President Ronald Wilson Reagan's Cold War Policy

When President Ronald Wilson Reagan was elected in 1980 not many people would understand his significance as Reagan would be Re –elected again in 1984.Reagan would be remember for many thing during his eight years in the White House but most of all Reagan would be remembered for his cold war policy. Although critics of the President past and present have looked at Reagan as a figure head nothing could be further from the truth, especially in regards to his cold war policy and The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). Critics have claimed Reagan had no intention of having such a missile defense system and that it was just floated out in a political move. Reagan was criticized by democrats, the press and even some of his party members. Though Reagan
Their vital interests and ours are inextricably linked. Their safety and ours are one. And no change in technology can or will alter that reality. We must and shall continue to honor our commitments.
I clearly recognize that defensive systems have limitations and raise certain problems and ambiguities. If paired with offensive systems, they can be viewed as fostering an aggressive policy, and no one wants that. But with these considerations firmly in mind, I call upon the scientific community in our country, those who gave us nuclear weapons, to turn their great talents now to the cause of mankind and world peace, to give us the means of rendering these nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete.
Tonight, consistent with our obligations of the ABM treaty and recognizing the need for closer consultation with our allies, I'm taking an important first step. I am directing a comprehensive and intensive effort to define a long-term research and development program to begin to achieve our ultimate goal of eliminating the threat posed by strategic nuclear missiles. This could pave the way for arms control measures to eliminate the weapons themselves. We seek neither military superiority nor political advantage. Our only purpose--one all people share--is to search for ways to reduce the danger of nuclear
The first question was why did u decided to announce this Reagan claimed he had had this idea for a long time and talked it over with the Joint Chiefs and thought it was time. Like Reagan had stated before he could not stand the idea of MAD and gave another explanation. "It is in conceivable to me that we can go on thinking down the future not only for our self and our life time but for other generations, that the great nations of the world will sit here, like people facing themselves across the table, each with a cocked gun, and no one knowing whether someone might tighten their fingers on the trigger." Reagan truly hated the idea of MAD and was determined to change policy and SDI was the route he decided to use. Reagan also wanted to create this system and give it the Soviet Union in hopes of eliminating all nuclear weapons as you have heard before this did not sit well with other members of his cabinet. "Not a single individual in his administration subscribed fully to this concept" of riding the world of nuclear