Ronald Reagan: The ULTIMATE "Soft on Terror" President

[ck4829]

Let's see here...
Withdrew from Lebanon after terrorists bombed the barracks
Gave aid to the theocratic regime of Iran
At the same time taught Iraq how to kill more efficiently with their chemical weapons being fired on Iran
Supported Montt while he was doing a campaign of ethnic cleansing in Guatemala
Favored "constructive engagement" with the Apartheid Regime in South Africa (Which had 2 state sponsored terrorist groups; BOSS and the CCB)
Gave weapons to the doctor and teacher murdering Contras
And probably legions of other things too

I can't see how anyone could look at someone who invokes Reagan and see them as being "tough on terror", can you?

[Zywiec]

1. Bombed Libya for the LaBelle Disco attack in Berlin

on April 5, 1986. Ten days after the attack killed 2 U.S. Servicemen. Was that a terrorist attack?

Also, don't forget the Achille Lauro incident.

[ReformedChris]

2. Getting out of Lebanon was the Right Call IMHO, you brought up some great points..

Reagan is very overrated when it comes to terror. He put us in a very ugly spot in the Middle East. He was so obsessed with taking on the Russians and supporting the Nicaraguans that he sold us out to terror regimes that did not share our value system.

[PDJane]

3. I haven't been able to understand

How Reagan managed to get his reputation as an economic powerhouse and a fine upstanding man.

Of course, I'm not an American, but...

[ReformedChris]

6. Great Communication Skills, Weak Democrats, and the Superficial "improvement" in life..

all contributed to the gipper being considered so great. Our manufacturing base was annihilated, unions were crushed (and still considered a plague even to moderates), and we spent infinite amounts of money on arms that were unneeded. The fetal position we are in financially today are a result of Reagan policies and a failure to fix many of the issues over the last 20 years.

[monktonman]

4. ... but, but he single handed defeated the soviets.....

Yeah, I always wondered about the withdrawal of marines after the Beirut bombing.
wasnt it something like 140 or so marines that were killed (more?)
Never hear pukes complain about that one.

[leftofthedial]

5. he was the world's leading terrorist while in office