Axis of evil A pejorative phrase, coined by
President George W. Bush in 2002, referring to states that supported terrorism and sought weapons of mass destruction. He specifically identified Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, 859
Contract with America A pledge, signed by many Republicans running for Congress in 1994, to support conservative reforms limiting federal power and expenditures. Championed by House Speaker Newt Gingrich, it contributed to a Republican electoral victory; but opposition by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, prevented passage of much of the contract’s legislative agenda, 852
Improvised explosive device (IED) Also known as “roadside bombs,” lEDs are homemade bombs that usually consist of captured artillery shells that are wired to a detonator. Either they are exploded remotely or by suicide bombers. IEDs accounted for over a third of the casualties sustained by American and United Nations forces in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, 867
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
A 1993 accord signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States to reduce and eventually eliminate barriers to trade, including tariffs, among the signatories, 853
“surge” The sudden increase in troop strength that appeared to have been used successfully against the Iraq insurgency in 2007. President Barack Obama similarly adopted a surge in 2009 to stabilize a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, 868
War on terror Initially, a worldwide campaign to catch and prosecute those guilty of the September 11, 2001, attacks; as terrorist attacks spread throughout the world, the war became defined far more broadly, 858
World History
