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Actually, Reagan is not given enough credit for helping bring down the Soviet Union. Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for it. Pope John II, Lech Walesa, and the Polish people also deserve credit, but Reagan's military threat of the Strategic Defense Initiative showed the Soviets that they would bankrupt themselves trying to compete with SDI.

But you said Reagan was "hands off" and he certainly was not in that case. Nor was he "hands off" in turning the economy around. Nor strengthening the military after the decimation of the Carter years.

Oh, also, it was on Reagan's inauguration day that the Iranians released those 53 American hostages that they had held for past 444 days. Coincidence? --I don't think so.

When you said you didn't like him because of his "hands off" style, to what were you referring?

The timing of the release of the hostages was a political ploy of the Iranians. It had nothing directly to do with Reagan.

And what support do you have for that claim?

It is a well known fact that the hostages were released moments after Reagan took the oath of office. President Carter and his administration had arranged for the release of the hostages. They did not leave the White House until they received confirmation that the hostages had left Iran. The hostages were kept on the airport runaway awaiting permission to fly out of Iran on the morning Reagan took office. The flight of the hostages out of Iran departed almost immediately after Reagan took the oath of office. Negotiating the release of the hostages was the last official act of the Carter administration. Carter left office while Reagan got the honor of announcing to the public that the hostages had left Iran and were on their way home. The Iranians kept the hostages in Iran long enough to maximize the public and political humiliation of President Carter.

You can verify this for yourself by reading Carter's autobiography or by reading any publication covering this event.

And the Iranians would have no desire to humiliate Reagan?

You offer Carter's autobiography as a source? Could you please name a couple of those other publications?

As I said check any publication covering this time period. I am not trying to defend anyone. I am saying those are the facts. Ask a presidential historian if you doubt me. I believe PBS Frontline covered this topic years ago.

Do you doubt this just because you dislike Carter so much and praise Reagan so highly?

It doesn't make sense that Iran wanted to humiliate Carter, so they let the hostages go on Reagan's inauguration day. Both Carter and Reagan would have been humilitated if they had continued to hold them.

Rogue nations like Iran don't care who the president of the US is; it's the nation they hate. Notice that Obama is not respected any more than Bush or Clinton were by Iranin leaders or Venezuela's Chavez.

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I've enjoyed our discussions, Craig58. But I've decided to leave this site. Best of luck to you.

I was just discussing my point of view. I did not mean to encourage you to leave.

Take care of yourself and good luck to you too.

You didn't encourage me to leave. I just have too many other writing projects and don't have as much time for this one anymore. I'll still come back here from time to time.

But thanks for the thought. And you take care too.

Blessings,
Linda Sue