I am sick of the Reagan quote getting overplayed now. THE PEOPLE of Germany tore down that wall.
The Pope had more to do with the collapse of the Soviet Union than Reagan. By supporting the liberating forces in Poland, this was the push of the first domino that eventually swept the Eastern Block.
Sure, Reagan outspent the USSR in weapons of war, but the Russians did themselves in with Afghanistan which had little if anything to do with Reagan given that they invaded during the Carter Administration. The preoccupation with an unwinnable war and a lousy economy was their downfall. (sound familiar?)
Carter and the CIA started supporting opposition forces within Afghanistan, helping to lead to the devastating quagmire (sound familiar?)that was another straw on the camel's back that brought down the USSR.
These soundbite should recall history and demonstrate that we could easily succumb to the same illness that claimed the USSR.
Ronald Reagan was a puppet of the neocons of his day and did not have an original thought in his head. He read scripts that others wrote and stood properly on his marks on stage.
The best thing he ever did was to popularize gourmet jelly beans. This, I will grant him and will be forever greatful. As for the US and its position in the world, I heap scorn upon scorn upon the man.