Kevin D. Korenthal, June 8, 2004

The legacy of the "Reagan Revolution," lower taxes to spur growth and working to export democracy, is the pinnacle of conservative beliefs. Ronald Reagan took America from international embarrassment and economic failure to the defeat of Communism and the longest Peacetime Economic Expansion in history.

Many of my readers remember the dog days of the "Cold War" when two super powers sat on the brink of annihilation. Something called "Détente" (which I think is French for sucker) allowed the Soviet Union to arm itself to the teeth and spread like a virus while the world watched on unable to act. It causes me to ponder the relevance of that war in the events we face in the Middle East today. Do the questions of the past have the answers we seek today? The War on Terror is a many-pronged assault on radical Islamic Extremism, a force that will not remain contained. Communism would not be contained and was much like terrorism in that it seemed to take roots quickly and brutally in all parts of the world but had an epicenter for its elitist power base.

Ronald Reagan knew tyranny would reign for as long as America allowed it to. He had an uncanny knack for summing up events even as they were unfolding. In his July 1982 "Evil Empire" speech to the House Commons, he said, "If history teaches anything, it teaches self-delusion in the face of unpleasant facts is folly. We see around us today the marks of our terrible dilemma--predictions of doomsday, antinuclear demonstrations, an arms race in which the West must, for its own protection, be an unwilling participant. At the same time we see totalitarian forces in the world who seek subversion and conflict around the globe to further their barbarous assault on the human spirit. What, then, is our course? Must civilization perish in a hail of fiery atoms? Must freedom wither in a quiet, deadening accommodation with totalitarian evil?"

The answer to that question, as you know, was to meet the enemy head on. In the "Cold War" that meant arming our nation with those qualities and those devices we would need to defeat the enemy should they attack. Reagan used America's political and economic influence to squeeze Communism and Soviet Union in upon its self. Just as he had promised would happen some 10 years earlier.

Today we fight another repressive enemy. This enemy has hijacked a religion in order to plant the seeds of a global empire whose center lies in all of the Middle East. The Jihadists, although not totally united in their ultimate goals, have a common purpose in the destruction of Democracy.

Three years into what will surely be an effort for decades, how far have we come in the War on Terror? So far we have killed or captured two thirds of Al Qaida's leadership, ousted a tyrannical terrorist-supporting dictator and convinced nations like Libya and Pakistan to give up their pursuit and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Even though Baghdad is actually more dangerous to US troops today than it was after the fall of that city, real institutional change has been effected to create a cohesive if not slightly dazed structure of ministries making decisions in all elements of life in Iraq. While our soldiers continue to take losses, the enemy is wearing thinner and thinner. Parties are opting to negotiate rather than continue to fight. Seeing how you can't kill every single bad guy, you must win some over by seizing on those desires it is safe to fulfill for them.

On July 1, Iraq will regain its territorial and political sovereignty and will cease to be run by the United States or any other nation. Although our troops will remain in Iraq attending to continuing security needs, the interim government of Iraq will, with the aid of the United Nations, prepare the country for Democratic Elections early next year.

In Afghanistan, US troops have been playing ping-pong with the Pakistani military using low to medium level terrorists as the ball. Pakistan makes an incursion into a particularly infested region and forces the hardcore Jihadists over the border into Afghanistan into the arms of US Forces. The media do not talk about this much, but weekly arrests in that region over the last 9 months or so have greatly added to the security of the fledgling Afghan Government that will soon hold its first Democratic Elections.

Reagan's ability to sum up the most important issues became almost prophetic in his 1994 Farewell Speech at the Republican National Committee Dinner to honor him where he said, "Democrats may remember their lines, but how quickly they forget the lessons of the past. I have witnessed five major wars in my lifetime, and I know how swiftly storm clouds can gather on a peaceful horizon. The next time a Saddam Hussein takes over a Kuwait, or North Korea brandishes a nuclear weapon, will we be ready to respond?

"In the end, it all comes down to leadership. That is what this country is looking for now. It was leadership here at home that gave us strong American influence abroad and the collapse of imperial Communism. Great nations have responsibilities to lead, and we should always be cautious of those who would lower our profile because they might just wind up lowering our flag."

Ronald Reagan believed in the strength and resolve of this God's Greatest Nation. He was always optimistic about the end result and always said America's best days are still ahead. This great nation is led today by a man that you can be sure holds these same truths. The "Reaganomics," a.k.a. the Bush tax cuts, created another 248,000 jobs last month. Since August 2003, we have witnessed the creation of 2.2 million jobs throughout all sectors of the economy. I think Ronnie might be a little impressed with this reaffirmation of his maverick, economic policy.

Copyright © 2004 Kevin D. Korenthal