 Haiti to restore order.
3/2/1994, US President Clinton lifted trade sanctions against Vietnam; In December 1992 President Bush had allowed US companies to open offices in Vietnam but the embargo meant they could not yet trade there.
1/1/1994, The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into force.
17/11/1993. The US Congress voted for NAFTA.
3/10/1993, US troops fought large-scale land battles with local militiamen in Mogadishu, Somalia.
23/8/1993, US Police raided singer Michael Jackson’s home after a 13-year old boy made allegations of child abuse.
19/4/1993. The siege at Waco, Texas, ended after 51 days. On 28/2/1993 the Branch Davidian sect, led by David Koresh, was visited by US Federal Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms personnel to arrest Koresh for suspected firearms offences. Sect members opened fire, killing four Federal Agents and injuring a dozen more. US government troops and armoured cars surrounded the sect’s ranch. On 19 April the wooden compound was set alight by cult members as troops fired tear gas into the buildings. 86 people, including David Koresh and 17 children, died.
18/3/1993, Kenneth E Boulding, US economist and activist, died (born 1910).
26/2/1993. Bomb exploded beneath World Trade Centre, New York. Six were killed and hundreds injured when a bomb exploded in an underground car park, planted by Muslim fundamentalists.
4/12/1992. US troops landed in Somalia. Rival warlord’s factions were causing chaos on Somali capital Mogadishu and hundreds of thousands were starving in the countryside. The US sent 28,000 troops to help relief efforts, codenamed ‘Restore Hope’.
11/8/1992. The biggest shopping mall in the USA opened in Minnesota. It had over 300 stores, covering 4.2 million square feet.
28/5/1992. The US prison population reached a record high of 823,414. One in three was being held for a drugs-related offence.
5/4/1992. Samuel Moore Walton, born 29/3/1918, founder of Wal-Mart, died.
26/3/1992. Mike Tyson was sentenced to 10 years in jail after being found guilty of rape.
15/3/1991, Albania and the USA restored diplomatic relations after a gap of 52 years.
4/3/1991, Vermont celebrated the 200th anniversary of its statehood.
12/12/1990, US President George Bush agreed to send US$ 1,000 million food aid to the Soviet Union.
30/11/1990, US President George Bush proposed a US-Iraq meeting to avoid war.
21/11/1990. A declaration of the end of the Cold War was signed in Paris.
16/11/1990, Manuel Noriega claimed the US had denied him a fair trial.
15/11/1990, President Bush signed the Clean Air Act 1990.
5/8/1990. 200 US Marines arrived in Liberia to rescue US citizens caught in the civil war there.
29/5/1990, Rhode Island celebrated the 200th anniversary of its statehood.
23/5/1990, Rocky Graziano, US middle-weight champion boxer, died
15/4/1990, Greta Garbo died in New York, after some 50 years of living a reclusive life after her 1940s Hollywood fame.
26/1/1990, Lewis Mumford, US historian (born 19/10/1895) died.
3/1/1990, Noriega surrendered to US law enforcement; he was flown to Miami and indicted on drugs charges.
30/12/1989, The US and the Vatican were negotiating over ending the refuge of ex-dictator Manuel Noriega, who had fled to the Vatican Embassy in Panama City to avoid capture and extradition to the USA. At one stage the US lost patience and played rock music at full volume outside the Embassy continuously from loudspeakers erected by the US forces.
24/12/1989, Deposed Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega gave himself up to the Papal Nuncio in Panama City, having dodged US troops trying to capture him.
21/12/1989. The USA invaded Panama and ousted General Noriega. Noriega sought refuge in the Vatican Mission, where he remained until 3/1/1990. He then surrendered to US forces.
12/12/1989, New York heiress Leona Helmsley was fined US$ 7 million and sentenced to 4 years prison for tax evasion. She had said “only little people pay taxes”.
21/11/1989, North Carolina celebrated the 200th anniversary of its statehood.
14/9/1989, US performed a nuclear test at Nevada.
5/7/1989, (1) In the US