Reagan Looks Back on His Successes
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Reagan Looks Back on the Successes of his Cold War Strategy 1986 Remarks at the Heritage Foundation Anniversary Dinner, April 22, 1986 (Excerpts) 1988 Statement on the 44th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, January 30, 1988 Radio Address to the Nation on Foreign Policy Achievements, August 27, 1988 Radio Address to the Nation on Foreign Policy, September 24, 1988 Remarks at the National Convention of the American Legion in Louisville, Kentucky, September 6, 1988 Remarks at the Site of the Future Holocaust Memorial Museum, October 5, 1988 (Excerpts) Remarks at a Luncheon for Recipients of the Medal of Freedom, November 10, 1988 (Excerpts) Radio Address to the Nation on Soviet-United States Relations, December 3, 1988 Remarks to the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, December 7,1988 (Excerpts) Radio Address to the Nation on Soviet-United States Relations, December 10, 1988 Reagan Looks Back on the Successes of his Cold War Strategy 1989 Statement by Deputy Press Secretary Popadiuk on United States Participation in International Human Rights Conferences, January 4, 1989 Farewell Address to the Nation, January 11, 1989 Remarks at the Armed Forces Farewell Salute in Camp Springs, Maryland, January 12, 1989 Final Radio Address to the Nation, January 14, 1989 Remarks at the Heritage Foundation Anniversary Dinner (Excerpts) April 22, 1986 Remarks at the Heritage Foundation Anniversary Dinner (Excerpts) April 22, 1986 Recently Ive asked a few conservative audiences that a good many of them reside here in Washington. to reflect on that change, to think back to 1980 and ask [Laughter] But even this is changing. The old poli- themselves: Who would have thought that in a few tics, the post-Vietnam syndrome, the partisans of short years even our political opposition would be call- Blame America First, are fading fast. ing for an end to deficit spending and voting for a de So, let me make a prediction. I think theres a grow- facto balanced budget amendment, known as Gramm- ing recognition that the idea of self-government and Rudman? Or who could have predicted that a House the commitment to democratic rights is on the march of Representatives supposedly under liberal leadership everywhere in the world, and especially in Central would spontaneously repeal the Clark amendment, the America. Those whove been naive about the dangers amendment which prevented us from helping the free- of communism in the past, those whove been wrong dom fighters in Angola? about the nature of Communist regimes in Vietnam, But these changes in American domestic politics Cambodia, Grenada, and El Salvador are uneasy now reflect a wider international trend. Since our first days with their views on the Sandinistas and the freedom in office, our administration has tried to defend our fighters. So, here is my prophecy: Were going to get way of life not just by increasing the defense budget, the freedom fighters the help they need, and were but by pointing to the world of ideas and the revolu- going to get it to them soon. But its going to happen tion now going on there. Weve talked about the deca- because I know you and I are going to redouble our dence of Marxist-Leninist ideology. Early in 1981 1 efforts over the next few weeks. mentioned to Mrs. Thatcher (Prime Minister of the And let me make one other prediction. We must United Kingdom] that totalitarian ideology had lost its never forget that totalitarian regimes are as fragile as force and energy and perhaps the time had come for they are powerful. Time magazine recently did a story the democracies to plan for a world where that ideol- on scholar Robert Leiken, who went to Nicaragua and, ogy was no longer a dominant force. A little later at much to the distress of some of his liberal colleagues, Notre Dame, we called communism a spent force, a concluded that opposition to the Sandinistas is very sad, bizarre chapter in human history whose last pages deep and very strong in that nation. So, lets remem- even now are being written. And in Westminster, I ber this, too: The vast majority of the people in Nica- noted that statism had lost the intellectuals. Our call ragua want nothing to do with communism or the mili- was for a forward strategy for freedom, a crusade to tarism it engenders. The day is coming when the demo- promote and foster democratic values throughout the cratic promises of the revolution of 1979 will be ful- world. filled and Nicaragua will be free. Much of this at the time was viewed skeptically. The only point Im making here is this: Weve been But here we are a few years later; democracy is pros- talking about the idea of freedom, about expanding its pering in many nations where its never before been frontiers, since the beginning of this administration. seen. In Latin America and the Caribbean alone more So no one should be surprised that our policies and than 50--or 90 percent of the people live in nations programs have followed suit. Freedom is on the march; that are democracies or headed in that direction. What we pledge solidarity to those who seek to make it their a change from a few years ago. And weve seen the own. insurgencies in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Nicaragua, In much the same way, no nation-friend or foe, ally Angola, and elsewhere, vivid evidence that the romance or adversary-should be surprised by the events of last of revolution is no longer on the side of the totalitar- week and the United States Governments determina- ians. Its telling proof that the eighties is a break with tion to protect American lives and the world from ter- the past, that the eighties is truly the decade of the free- rorism. I could recite here a long list of speeches and dom fighters. statements by myself and Cabinet officers outlining There are those, of course, who are a little slow to the terrorist danger, presenting the evidence of col- catch on to all this. And it probably wont surprise you laboration among certain terrorist States and making clear to those States that we would not tolerate what the Challenger explosion and said our astronauts were amounts to acts of war against the American people. war criminals and deserved what they got. Only last summer, in an address to the American Bar That picture making the rounds showing Daniel Association, I outlined the terrorist network, citing Ortega standing with Muammar Qadhafi and raising evidence the United States Government had accumu- his fist in a gesture of solidarity is very much to the lated as well as private scholars in the field such as Dr. point. I hope every Member of Congress will reflect Avigdor Haselkorn. I carefully outlined the intercon- on the fact that the Sandinistas have been training, sup- nection among those terrorist States and issued the most porting, and directing, as well as sheltering terrorists; solemn warnings to their leaders. and in this sense, theyre trying to build a Libya on our And yet, even at the start of the administration, doorstep. And its the contras, the freedom fighters, people like Jeane Kirkpatrick were offering some pretty who are stopping them. So, you see it goes back to broad hints that things would be different. How will what Richard Weaver has said and what Heritage is the Reagan administration change American foreign all about: Ideas do have consequences, rhetoric is policy? she was asked early in 1981 at the United policy, and words are action. Nations. She answered correctly. She said, Well, And just in case the meaning of last weeks events weve taken down our Kick Me sign. And then are still unclear to those who would terrorize and mur- someone said, Well, does this mean that if the United der Americans, let me explain once more, and, believe States is kicked it will kick back? Not necessarily, me, far from being belligerent or warlike-clearing up she said. But it does mean we wont apologize. misunderstanding on this point is precisely the way to [Laughter] Well, we havent been apologizing. Things avoid conflict, not cause it. are different. And perhaps youve noticed. I know Yes, we Americans have our disagreements, some- Colonel Qadhafi has. times noisy ones, almost always in public-thats the And by the way, these two issues weve discussed nature of an open society. But no foreign power should here this evening-the march of freedom, especially in mistake disagreement for disunity or disputes for deca- Central America, and the fight against terrorism-are dence. Those who are tempted to do so should reflect directly related. In that American Bar Association ad- on our national character, on our record of littering dress, I pointed out the strong ties of the Sandinistas to history with the wreckage of regimes whove made the international terror network. The Sandinistas have the mistake of underestimating the will of the Ameri- provided. refuge for all sorts of international terror- can people, their love for freedom, and their national ists. Members of the Italian Government have openly valor. The American people are slow to wrath, Teddy charged that Nicaragua is harboring some of Italys Roosevelt once said, but when their wrath is once worst terrorists. And we have evidence that in addi- kindled it burns like a consuming flame. So, tonight I tion to Italys Red Brigades, other elements of the speak for a united people. Let me say simply to those worlds most vicious terrorists groups-West who wish us ill: We are Americans.