nt, Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis, forliberalism and promised no new taxes. He became the firstincumbent vice president since 1836 to win election to thepresidency. Also, George Bush became the first ratedmilitary combat pilot to be elected President of the UnitedStates. Bush's his first year in office in 1989 was full ofmeasures to rescue the nation's savings and loan systemand to toughen U.S. efforts against illegal drugs. Heresponded to rapid political changes in Eastern Europe byoffering economic assistance to Czechoslovakia, Hungaryand Poland and by encouraging the unification of East andWest Germany into a country that would remain a Westernally. He also with Mikhail Gorbachev, president of theUSSR and they agreed to negotiate an end to production ofchemical weapons, cut long-range missiles by up to 50percent, and reduce conventional forces in Europe. Bushordered more than 24,000 U.S. troops into Panama to ejectthe government of General Manuel Antonio Noriega. In 1990 Bush and the Congress disputed over the sizeof the federal budget. In the end, Bush retreated from hisno new taxes pledge and signed a deficit-reduction billthat slowed the growth of spending but also increased sometaxes. In foreign affairs Bush's leadership was strong. Bush immediately sent U.S. troops to protect Saudi Arabiain 1990 and began a campaign for an international effortto reverse the Iraqi conquest. A U.S.-led coalitionlaunched a major offensive. Five weeks of air warfare ledto a ground attack that drove the Iraqi army from Kuwaitin less than 100 hours. Bush's popularity soared afterthe victory and remained high as he met with Gorbachev inJuly and signed a strategic arms reduction agreement. Both unemployment and the budget deficit increasedsteadily in 1991. By January 1992 Bush's approval ratingin opinion polls was half what it had been in early 1991.During the 1992 Campaign, Bush was able to stand upagainst Pat Buchanan in the Republican...
