Ronald Reagan: political career and legacy

¶ … President Ronald Reagan's views and contributions to foreign policy. President Reagan's contributions to American foreign policy are many and varied. Some believe his policies were some of the best to come out of the White House in decades, while others are not so sure. His policies helped bring down the Berlin Wall and end Communism in Europe, but they also funded rebels in Afghanistan and Nicaragua, and some of these polices have negatively affected America in many ways.

President Ronald Reagan took office in January 1981, immediately following the presidency of Jimmy Carter. From the onset of his two presidential terms, it was clear Reagan shared the opinion of many Americans who had lived through World War II and based their opinions on foreign policy on their experiences during the war. The American Experience Web site notes, "As the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as dominant, and opposing, forces, Reagan shared the view that communism posed a legitimate threat to free people everywhere" (Editors). He distrusted the Soviets and their motives, and said so publicly, and he believed previous administrations had pandered to the Soviets. Instead, he wanted his administration to show decided strength and force toward the Soviets, he believed that is what they expected and respected. A journalist notes, "Reagan's foreign policy statements emphasized, rather, American machismo. He seemed more intent on reasserting American power and pride -- 'standing tall' in the world -- than in reinventing its virtue" (Kane). Thus, the stage was set for some very controversial, and laudable foreign policy decisions.

He began to increase defense spending, and increased the deployment of anti-nuclear missiles in Europe, which angered just about everyone, as well. American Experience continues, "On this matter he angered both conservatives and members of the anti-nukes community. For while he professed to deplore the existence of nuclear weapons, and may have believed they foretold a biblical Armageddon, he simultaneously deployed medium-range missiles in Europe" (Editors). This distaste for communism did not only apply to the Soviets, it applied to any area where communism was attempting to gain a foothold, and that translated to a very aggressive foreign policy in countries facing communist revolt or insurgence.

Probably the most memorable and well-known aspect of Reagan's foreign policy is the "Regan Doctrine," first formulated early in the Reagan presidency to deal with foreign insurgents and the growth of communism. It must be said that the roots of the Reagan Doctrine lie in the Carter administration, which covertly began to give financial aid to Afghanistan's mujahideen in their fight against the Soviets attempting to take over Afghanistan. When Reagan took office, he expanded the policy and then created his own distinct doctrine, the Reagan Doctrine (Scott 40). A Reagan historian notes how the administration formulated the doctrine. He writes, "First, the doctrine emerged from the interaction among four circles of actors: the president and his chief advisers, the foreign policy bureaucracy, Congress, and a group of nongovernmental actors" (Scott 7). As the president and his advisors began to worry about more communist threats around the world, they expanded the doctrine to cover them, which explains many of the administration's major errors in foreign policy, including Angola, Afghanistan, and Central America. Essentially, the funding in Afghanistan aided freedom fighters such as the group initially created by Osama bin Ladin. There is no evidence that American money directly funded bin Ladin's freedom fighters in Afghanistan, but the group eventually evolved into Al Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible for the 9/11 attacks and many others around the world.

The first test of this more aggressive stance against communism came in 1983 when U.S. forces invaded the island nation of Grenada, off the coast of South America in the Caribbean. The official reason for the attack was the safety of American medical students attending a university on the island, after a coup d'etat took place. The coup's leader sympathized with communist and Cuban leadership, and the administration felt they were a threat to the entire region, so the U.S. attacked. The U.S. was victorious, and withdrew after about two months of occupation, and the world knew the United States would not tolerate communism's advance of any sort during the Reagan administration.

Probably the most notorious aspect of Reagan's foreign policy was the Iran-Contra Affair, which came to light in 1986 during Reagan's second term in office. However, the affair had been going on almost as long as Reagan had come into office. The American Experience continues, "Within days of taking office, Reagan suspended U.S. aid to Nicaragua and declared his support for contra rebels fighting to overthrow the newly installed Marxist-led Sandinista regime" (Editors). Essentially, because Congress had turned down aid to the Contras, the administration created covert arms deals with Iran, sending the profits to the Contras who were fighting the Nicaraguan government (the Sandinistas), which was supported by the Soviets and other communist nations. Unfortunately, it became known that many of the Contras were also cocaine dealers, and that they often violated the civil rights of their enemies and civilians.

As aid to the Contras continued, there was a concerted effort by the administration to keep it secret. Historian Scott continues, "Between June 1984 and October 1986 there was a covert effort to evade congressional restrictions by using the NSC staff and a private network of suppliers to raise funds and provide supplies, training, advice, and intelligence" (Scott 156). The truth eventually came out, and it was one of the biggest scandals of the administration. In fact, "Investigations during the Iran-contra affair revealed a 'shadow government,' operating without public knowledge or congressional approval, being run out of the White House" (Editors). Reagan maintained he had never known about the program, and Congress admonished him for not keeping closer tabs on his own administration, and his public approval ratings plummeted after the affair.

Of course, Reagan is most remembered for helping to engineer the eventual fall of the Soviet Union, although it did not actually occur during his presidency. Reagan built up the military throughout his administration, and eventually, the Soviets, recognizing they could not keep up with America, made significant arms deals to reduce their arms and defenses. He met in diplomatic meetings several times with Soviet leader Gorbachev, who was already known as a proponent of reform in his own country. Eventually, the talks led to major changes in the Soviet Union. In 1989, they gave up their influence in East Berlin, and the Berlin Wall, in place since the end of World War II, came down, uniting Germany once again. In 1991, the Soviet Union fell, replaced by a democratic government.