Reagan vs USSR

WSJ: As we celebrate 2o anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, an excellent article on the speech that President Reagan gave in front of the Wall in 1987. The President stated the following at the Berlin Wall, " There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! "* Today you wound not think that this statement would have the entire diplomatic core up in the arms but then the State Department didn't want to annoy the the then USSR. At the end of the day Reagan gave the speech that he wanted with the above, at the time the elite press didn't give it much notice, they had their own Obama moment with Gorbachev, it shows that even the experts and the elite media can be on Mars even when events pass them, one of Reagan's speech writes states the following, " Reagan had...... arrived at view that criminal regimes were different,...........that they saw acts of conciliation as weakness, " The article is great as it shows the turf war Mr Dolan had in getting the line in the speech, it should be recalled just as the press are in the tank for Obama they had the same mind set for Gorbachev, they didn't see that of the greats of the 80s, Thatcher, Reagan and Gorbachev all but Reagan were pushed from office by either a Cabinet revolt or a coup in Moscow. Reagan saw his VP, Bush 41 elected as his successor, Reagan was a beloved President, Gorbachev is still not that popular in Russia, abroad he gets the great respect that he deserves, even the UK Lady Thatcher is not overly popular with New Labour or the modern Conservative Party, but is greatly admired abroad. But of the three Reagan will always be this blogs favourite President.

*“Remarks on East-West Relations at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin June 12, 1987.” The Public Papers of President Ronald W. Reagan. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1987/061287d.htm (accessed 09 November 2009)