In order to re-invent Reagan's legacy as President, the rightwing constantly lies about Reagan's real record -- you know Reagan raised taxes 11 times in 8 years. Reagan's unemployment rate skyrocked to 10.8% as a result of the 1981 Tax Cuts so Reagan raised taxes 3 times to combat that his 10.8% unemployment Rate -- and so on.
So imagine my amazement when just the other day, I heard Romney's Top Foreign Policy Adviser, John Bolton complain and condemn President Reagan:
BOLTON: President Reagan was "the most hostile president since the state of Israel was created. He demonstrated that hostility right from the beginning of his Administration.”
Grant it, I was in a noisy room while I was listening to John Bolton rant on and on against Reagan so I did not hear every single word he said. But to summarize, Bolton complained about:
1. Bolton ranted against the President not visiting Israel: Reagan never visited Israel in his 8 Years as President.
2. Bolton ranted against the President's policy on Iran: Reagan aided Iran, Israel's number one foe, by illegally and covertly selling U.S. Weapons to Iran.
3. Bolton ranted against the President and Palestine: Reagan aided and used the U.S. Military to help the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) from Israel.
4. Bolton ranted against the President's insistence Israel return to 1967 Border: Reagan insisted Israel return to the pre-June 1967 Borders.
1. Bolton ranted against the President not visiting Israel
BOLTON: it as “significant” that he did not visit Israel as president.
That is true,
President Reagan never visited Israel In the 8 years Reagan was President, Reagan did make time to visit China and the U.S.S.R,
but never Israel.
2. Bolton ranted against the President's policy on Iran.
BOLTON: Treatment of Iran was mishandled to the point of endangering not only Israel’s security, but the rest of the world as well.
Romney/Bush/Cheney Adviser John Bolton is correct Reagan's Foreign Policy was mishandled as
President Reagan sold U.S. Weapons to Iran, even as the Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini was chanting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel."
1986 President Ronald Reagan and his Administration, were caught violating Federal Laws and International Laws by illegally, and secretly, selling U.S. Weapons to Iran's Islamist Government.
In fact, the U.S. Military's Oliver North, was convicted for his role in the illegal sales of U.S. Weapons to Iran. Oliver North now works for Rupert Murdoch's Fox.
Romney/Bush/Cheney Adviser John Bolton is correct to have been alarmed at Reagan's Administration illegally selling U.S. Weapons to Israel's number one foe, Iran. After all, President Reagan knew that since 1957, the United States had helped Iran build their Nuclear Program and no one, not even Israel objected.
Reagan knew that in 1957,
Under Republican President Eisenhower, The United States and Iran signed a civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. The Agreement provided for U.S. technical assistance and the Lease of Enriched Uranium to Iran.
Reagan knew that both Republican and Democrat Presidents after President Eisenhower (R) helped Iran build their Nuclear Program. In fact in 1976, under
Republican President Gerald Ford issued National Security Decision Memorandum 324 that would help Iran formulate a plan to build 23 nuclear power reactors.
President Ford’s memorandum approved a multinational Reprocessing Nuclear Plant in Iran.
Reagan also knew that after the 1979 Iran Revolution, Democrat President Carter
stopped supplying highly Enriched Uranium for the Iran's Research Reactor.
Therefore,
Reagan knew that Iran had an advanced Nuclear Program before his Administration illegally sold U.S. Weapons to Iran.
So, yeah, I guess John Bolton was showing disdain toward Reagan for illegally selling U.S. Weapons to Iran while knowing Iran's Nuclear Program was advanced.
3. Bolton ranted against the President and Palestine:
BOLTON: “By relieving the Palestinians of any real obligation to negotiate, he actually set the peace process back,”
1982: Reagan gave U.S. Military support to Palestinians
President Reagan gave Yasser Arafat and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Leadership U.S. Military protection from Israel and made sure they were safe in exile in Tunis.
December 1988: Reagan reversed U.S. policy and Recognized Palestinians
President Reagan authorized the U.S. State Department to enter into a dialogue with the PLO, reversing the U.S. policy of refusing to recognize the PLO terrorist organization.
4. Bolton ranted against the President's insistence Israel return to 1967 Border:
Referring to Reagan's early 1982 speeches in which President Reagan said Israel should be confined to the boundaries established following the 1967 Arab-Israeli conflict known as the Six-Day War.
BOLTON: “This was been very, very restrictive on Israel, and it has cost the United States, and Israel, and its Arab friends in the region,”
Reagan's September
1982 Speech, Reagan insisted Palestine be given autonomy in Gaza and the West Bank.
Reagan's 1982 Speech:
"America has long been committed to bringing peace to this troubled region. For more than a generation, successive U.S. administrations have endeavored to develop a fair and workable process that could lead to a true and lasting Arab-Israeli peace."
"First, as outlined in the Camp David Accords, there must be a period of time during which the Palestinian inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza will have full autonomy over their own affairs."
President Reagan d
emanded Israel Return to the pre-June 1967 Borders in his 1982 Speech:
The United States will not support the use of any additional land for the purpose of settlements during the transition period. Indeed, the immediate adoption of a settlement freeze by Israel, more than any other action, could create the confidence needed for wider participation in these talks. Further settlement activity is in no way necessary for the security of Israel and only diminishes the confidence of the Arabs and a final outcome can be freely and fairly negotiated.
This must be the part of Reagan's 1982 Speech that really pissed John Bolton off, as Reagan demands Israel give the Palestinians back their (Palestinians) authority in Gaza and the West Bank:
Reagan said:
I want to make the American position clearly understood: the purpose of this transition period is the peaceful and orderly transfer of domestic authority from Israel to the Palestinian inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza ... and we will not support annexation or permanent control by Israel.
Reagan went on to say:
The final status of these lands must, of course, be reached through the give-and-take of negotiations;
Reagan ended his 1982 Speech by insisting and demanding Israel return to the 1967 Borders as was defined in the
United Nations Resolution 242 and unanimously agreed upon with the UN Security Council, including the United States.
We base our approach squarely on the principle that the Arab-Israeli conflict should be resolved through the negotiations involving an exchange of territory for peace. This exchange is enshrined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, which is, in turn, incorporated in all its parts in the Camp David agreements. U.N. Resolution 242 remains wholly valid as the foundation-stone of America's Middle East peace effort.
It is the United States' position that - in return for peace - the [Israeli} withdrawal provision of Resolution 242 applies to all fronts, including the West Bank and Gaza.
It should be noted here that UN Resolution 242 (i) mandates
"UN Resolution 242 (i)
Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict [Six Day War]
As I said above, UN Resolution 242 was unanimously agreed up by the UN Security Council and was the Resolution was sponsored by British Ambassador Lord Caradon and was one of five drafts under consideration.
Ut oh! I think I made a mistake, in re-reading Bolton's comments to Fox's Greta, Romney's Top Foreign Policy Adviser John Bolton was complaining and condemning President Obama of not going to Israel, not starting a war with Iran, insisting Israel live by UN Resolution 242 ... um ... never mind ... oops.
Given Reagan's factual legacy regarding Israel, that I listed above, I hope you all can understand why I initially thought Romney/Bush/Cheney Adviser John Bolton was surely talking about President Reagan when he said:
BOLTON: "the most hostile president since the state of Israel was created. He demonstrated that hostility right from the beginning of his Administration.”
Oh well, perhaps Romney/Bush/Cheney Adviser John Bolton gets some solace knowing that at least President Obama did
not illegally sell U.S. Weapons to Iran and did
not provide U.S. Military support
for the terrorist organization, Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)
from Israel ---
like President Reagan did.
Romney's campaign platform boils down to: Hate Obama Vote for Mitt.