly supported the development of democratic principles in the republics of the Soviet Union and condemned the August 1991 coup in Moscow. In 1992, he signed an agreement with Boris Yeltsin to end the Cold War.

Gulf War

The conflict that flared up over the restoration of Kuwait's independence became known for the scope of the use of aviation and the so-called smart weapons. In addition, the military operation received the unspoken name of the “television war” due to the wide coverage of what is happening in the media.



The prerequisite for US intervention was the invasion of the regular Iraqi army into Kuwait, whose forces retreated into the territory of Saudi Arabia. The Iraqi army both quantitatively and qualitatively exceeded the forces of Kuwait, so that the invasion was successful in advance for the aggressor.

On the same day, the world community condemned the intervention. A few days later, part of the territory of Kuwait was actually annexed to Iraq, while the UN Security Council continued to pass resolutions. At the same time, American troops had already begun to arrive in Saudi Arabia in order to ensure the security of the state, which is clearly losing to Iraq in military power and has significant oil reserves. The operation to liberate Kuwait began ten days later.

During Operation Desert Storm, Kuwait was completely liberated in four days. On March 3, a ceasefire agreement was signed.

Bush Sr. policy towards Asia and Latin America

US President George W. Bush did not forget about other regions that could potentially have an impact on America. The politician attached great importance to international trade, so he put up with some phenomena that were alien to “American democracy”. For example, Bush Sr. did not interfere in the repression in China, limiting himself to an official appeal and the threat of sanctions.



Other military operations during the presidency of George W. Bush

In addition to the intervention in Panama and Operation Desert Storm, there were several more military incidents during the presidency of George W. Bush Sr. Among the latter can be listed:

2 downed Libyan aircraft;

the involvement of the CIA in the overthrow and assassination of Ceausescu;

air support for the government of the Philippines during the suppression of the coup attempt;

military assistance to Guatemala in the “fight against communism”;

support for a coup d'état in Haiti;

"Restoration of Hope" - US military occupation of Somalia;

assistance in the conflict of the pro-American candidate with the legitimate government of Angola.

It was under George W. Bush that America first tried on the role of "the world's policeman."

Activities after the end of the presidential term

After the end of his term, George W. Bush (his photo is in the article) continued to engage in a number of commercial and public projects.



In addition, the forty-first president is the author of several books that are in demand not only in the homeland of a politician, but throughout the world.

43rd President of the United States, Republican. He was elected to this post twice - in 2000 and 2004, first took office on January 20, 2001. The presidential term expired on January 20, 2009. The eight years of George W. Bush's rule 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", a mortgage lending crisis (which caused a global liquidity crisis ), as well as unsurpassed statements that have received the name "Bushisms" among the people.

Biography

George Walker Bush was born 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 the 41st President of the United States (1988-1992).

George Jr. spent his childhood in the state of Texas - in the cities of Midland and Houston. At the age of 15, he was assigned to the Phillips Academy in Massachusetts (a boarding school for boys); after graduating, 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 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 an MBA before returning to the Midlands and going into business. However, unlike his father, George Bush failed to succeed in the oil business: he brought his small business almost to bankruptcy. Problems with alcohol, which George Bush Jr. experienced until his 40th birthday, also had a certain negative impact here.

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 terms on the merger of his oil company with a larger one, and in 1989. he, along with partners, acquired the Texas Rangers baseball club. An investment in the purchase of $600,000 in borrowed funds turned into $15 million a few years later.

Soon, George Bush managed to succeed in the political field: in 1994. he was elected governor of Texas, and in 1998. - was re-elected to this post. In 1999 George W. Bush declares his intention to run for the US presidency. And in 2000 wins a highly contentious election, accompanied by a scandalous recount and weeks of legal battles.

It is noteworthy that George Bush received in the 2000 elections. fewer votes (47.9%) than his rival, US Vice President Al Gore (48.4%) - however, he managed to bypass the latter in the electoral votes (271 against 266) and thanks to this he became president. Before George W. Bush, there were only three presidents in the history of the United States who lost by the votes of the electorate, but won thanks to the electors.

The fate of the 2000 elections was decided in Florida, where George's brother, Jeb Bush, was governor at the time, and 25 electoral votes were at stake. The initial vote count gave George Bush an advantage of 1,000 voters with 6 million ballots cast. A. Gore's team filed an appeal, demanding a recount and insisting that errors were made during the count. The recount was carried out several times, until the US Supreme Court, by its decision, sealed the victory of George W. Bush, refusing another recount in order to avoid a political crisis in the country.

From the very beginning, a difficult test fell on the share of the new president: after a little more than six months of his reign, on September 11, 2001. a group of terrorists carried out an unprecedented attack on New York and Washington, hitting the buildings of the World Trade Center (WTC) and the Pentagon on hijacked passenger airliners. Responsibility for the attacks was claimed by the international terrorist network Al-Qaeda, led by radical extremist Osama bin Laden. Then George W. Bush declared a global war on terrorism and demanded that the Afghan Taliban movement extradite the leader of Al-Qaeda, who, according to intelligence, was hiding in the mountains near the Afghan-Pakistani border. The Taliban refused, after which the United States gathered a coalition of allies and at the end of 2001. sent troops to Afghanistan.

Around the same time, George Bush designated the so-called. "axis of evil" - countries that support terrorism or develop weapons of mass destruction (WMD) with a possible subsequent transfer to terrorists. The Axis was formed by Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Syria and a number of other states. In 2003 The George W. Bush administration accused the then President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, of developing weapons of mass destruction and having links 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 existing regimes there turned into protracted guerrilla wars for the American army with annual budget expenditures of hundreds of billions of dollars. The US government budget, which was in surplus under the previous President Bill Clinton, has again become a deficit. Osama bin Laden was never captured, weapons of mass destruction were never found in Iraq (nor were the links between the regime of S. Hussein and Al-Qaeda were proven), and thousands of American soldiers died in the Iraqi and Afghan campaigns. Despite this, George W. Bush never repented of his decisions - according to him, thanks to the military efforts of the United States, the world has become better and more democratic.

However, the economic situation in the US under George W. Bush was shaken not only because of costly military campaigns. Two years after he was elected president, the largest corporate bankruptcy in US history broke out in the case of the energy corporation Enron, whose management forged financial statements and misled investors and employees. A year before the final collapse, Enron's shares fell 85 times, 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. Texas governors in the 1990s, and one of the largest donors to the 2000 presidential campaign. The Enron scandal has led to tighter controls on corporate reporting and company auditing, making the New York Stock Exchange less attractive to investors, who have moved to the more liberal London floor as a result.

Another shock awaited George Bush at the end of his second term. The boom in the US housing market in the 1990s led to a decrease in real estate prices and an increase in the market for high-risk mortgages (subprime). 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 resulted in multi-billion dollar losses for leading US banks and financial institutions.

George W. Bush's presidential term expired on January 20, 2009. After the inauguration of the new Democrat President George W. Bush retired from public politics, secluded on his ranch in Texas.

Two years later in November 2010 The former President of the United States has published a memoir 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 specifically 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 in the CIA, the devastating hurricane Katrina ”, which hit Louisiana in August 2005, and, of course, the September 11, 2001 attacks.

George W. Bush - Republican, 43rd President of the United States. He was elected to this post twice, taking office for the first time in 2001. His presidential term ended in 2009. 8 years of his reign were marked by the beginning of the US war on 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 massive tax cut for Americans, a mortgage crisis that led to 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 Father at that time was a student, later he was the director of the CIA, and also the 41st President of the United States. The boy's childhood passed in Texas, in the cities of Houston and Midland.

Education

George W. Bush, at the age of fifteen, was assigned to a boarding school for boys (Phillips Academy), located in Massachusetts; after graduating, he followed in his father's footsteps by attending Yale University. There he studied mediocrely, but in 1968 he nevertheless received a bachelor's degree.

Career

After completing his training, George W. Bush joined the Texas National Guard. There, until 1973, he served as an Air Force pilot. The next 2 years were spent studying where he graduated with a Master of Business Administration degree. Then he returned to the Midland again, after which he went into business. At the same time, unlike his father, he did not succeed in the oil business: he brought his already small business almost to bankruptcy. Here, quite serious problems with alcohol had a certain influence - they accompanied George W. Bush Jr. 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 affairs went slowly uphill (Bush admits that his life lacked purposefulness until the age of 40). Then he managed to agree on the merger of his company with another, larger one, on favorable terms for him. Together with partners in 1989, he acquired the Texas Rangers (baseball club). Investment in this purchase in the amount of 600 thousand dollars of borrowed funds in a few years brought him 15 million dollars.

Governor of Texas

Soon, George Bush Jr. was also able to succeed in the political field: in 1994 he was elected governor of Texas, and after 4 years he was re-elected to the same post. George Bush in 1999 announced his desire to run for the presidency of the country. A year later, he won a very contentious election, which was accompanied by lengthy legal proceedings, as well as a scandalous recount of the votes received.

President of the U.S.A

The new president's initial agenda was focused on US domestic politics, including massive education reform and tax cuts. The focus of his presidential administration's efforts shifted sharply after 2001, when the deadliest terrorist attack in world history took place on September 11th. President George W. Bush then declared a "war on terror". After that, 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 implies unilateral actions without the approval of the international community and inflicting preventive strikes on the enemy. Bush's antiterrorist policy also developed within the country itself, after which the powers of law enforcement agencies and special services were significantly expanded.

Domestic politics of George W. Bush

Bush in the domestic policy of the country advocated a reduction in interference in the life of society by the executive branch. The fact that the president understood the international situation very poorly, all the time became an object of ridicule, his popularity did not interfere and even served as a basis for comparing him with Ronald Reagan. The domestic political program of the president was very attractive to different groups of 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 "horse" of the Democrats.

Invasion of Iraq

In 2003, US troops entered Iraq, which, according to George W. Bush, along with Iran and North Korea, was part of the "axis of evil." It is worth noting that the basis for the attack was the information that the regime of S. Hussein has weapons of mass destruction. But as a result, this was not confirmed. In May 2003, the combat phase of the operation ended, but no decisive success was achieved in the post-war settlement.

Significant elements of Bush's policy also include multilateral consultations on 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 term of the presidency

George W. Bush, whose policies were constantly criticized abroad and at home, was re-elected in 2004 for a second term, then defeating a Democratic senator. During the 2nd Bush administration, the main directions of the country's policy did not change significantly. He continued the fight against terrorism in the country, as well as the policy of reducing taxes. In the foreign policy direction, the president tried to overcome the disagreements that had arisen with his European allies, which arose because of the US actions in Iraq. In 2005, Bush attended the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the 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 policy towards Iraq.

Lebanese-Israeli conflict

The Lebanese-Israeli conflict that took place in 2006 became another reason for disagreement with Europe's allies: the United States supported Israel without joining the demands for a ceasefire. George Bush Jr., President of the United States, considered the confrontation between the Hezbollah group and Israel as part of the war on terrorism.

In 2006, she lost in the midterm elections, after which control of the two houses of Congress passed to the Democrats. Bush, submitting to their pressure, was forced to fire the most unpopular Pentagon minister. Observers for the most part expected a change in Iraqi strategy, including the withdrawal of troops, but in 2007 the president announced that new forces would be sent there.

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, including the possibility of deploying a missile defense system in 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 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 in 2008 supported John McCain in the presidential election. But McCain lost to Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee.

George W. Bush, whose biography is described in this article, officially resigned as president on January 20, 2009, when the 44th, the new US president was sworn in during the inauguration in Washington.

Personal qualities

Among the personal qualities of George W. Bush, his unique ability to find a compromise was singled out - he demonstrated it even during his governorship. Bush, adhering to conservative views, avoided extremes. What he lacked in political knowledge he skillfully made up 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 Bush family is considered one of the richest and one of the most influential families in the United States. According to official data, their condition is estimated at US$60 million(where is Obama with 8 million), and according to unofficial data, their fortune is calculated billion dollar capital. Throughout the history of the Bush clan, their family has been represented - 2 senators, 2 governors, 2 presidents and US Supreme Court Justice. The Bush family has Anglo-German roots. Publicist Peter Schweitzer called the Bush clan the most successful political dynasty in American history.

Samuel Prescott Bush (1863-1948)

Samuel is considered the head of the Bush clan - the father of the senator (Prescott Bush), the grandfather of the president (J. Bush Sr.), the great-grandfather of the president (J. Bush Jr.). Samuel did not hold political office, but he served on the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and was involved in the creation of the US Chamber of Commerce. During the First World War, he led artillery and rifle detachments, and also served on the military council, where he met Rockefeller, this acquaintance laid the foundation for the Bush clan. He was married twice and had 5 children.

George Herbert Walker (1875-1953)

George Walker - American banker, financier, founder of an investment bank G.H. Walker & Co (1900), father of Dorothy Walker, grandfather of George Bush Sr. and great-grandfather of Bush Jr. Various members of the Bush family worked for G.H. at various times. Walker & Co before it merged with the Merrill Lynch Corporation in 1978. Walker not only founded his own bank, but also headed an investment firm. W.A. Harriman & Co in 1920, which Prescott Bush later became a partner. W.A. Harriman & Co has been investing in Germany and Russia. It was George Walker who gave Prescott Bush and Dorothy Walker the Walker family estate in Kennebunkport, which today serves as the Bush family's summer residence.

Bush residence

George Herbert Walker Jr. (1905-1977)

American businessman, son of George Walker, uncle of George Bush Sr. One of his sons George Herbert Walker 3rd) was the US Ambassador to Hungary. In the 50s. sponsored the oil business of his beloved nephew, George Bush Sr.

Prescott Sheldon Bush (1895-1972)

Prescott is considered the founder of the Bush political dynasty. Prescott was born into a wealthy family (father Samuel Bush) and was educated at Yale University like the entire Bush generation (his grandfather, uncle, son and grandson). It is known that at Yale University he was accepted into a secret elite society " Skull and Bones", whose members always occupy high government positions. Before becoming a politician, Prescott worked for a long time in the financial sector, and was also on the board of directors of an oil company Dresser Industries, which experienced a boom during the Second World War. In the late 90s, Dresser Industries merged with Halliburton.

With wife Dorothy

Prescott was one of the founders Union Banking Corporation (UBC), which was liquidated during the Second World War, as it held the gold reserves of the Nazis. However, the conflict was quickly hushed up and Prescott not only got away with it, but also made a huge fortune, which formed the basis of the Bush's capital, for example, 1.5 million was put into the trust fund named after George W. Bush Sr. According to the official version, Prescott did not know that the Nazis financed military operations and concentration camps with the help of his bank. According to the unofficial version, Prescott had direct income from products produced in the camps. In the 2000s according to the US National Archives journalists The Guardian conducted an independent investigation in which they tried to prove that Prescott Bush / his corporation financed the Nazis, in particular Hitler.

In 1952, Prescott became a senator from Connecticut and remained in office for 10 years. He was married to Dorothy Walker and had 5 children.

George Herbert Walker Bush (1924)

41st President of the United States and former Vice President of the United States. Just like his father was educated at Yale University. He is married to Barbara Pierce, daughter of the former president of the McCall Publicist Corporation.

They have 6 children (Paulin, Neil, Marvin, Dorothy, John Ellis and George). His marriage to Barbara is considered one of the longest and strongest in the US political arena. Prior to his entry into politics, George was involved in the oil business. Particularly with the help of his uncle Walker, he founded Bush-Overby Oil Development Co.., which later became known as Pennzoil(In 1999, Pennzoil's revenues were estimated at 3 billion).

George Bush Walker (1946)

43rd President of the United States and Governor of Texas. Married to Laura Bush. He was educated at Yale University and later at Harvard Business School. Has family ties with Theodore Roosevelt, Nixon and Ford.

In 1982, he bought out an energy company Arbusto Energy which has become a family business. In particular, all Arbusto Energy investors were attracted by George Bush's uncle, who owned an investment company J. Bush & Co- the company was engaged in investments of politicians and diplomats. One of Arbusto Energy's investors was George Bush's grandmother Dorothy Walker, who invested in the company $25,000. In addition to family investors, one of Arbusto's investors was also Osama bin Laden's older half-brother - Salim bin Laden. Salim invested in the company $50,000. Subsequently, Arbusto merged with Harken and during the presidency of George Bush Sr., the company received a contract for a major oil project in Bahrain. According to some sources, this deal showed that the Bush family has close ties to the ruling elite in Saudi Arabia, since Harken itself was financially unprofitable.

In 1989, Bush sold his $1 million stake in Harken and bought shares in the team. Texas Rangers(Bush's stake in the team is estimated at $15 million). Interestingly, Bush sold his stake in Harken shortly before the collapse of the company's shares, which caused a scandal in the US, and then a financial investigation. Bush was suspected of financial fraud - it was believed that he was aware of the collapse in stocks. However, this time the Bushes managed to avoid punishment. During his father's presidency, he served on the board of directors of a controversial investment fund. The Carlyle Group, which was rumored to have financial ties to the bin Laden family. It is worth noting that at different times high-ranking American politicians who retired from political affairs worked in this fund.

John Ellis (Jeb) Bush (1953)

The second son of George W. Bush, the 43rd Governor of Florida, and now one of the participants in the 2016 presidential race. Before entering politics, he was also engaged in business.

Neil Bush (1955)

Son of George Bush Sr., businessman, investor. His name is associated with a major financial scandal in Silverado Savings and Loan. Neil took over the company in 1985 at the age of 30. The bankruptcy of the company after 3 years cost the taxpayers $1.6 billion. Neil managed to avoid a prison term, but his colleague was sent to prison for 3.5 years on charges of embezzling $ 8.7 million (it should be borne in mind that financial fraud of this kind in the United States gives much more). During this scandal, George Bush Sr. was Vice President of the United States, and every time Neil's name appeared in the press, he immediately turned public attention to the military operation in Iraq.

His daughter Lauren Bush was a model Tommy Hilfiger and is now married to Ralph Lauren's son.

George Prescott Bush (1976)

Son of J:) Bush, nephew of J. Bush and grandson of Bush Sr., 28th commissioner of the Texas Land Office. One of the most promising politicians from the Republican Party and the Bush family. It is believed that his Hispanic roots (mother from Colombia) will provide him with support among the Hispanic population, which is rapidly growing in the United States.

Who knows what the future Bush has in store for us...

George Walker Bush - 43rd President of the United States- was born July 6, 1946 in New Haven (Connecticut). President of the United States from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009.

George Walker Bush Jr. was born to retired Naval Aviation pilot George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Bush. George was the first son in the family, in 1949 Pauline was born (she died in 1953 from leukemia), in 1953 - Jeb, in 1955 - Neil, in 1956 - Marvin, and in 1959 - Dorothy. George's grandfather, Prescott Sheldon Bush 1952-1963 was a senator from Connecticut.

Bush Jr. spent his childhood in Midland, Texas. After George finished 7th grade, his family moved to Houston. There, Bush attended Kincaid Private School for two years to prepare for university. He began his education at the Phillips Academy. In 1968 he received a bachelor's degree in history from Yale University, where he performed poorly, but was popular.

In 1968 - 1973 served in the National Guard. He was an F-102 pilot with 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 the Midland, where he worked in the oil industry until 1986. Several times he actively participated in the election campaigns of his father, was his adviser. In 1977, he ran for the US House of Representatives. In 1989, together with several partners, he bought the famous Texas Rangers baseball club.

On November 8, 1994, Bush became governor of Texas. In this post, he gained a reputation as an effective politician who knew how to cooperate with the opposition, advocated a more active role for the church (of various denominations) in social work, and won the support of many prominent state Democrats. On November 3, 1998, he was re-elected governor with a record high number of votes and became the first Texas governor 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 to convicts while he was governor.

In 1999, Bush decided to run for President of the United States. In one of the most controversial presidential elections in US history, on November 7, 2000, after a count and recount and five weeks of legal battles, Bush defeats Democratic nominee Al Gore. During the 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 C. Adams) to hold this post after his father. Bush also holds another record (along with the same Adams Jr. and two more presidents of the 19th century: Rutherford Hayes and Benjamin Harrison) - the candidate who won the majority of electoral votes, but lost in terms of the number of votes received by citizens (by more than 0.5 million people). ).

In his inaugural address, Bush promised to reform Social Security as well as cut the tax burden. Bush's cabinet consisted of politicians of various trends and views, from liberals to hard conservatives. In February 2001, the president introduced a federal budget ($1.96 trillion) that included tax cuts, increased spending on education and the military. The same period saw the first signs of a recession in the US economy. Despite the criticism, Congress passed a massive $1.35 trillion tax cut program in June 2001.

In April 2001, the Bush administration had to negotiate with China for the release of pilots forced to land a spy plane on Chinese soil. At the end of the same year, bioterrorism swept across the United States, several envelopes with anthrax were sent to offices. In 2001, George W. Bush announced the speedy 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 genetics.

As a result of the events of September 11, 2001, about 3,000 people died. The Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden accused of organizing these attacks, according to the US intelligence services, was hiding in Afghanistan, and the US administration demanded that the Taliban extradite him. The answer to the refusal was Bush's words: "We will smoke them out of their holes ... and bring them to justice or deliver justice to them." As a result of intensive 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 took control of Afghanistan and created a government of a national unity, and the main forces of the Taliban were defeated.

To combat terrorism in the United States, the Office of Homeland Security was created, which received practically unlimited rights in relation to persons suspected of terrorism. In December 2001, the US announced its withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which did not cause serious condemnation from Moscow.

In 2003, Bush launched an attack on Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein's regime. The pretext for war was Bush's statement about the presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq, which allegedly hides from UN inspectors, and Saddam's links with Al-Qaeda. Many of the countries that supported the invasion of Afghanistan found the evidence presented by the US unconvincing and refused to side with the US in the war. Despite the fact that the United States once 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 impotence of the American administration in Iraq in the face of a wave of terrorist acts organized by opponents of the presence of the US and other powers in the country, and an increase in crime, sharply lowered Bush's rating on the eve of new elections. In addition, statements by officials and unofficial people began to appear that the United States did not have any reliable evidence of Iraq's WMD and Saddam's ties with Al-Qaeda at the start of the war and the invasion of Iraq was Bush's political adventure, in order to increase its internal rating , which fell as a result of his unsuccessful economic policy, allowing American oil companies to extract oil in Iraq, providing large contracts for the production of weapons to private corporations for the needs of the US army in Iraq.

On November 2, 2004, he won the presidential election over the Democratic Party candidate, junior senator from Massachusetts - John Kerry.

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 time before the hurricane, the number of victims amounted to several hundred people. Before the hurricane, New Orleans residents were encouraged to move out of the city, but a significant portion of the population did not have sufficient funds to do so. In November 2006, the Republicans suffer a crushing defeat in the midterm elections.

In 2007, Bush 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.

On December 14, 2008, at a press conference in Baghdad, journalist Muntazar al-Zeidi tried to hit George W. Bush with his boots, throwing them towards the podium. None of them hit George Bush, who, after the end of the conference, regarded the incident as "fun", but in Iraq this is considered the greatest insult to both the person and the person himself. The trick was accompanied by verbal insults to the American president. Later, 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 Muntadar al-Zeydi to three years in prison, but he was released on September 11, 2009 for good behavior.

Although Bush was a popular president during his first term, his popularity steadily declined in his second term. In 2009, he was succeeded as president by Barack Obama. Bush returned to Texas, is currently engaged in social activities, and is also writing a book.

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