Socrtease
Verified User
Ultimately our side lost in Nicaragua. Good thing too, seeing that most of the Contra leadership was involved in drug dealing or were henchmen to Samoza who "disappeared" those people that had the audacity to speak out against him. Things were not much better under the Sandanistas but in the end it was Daniel Ortega that played a large part in free and fair elections in Nicaragua. It was his acceptance of the election of Chamorro's widow that allowed for the first woman president in the Americas....EVER. In 2008 he was re-elected to the presidency. Under the Contras, had they won, NONE of this would have happened. Drugs would have had safe passage to Nicaragua and oppression would have continued.do you deny that the foreign policy you complain of resulted in an increase in democracy and free elections in South and Central America, while the system liberals prefer has resulted in Venezuela?
The US supported some of the most corrupt and immoral men in latin american history because they were "anti-communist". Duarte of El Salvador and Pinochet were others that we had to take a long hot shower with Lava soap after supporting. We assassinated Allende in favor of a military Junta that had as much in common with freedom and democracy as Stalin.
The Iran Contra affair is a black mark on the Reagan presidency. Reagan testified that he did not recall having any part in that (plug your ears Dixie) scandal. And maybe he didn't. Either he didn't, and had NO CoNTROL over his cabinet or he lied. Since I don't idolize him, those of you that do, can decide which is the lessor of two blemishes.
That said, I served in his Army. He, with help, created a US Military that was once again second to none. There was no longer any shame in being an American Soldier. The New GI bill put me through college. When the Iron Curtain fell I went to the Celebration of the liberation of Plzen in 1990, the first one since the Soviets had taken control of all of Czechoslovakia and systematically erased all evidence of the US liberation of Plzen. The people of Plzen treated US soldiers like conquering heros. We were not allowed to spend any money while we were there and an elderly couple who were alive in 1945 put myself and my two roommates up in their house. They thanked us NOT ONLY for the US liberating them from Nazi's but also from the Soviet Union. How Americans were viewed in Eastern Europe had a great deal to do with the foundation Reagan built as president.
He was not a god, nor was he a demon. In the end, he did something no president had done in 15 years. He made people feel good about being American again. He made us feel like there was a light at the end of the Vietnam-Watergate-Carter malaise. Lefties don't like him because he signified the end of their "New Left" Port Huron statement ideal. Good riddence to that as well. Unfortunately, the Religious Right in this country got it's chops and still has far too much influence in Republican primary politics. Men like Gary Johnson and Ron Paul will never make it out of the Primaries because they refuse to tow the christian line. Sad, because I honestly believe Reagan would support Johnson or Paul over someone like Huckabee or Palin. Ulitimately Reagan was about strengthening the American economy and paid lip service to things like abortion to keep the religious right in the fold. All in all he was a great president, warts and all.