Milestones

Ten years ago: The supertanker Bridgeton and three other reflagged Kuwaiti tankers left Kuwait under U.S. escort and safely cleared Persian Gulf waters where the Bridgeton had hit a mine the month before.

Five years ago: President Bush told an evangelical gathering in Dallas that the Democrats had left “three simple letters” out of their platform: “G-o-d.” Democrat Bill Clinton said Bush was trying to divert attention from the economy. Neo-Nazi violence against foreigners erupted in Rostock, Germany.

One year ago: President Clinton signed welfare legislation ending guaranteed cash payments to the poor and demanding work from recipients.