| To: Neocon who wrote (148733) | 10/22/2004 5:10:19 PM | | From: Michael Watkins | | | | So its all about oil, then? Then Reagan's policy helped launch Bin Laden's career and our dependance on foreign oil is going to continue to keep new Bin Laden's popping up.
At any rate, its my view that Reagan gets far too much credit for the demise of the Soviet Union. |
| | Foreign Affairs Discussion Group | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Michael Watkins who wrote (148749) | 10/22/2004 5:14:38 PM | | From: Neocon | | | | It was about a lot of things, oil among them, in the context of strategic competition. My point is that many things are consequent upon every action, and we cannot anticipate and control all of them.
Reagan does not get enough credit. But it is good to at least confirm that your pose as a conservative is a crock. |
| | Foreign Affairs Discussion Group | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: jlallen who wrote (148741) | 10/22/2004 5:15:06 PM | | From: Michael Watkins | | | | The point is where they are now. I thought that was clear.
Heinz Kerry is derided for being rich; well Laura Bush is part of a powerful aristocracy too. Arguably far more powerful.
Both belong to aristocratic families... now. |
| | Foreign Affairs Discussion Group | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Bill who wrote (148750) | 10/22/2004 6:13:31 PM | | From: Ish | | | | <<I've been hearing that about Rove for years now and have yet to see much evidence that it is true.
It seems to be a DNC bandwagon argument.>>
Rove has been said to be 90' tall, have horns, fangs and claws. He looks normal to me. |
| | Foreign Affairs Discussion Group | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| To: Neocon who wrote (148751) | 10/22/2004 6:32:23 PM | | From: Michael Watkins | | | | Reagan does not get enough credit. But it is good to at least confirm that your pose as a conservative is a crock.
Hardly. Just because I'm not a nimwit toady willing to repeat whatever is served does not make me less of a conservative. Sloganeering is not my thing.
Economics, internal soviet politics, and timing of specific developments outside of Reagan's control all contributed to the Soviet Union's demise.
- Economics (the Soviet Union was collapsing under its own weight economically), although I certainly agree that Reagan incorporated ideas (and continued prior administration policy) with a trade policy designed where possible to keep constant economic pressure on the Soviet Union.
- internal soviet politics - the rise to power of Gorbachev - he was and is far more enlightened than any of his predecessors,
- and timing -- in addition to having the right leader at the right time, the rise of communications and information technology and globalism put intense competitive *and* societal pressures on an already broken system and provided a real foot in the door to opening their society up. Pressure from within I view as critical.
These factors - all either completely or largely out of Reagan's control - had as much to do with the demise of the Soviet Union as any "evil empire" talk.
Some feel that hard line support for Strategic Defense Initiative and military one-upmanship was *the* factor - but I don't buy that. Keeping them on edge militarily was certainly a contributing factor. More importantly, and I give Reagan credit for this, was the shift from confrontation to engagement towards the end - his sense of timing was excellent there.
Good conservatives need to do more than believe our own press, all the time. Try it. |
| | Foreign Affairs Discussion Group | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (3) |
|
| |
