Eight years of hell are over

The US presidential race, the grand American soap opera that continued for almost two years, became the most scandalous, dramatic, unpredictable and the most expensive campaign in US history.

Photo: Eight years of hell are over

The candidates have spent about $2.4 billion on their fight for the White House despite the global economic crisis at the time, when hundreds of thousands of US voters were losing their jobs and homes.

Other records of the campaign include the unusual activity of young and Afro-American voters. These electors vote for Obama. The Illinois Senator became an honored member of the 12,000-strong Indian tribe in May, during one of his pre-election trips. The Indians named their new brother as Barack Black Eagle.

Eight years of George W. Bush’s presidency marked a crucial era for America and the whole world.

September 11, 2001. Terrorist attacks took place in New York and Washington. The Pentagon declared the war on terror.

October 7, 2001. Washington launched a military operation in Afghanistan at the approval of the UN and overturned the Taliban regime in the country.

The fall of 2001. The US Patriot Act came into force. State-run structures were given access to private information of US citizens.

January 2002. Bush used the term “axis of evil” towards Iran, Iraq and North Korea. The list was then added with Cuba, Libya and Syria.

September 2002. The Bush’s doctrine was presented. The USA is ready to act single-handedly, without the approval from the international community.

March 2003. The White House launched a military campaign against Iraq. Over 4,000 US servicemen died there during five years. The war cost the USA its global reputation and triggered massive protests inside the United States.

July 2003. CIA agent Valerie Plame was disclosed. The story looked like a premeditated affair against Plame’s husband, former US diplomat Joe Wilson, who accused White House officials of manipulating the intelligence information about the situation in Iraq. It became one of the biggest political scandals during Bush’s presidency.

2003. The president initiated the tax reduction program, which made it possible to overcome the economic setback. However, the reform resulted in the budget deficit.

2004. The notorious Abu Ghraib scandal hits the world.

March 2004. Then-Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon withdrew troops from Palestinian territories at the mediation of the United States. The event marked landmark success in the regulation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

January 20, 2005. Bush takes his second term as POTUS. Condoleezza Rice replaced Colin Powell as the US Secretary of State.

August 2005. Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. The actions of the US administration were later considered incompetent.

November 2006. Republicans lost the mid-term elections. Democrats control the two houses of the US Congress.

February 2007. The relations between the United States and Russia took a turn for the worse. Putin slammed the NATO expansion and the missile defense program during his speech in Munich, Germany.

March 2008. Bush officially supported John McCain as a presidential candidate.

August 2008. A military conflict between Georgia and Russia occurred. Bush threatened Russia with international isolation and promised a billion-dollar-worth humanitarian assistance to Georgia.