and in his unrealistic and harmful missile defense plans.
Some people argue that Reagan’s “Star Wars” missile defense plan did succeed at it’s real goal, convincing the Soviets that they would never be able to keep up with America’s R&D, so it was better to make peace. From this point of view, whether SDI was realistic or not misses the point, that Reagan succeeded in creating the impression that it was realistic. That is, from this point of view, he succeeded in bluffing the Soviets.
Other factors contributed, like the collapsing Soviet economy, Russian defeat in Afghanistan, etc. SDI was a kind of economic war, we can out spend you etc.
Some people argue that Reagan’s “Star Wars” missile defense plan did succeed at it’s real goal, convincing the Soviets that they would never be able to keep up with America’s R&D, so it was better to make peace. From this point of view, whether SDI was realistic or not misses the point, that Reagan succeeded in creating the impression that it was realistic. That is, from this point of view, he succeeded in bluffing the Soviets.
Other factors contributed, like the collapsing Soviet economy, Russian defeat in Afghanistan, etc. SDI was a kind of economic war, we can out spend you etc.