Bio
The 43rd president of the United States, George W. Bush was controversially elected in one of the closest races of U.S. history. The difference between he and his opponent, Vice President Al Gore, was 527 votes.
As a conservative Republican, Bush's policies have included tax cuts, military spending increases, and a ban on federal funding for stem cell research.
The September 11th attacks occurred during his first year as president and Bush's approval ratings soared after the tragedy of that day. His response was a U.S. sponsored invasion of Taliban controlled Afghanistan by the Afghan Northern Alliance. A new government has since been elected in Afghanistan and skirmishes are still being fought with the Taliban and other groups.
In 2003, Bush made what was likely his most controversial decision yet: to act on the apparent threat of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction by invading Iraq. The United States and a "Coalition of the Willing" removed Saddam Hussein and his Baathist government from control over Iraq and helped create a new Iraqi democracy. However, no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq, forcing many people to assume that the claims presented by the Bush administration were false, or that there was a lack of information in the nation's intelligence services.
In 2004, Bush won re-election over John F. Kerry.
In 2005, the devastation of Hurricane Katrina was followed by questions about the response of the Bush administration. Many think that the government was slow to react to the emergency in New Orleans, some even allege that racism played a role in the response. This, along with allegations of a leak within the White House, have led Bush's approval ratings to an all time low. He will leave office in 2009, as the 22nd amendment requires.
As a conservative Republican, Bush's policies have included tax cuts, military spending increases, and a ban on federal funding for stem cell research.
The September 11th attacks occurred during his first year as president and Bush's approval ratings soared after the tragedy of that day. His response was a U.S. sponsored invasion of Taliban controlled Afghanistan by the Afghan Northern Alliance. A new government has since been elected in Afghanistan and skirmishes are still being fought with the Taliban and other groups.
In 2003, Bush made what was likely his most controversial decision yet: to act on the apparent threat of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction by invading Iraq. The United States and a "Coalition of the Willing" removed Saddam Hussein and his Baathist government from control over Iraq and helped create a new Iraqi democracy. However, no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq, forcing many people to assume that the claims presented by the Bush administration were false, or that there was a lack of information in the nation's intelligence services.
In 2004, Bush won re-election over John F. Kerry.
In 2005, the devastation of Hurricane Katrina was followed by questions about the response of the Bush administration. Many think that the government was slow to react to the emergency in New Orleans, some even allege that racism played a role in the response. This, along with allegations of a leak within the White House, have led Bush's approval ratings to an all time low. He will leave office in 2009, as the 22nd amendment requires.
