Star Wars was actually a strategic stroke of genius. Whether the system was workable or not is besides the point. It forced the U.S.S.R to dramatically increase defense spending, which was already overburdening its economy. This was a significant factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The idea wasn't original to Reagan, however. The theory that the U.S. could whip the U.S.S.R. and eventually cause its collapse first arose in the early '60s. Conservative thinkers then posited the idea that the U.S. economy could far better withstand a massive military spending campaign than the Soviets, and if the Soviet's tried to keep up, they would implode. Reagan seized on this idea and made it a reality. H. -----Original Message----- From: Howie Hamlin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 10:32 AM To: CF-Community Subject: Re: Ouch Ronnie Raygun? Can you say "trickle-down economics?" Can you say "Iran-Contra (aka "arms for hostages")?" Can you say "Star Wars?" I knew you could... ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lon Lentz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "CF-Community" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 1:08 PM Subject: RE: Ouch > What did Reagan do that was all that bad? > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Get the mailserver that powers this list at http://www.coolfusion.com Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
