



What changes did Jimmy Carter bring to the
presidency?
How did Carter deal with domestic issues?
What ideals guided Carter’s foreign policy?
What factors influenced the outcome of the
1980 election?
Although Gerald Ford had the advantage of being the
incumbent, or current office holder, he faced strong
opposition from Republicans inside his own party
during the 1976 presidential election. Democrat
James Earl (“Jimmy”) Carter won the election by a
narrow margin.
 Carter had no national political experience and lacked
an ability to win reluctant politicians over to his side.
Nevertheless, he was well-liked for his informal
approach to the presidency.
 As President, Carter appointed more women and
minorities to his staff than previous administrations.

Economic Issues
 Carter had inherited an unstable economy in
which inflation and unemployment continued
to grow.
 In response, Carter cut federal spending,
mostly on social programs. This cut angered
liberal Democrats.
 As bond prices fell and interest rates rose,
Americans lost confidence in Carter and his
economic advisors.
Deregulation
 Carter felt that government controls on certain
industries, put in place in the 1800s and early
1900s, hurt competition and increased consumer
costs.
 His move toward deregulation, the reduction or
removal of government controls, affected the
energy, railroad, trucking, and airline industries.
This move, which continued during the next two
administrations, also angered many Democrats.
Energy Issues During Carter’s Presidency
 Carter’s Energy Plan — To save on rising oil prices, Carter
asked Americans to conserve fuel in their homes, cars, and
businesses. He also created a new Cabinet department,
the Department of Energy.
 Response to Carter’s Energy Plan — States that produced
oil and gas fiercely opposed Carter’s conservation plans.
The National Energy Act, passed in 1978, incorporated
many of Carter’s directives.
 Alternative Energy Sources and Three Mile Island — One
of Carter’s goals was to seek alternative energy sources. A
partial meltdown of a nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island
near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, eroded people’s confidence
in nuclear power.
Carter’s concern for moral values influenced his civil rights actions.
Soon after taking office, he granted amnesty, or a general pardon,
to those who had evaded the draft during the Vietnam War.
 Many of Carter’s staff appointments won the approval of African
Americans. However, many African Americans were disappointed
by his weak support for social programs.
 Affirmative action policies, which aimed to make up for past
discrimination against women and minorities, were a controversial
issue during Carter’s presidency. In the landmark case Regents of
the University of California v. Bakke, the Supreme Court ruled that
race could be a factor in school admissions but that numerical
quotas could not be used.

Camp David Accords
 In 1978, Carter brought Egyptian President
Anwar el-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister
Menachem Begin together for negotiations at
Camp David.
 The resulting framework for Middle East peace,
known as the Camp David Accords, was an
important step toward peace in the Middle East.
Under its terms, Israel agreed to withdraw from
the Sinai Peninsula, and Egypt became the first
Arab country to recognize Israel officially.
Soviet-American Relations
 Although détente was at a high point when
Carter took office, by the end of his term it was
effectively dead.
 Soviets were angered by Carter’s support of
Soviet dissidents, writers and other activists who
criticized the actions of their government.
 Although a second round of Strategic Arms
Limitation Talks (SALT II) was begun, the
resulting treaty was never ratified. Still, both
nations followed its terms.


Late in 1979, the Soviet Union invaded
neighboring Afghanistan to bolster a Sovietsupported government there. Carter called
the invasion “a clear threat to the peace” and
took steps to show American disapproval of
the Soviet aggression.
As one of these steps, Carter imposed a
boycott on the 1980 summer Olympic Games
to be held in Moscow. Sixty other nations
eventually joined the boycott.
In January 1979, revolution broke out in Iran, replacing
its pro-American shah, Mohammed Reza Shah
Pahlevi, with Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini, an antiWestern leader.
 When Carter allowed the displaced shah to enter the
United States for medical treatment, angry Khomeini
followers seized the American embassy in Tehran,
Iran’s capital. Fifty-two Americans were taken
hostage and moved from place to place over the
course of 444 days.
 Carter’s failed attempts to secure the hostages’
freedom decreased his popularity and made his
chances for reelection appear slim.



By the end of Carter’s term, his administration
had lost the confidence of many Americans.
Although Carter ran for reelection, the nation
instead chose conservative Republican
candidate Ronald Reagan by a landslide.
In early 1981, following months of secret talks,
Iran agreed to release the hostages. President
Reagan sent Carter to greet the hostages as they
arrived at a U.S. military base in West Germany.
To understand today’s troubles we
have to go back – way back.
There have been 4 attempts to invade and control its people.
1). Alexander the Great 320 B.C.E.
2). Genghis Khan 1200 C.E.
3). The British Empire (3 times)!
4). The Soviet Union
- Led the world’s largest army across the known
world, conquering every empire in his path.
 - Died in Babylon (Iraq) on his way home at 32.
 - On his death bed whispered his last words:
"I defeated the Persians, and
I swung through the Pyramids,
But, I wept in Bactria" (ancient name for
Afghanistan)



Well known as a bad dude. Remembered for
his willingness to kill EVERYONE!
While he had some success in Afghanistan it
was the only place his empire couldn’t hang
on to.
The British Empire
Afghanistan 1842, 1880, 1919.

According to Professor Dean Wright of Oxford University, “The British
Empire never wanted to conquer Afghanistan. Only to help establish a better
government” (Constant internal tribal fighting).

On one offensive in the Anglo-Afghan War in 1842, 20,000 British troops left
Kabul for battle, 1 man named Dr. W. Brydon returned.

The Brits returned in 1880 to attempt to control the influence of Russia in
Afghanistan. (Remember, the Brits control India at this time) Brits allowed
Afghanistan to control their own domestic policies, but Brits controlled their
foreign affairs. Eventually, the Brits lose again.

By 1919 the British were already fighting in WWI and had no appetite for
another fight with the Afghans when they invaded India and signed a peace
agreement.



When the British left India in 1947, they set
the modern borders of Afghanistan, Pakistan,
and India.
Many people in this region do not recognize
these borders as legitimate.
Three Cups of Tea: Kashmir Region – still
occupied by China, India and Pakistan.
(Nuclear weapons)
What do all of these nations have in
common?



They were all the biggest army in the world at the time of
their involvement in Afghanistan.
They relied on huge shows of military force using
advanced military technology and brute force.
They underestimated the power of the tribal groups of
this region.

Each new invader brought new religious beliefs.

Losses: Geography and tribal infrastructure.


USSR invades Afghanistan to support the
communist government against Northern
India.
The US helps the Mujahadeen overthrow the
USSR – why?


1979 was during the Cold
War, a time when the USA
was a rival to the Soviet
Union. The USA wanted to
help Afghans fight the
Soviets.
The CIA sent stinger
missiles to Afghans to
shoot down Soviet
helicopters.
Mujahadeen“The Freedom Fighters”
-Using guerilla tactics, Mujahedeen fighters destroyed both military and
civilian targets like bridges, roads and buildings.
- They assassinated key military and political leaders.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
had many lasting effects.

1). Some of these include: Nearly 1.5 million undetonated land mines.



Some statistics say that up to 1 in every 5 children have lost a limb to unexploded mines and
artillery. Mines shaped like toys.
2). Afghanistan has the distinct honor of having one of the highest numbers of orphans
in any country. This is a result of nearly constant war since 1979.
Life expectancy is 45 years.
Lasting effects of the Soviet Invasion
3). A generation of Afghan children orphaned by the
war with little guidance, education or support.
The Result: A perfect place to be recruited by groups
like the Taliban and Al Qaeda (Madrassas)
Lasting Effects of the Soviet Invasion
4). The Birth of Global Jihad
The single most lasting effect of the invasion by the Soviet Union
was the gathering of Islamic fighters to the cause of defending
their version of Islam.
The Fight for Control of Afghanistan
After the final Soviet troops left in 1989, the battle for who would run
Afghanistan began.
Rise of the Taliban

From the withdrawal of the Soviet army in 1989
until the Taliban (some were former Mujahadeen)
take control of the capital Kabul, the nation was
thrown into yet another period of destruction.

In September of 1996 the Taliban became the
official government of Afghanistan. They threw out
the existing constitution and established strict
Sharia Law.
Life under the Taliban

According to The Encyclopedia of the Muslim World ,edited by Richard C.
Martin “The Taliban enjoyed great support of the population of Afghanistan
following decades of endless fighting.”
According to the NY Times reporter Amy Pines

“Under the Taliban regime, Sharia Law was interpreted to ban a wide variety of activities
hitherto lawful in Afghanistan: employment, education and sports for women, movies, television,
videos, music, dancing, hanging pictures in homes, clapping during sports events, kite flying,
and beard trimming.” “Life under the Taliban” Pines. NY Times, Nov. 23 2001.
One Taliban list of prohibitions included:
pork, pig, pig oil, anything made from human hair, satellite dishes, cinematography, and equipment that produces the joy of
music, pool tables, chess, masks, alcohol, tapes, computers, VCRs, television, anything that propagates sex and is full of music,
wine, lobster, nail polish, firecrackers, statues, sewing catalogs, pictures, Christmas cards. [11]

Theft was punished by the amputation of a hand, rape and murder by public
execution. Married adulterers were stoned to death. In Kabul, punishments
were carried out in front of crowds in the city's former soccer stadium.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/taliban/life-under-the-taliban
Taliban’s Islam





Women covered in full
covering, a Chadri.
No education for girls.
Global Jihad
Focus on destruction of all
things modern and western,
or even other Muslim
countries that communicate
with non-Muslim countries.
The desire to return to the
“golden era” of Islam (the
1400’s)
Everyone Else’s Islam



Head covered, a Hijab.
Internal Jihad
According to the Averroes
Foundation “Developing in
the modern world,
developing relationships
with other nations, being a
citizen of the world”


Al Qaeda is a stateless (meaning without a
country) terrorist organization.
It is led and financed by Osama bin Laden, a
radical Shi’a Muslim.
The Birth of Al Qaeda

During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan Osama
Bin Laden played a huge role in recruiting young
Muslim fighters to the cause of global jihad.

While he participated in few actual battles in
Afghanistan, Bin Laden became known for his
generous funding of the jihad against the Soviets.

While the Taliban wanted only Afghanistan for their
own, Bin Laden had dreams of spreading this
movement all around the world.
Al Qaeda’s early efforts



1993- First bombing of the World Trade Center
1998- Bombing of 2 U.S. embassies in Kenya and
Tanzania, killing 200 and injuring 5000.
2000- Bombing of the U.S.S Cole in Yemen, killing
17 sailors
Bin Laden Returns to Afghanistan

Following growing pressure from the international
community, Sudan forces Bin Laden to leave.

He returns to Afghanistan in 1996 to a country
completely under the control of the Taliban.

It is here that Bin Laden planned the September
11th attack.
Following the attacks on September 11, 2001 President Bush gave
the Taliban an ultimatum.
“Deliver Al Qaeda’s leadership located within the borders of
Afghanistan”
He added “You will hand over the terrorist or you will share their
fate”
- NY Times Oct. 1, 2001
- President Bush was later criticized for taking troops and resources
from the War in Afghanistan to fight the War in Iraq.

In October of 2001 U.S. led forces, along with support from
nearly 42 other nations, enters Afghanistan.

The U.S. and its allies had 3 main goals for
Operation Enduring Freedom
1). Capture those responsible for the
planning of the September 11th
attacks
Remove the Taliban from power so
Afghanistan would no longer be a safe
haven for terrorist organizations.
Help the cause of Democracy
in Afghanistan.