Ronald Reagan

[Sylvester 15]

Former US President and Hollywood star Reagan has died aged 93, just thought since we'd mentioned him on here just the other day, it was a bit of a shock.

He had however been ill for some time with Alzhiemers (Sp?).

Requiescant In Pace

[Emperor Oli 0]

It was time for him to go, really. He couldn't talk with any family members because of the disease, which indeed was Alzheimer's. A definite shame, though. He has been one of the best Presidents of recent years.

[Master Jmd 80]

Yes, it is sad that he is gone...

May he rest in peace

[Sylvester 15]

It was time for him to go, really. He couldn't talk with any family members because of the disease, which indeed was Alzheimer's. A definite shame, though. He has been one of the best Presidents of recent years.

I for my own reasons agree with you on that issue Oli. Dignity.

[Half Penny Jon 0]

He was a great man, and a great leader. George.W.Bush mentioned him in his D-Day speech today.

[Sylvester 15]

George Bush actually did a pretty good speech there. It was quite moving. (Better than the French one at any rate)

[custard1966 1]

It was time for him to go, really.  He couldn't talk with any family members because of the disease, which indeed was Alzheimer's.  A definite shame, though.  He has been one of the best Presidents of recent years.

Whilst I'm sad he's dead and whilst as a person he may have had many admirable qualities, I'm afraid that to call him one of the best Presidents just beggars belief.

[Sylvester 15]

Many agree with you Custard.

I don't know enough about his policies to comment, but from what i gather they are a bit Thatcherish, which is enough for me to politically disagree with him. But it's still a sad loss for his family and the people that knew him, plus the Americans that followed and agreed with his policies.

[Emperor Oli 0]

What I meant by that was that he encouraged economic growth, increased employment, bolstered America's defence against the Soviets and reduced inflation. He started to cut taxes whilst also cutting Government spending. Sylvester, he helped the working classes too, the cornerstone of the argument against Thatcher to do so. He rewrote the taxation system and gained deductions for the working classes. When he left office, America sustained its longest time of peacetime prosperity.

[Geoff T 3]

Requiescant In Pace

There was only one of him - so Requiescat in pace (singular).

Alas for the decline of Latin

[Chris Perkins 228]

George Bush actually did a pretty good speech there. It was quite moving. (Better than the French one at any rate)

From what I hear GWB's speech was as usual, historically inaccurate to say the least. He compared the second world war with Iraq by stating that they both started with a surprise attack on American soil.

Really of course WWII started with the invasion of Poland, continued with the battle of France, Britain, lots of battles on the Eastern Front, and then the Japanese attacked what some people call a somewhat complacent America, bringing them into the war.

I thought that as usual Mr Bush showed his narrowmindedness by saying that, and that the reference to Iraq was very out of place. Back in '44 there was no doubt in anyone's mind that those soldiers were doing what was morally right and essential for the freedom of Europe. In 2003, in Iraq there was far more doubt than oil!

And I to am too young to know, but just because Regan was probably not as stupid as Bush doesn't mean he was a good president, does it?

[Master Jmd 80]

I did not personally hear the GWB speach, but from what you said, chris, it really makes Mr.Bush sound like a complete idiot (probably why britain and america are allies ).

But from what I have heard from other people, Mr.Reagan, Mrs.Thatcher and Mr.Gorbechev (sp?) were the strongest leaders in history; Reagan gained support from all states bar-one, Thatcher was one of the best leaders (especially for a woman ), not sure about Gorbechev but i am sure he was a good leader too.

[Chris Perkins 228]

I have no respect for any modern leader apart from perhaps Churchill and Mandela.

All the world leaders were and are all very good career politicians, but they just do/did the job they were elected to do (with the exception of George W Bush who wasn't even elected to do it!). Many other people would have done about the same if they'd been there instead, and a lot of what they do is dictaced by international and 'people' pressure anyway.

[Half Penny Jon 0]

I do not like the way the world is run, but if it prevents another world war, then I can definately live with it.

[Sylvester 15]

About the GWB speech (there must have been more than one cos i heard no Iraq stuff), i meant i liked the way he retold some of the tales of the people that were there. Tales of the survivors and tales about those heros that did not survive. That's what i meant.

[Sylvester 15]

I don't really respect any modern world leader, except perhaps Churchill for a job well done, although he had flaws.

Mind you Lord Such on the other hand...

[Sylvester 15]

Requiescant In Pace

There was only one of him - so Requiescat in pace (singular).

Alas for the decline of Latin

i've never studied Latin.

[custard1966 1]

And I to am too young to know, but just because Regan was probably not as stupid as Bush doesn't mean he was a good president, does it?

I AM sadly old enough to remember. Reagan made Bush look like Einstein. For 8 years the US nuclear arsenal was in the hands of someone who gave the dictinct impression of not knowing which day of the week it was.

Remember the Iran-contra affair where he has to finally admit he did wrong

'My heart tells me I did not - the facts say different'

If 9/11 had happened here I think we would all feel very differently about it. Waiting until terrorists or rogue states carry out an even bigger atrocity would be a gross dereliction of duty. Doing so may sometimes be unpopular with those who don't want to face the reality of responsibility - but that's what real leadership is all about. Just doing what opinion polls suggest is easy, weak and ultimately doomed.

The real problem with the US response is that it appears to be bereft of foresight and subtlety.

[Geoff T 3]

But from what I have heard from other people, Mr.Reagan, Mrs.Thatcher and Mr.Gorbechev (sp?) were the strongest leaders in history

Strong leaders consult. They listen to advice and aren't afraid to take it. Margaret Thatcher did none of these things, which fact severely compromises the claim that she was a strong leader, as opposed to one determined to impose an ideology come what may.

Thatcher wasn't quite Reagan's poodle as Blair is Dubya's but she came pretty close. Who was happy to allow American nuclear weapons to be based in the UK? Who was prime minister when the number of US military installations in the UK was in triple figures? Which European prime minister not only endorsed the US attacks on Tripoli in 1986 but allowed their warplanes to take off from her own country's bases? Granted she opposed the invasion of Grenada, a Commonwealth country, where Blair might have said "walk right in", but in most respects when it came to playing good guys/bad guys US-style she made Rumsfeld and Co. look like a bunch of pacifists.

Short-sighted Americans are trying to claim that Reagan single-handedly brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Margaret Thatcher is on record as saying that she did it.

She made greed, materialism and self-centeredness respectable again. She became power-drunk on her own hubristic belief that she was infallible. Blair is equally consumed by hubris, but compounds the fault by turning on the charm and trying to convince us he's a nice guy. At least Margaret Thatcher's one redeeming feature is that she knew she couldn't get away with that trick.

[Coppers 58]

But from what I have heard from other people, Mr.Reagan, Mrs.Thatcher and Mr.Gorbechev (sp?) were the strongest leaders in history

Strong leaders consult. They listen to advice and aren't afraid to take it. Margaret Thatcher did none of these things, which fact severely compromises the claim that she was a strong leader, as opposed to one determined to impose an ideology come what may.

Thatcher wasn't quite Reagan's poodle as Blair is Dubya's but she came pretty close. Who was happy to allow American nuclear weapons to be based in the UK? Who was prime minister when the number of US military installations in the UK was in triple figures? Which European prime minister not only endorsed the US attacks on Tripoli in 1986 but allowed their warplanes to take off from her own country's bases? Granted she opposed the invasion of Grenada, a Commonwealth country, where Blair might have said "walk right in", but in most respects when it came to playing good guys/bad guys US-style she made Rumsfeld and Co. look like a bunch of pacifists.

Short-sighted Americans are trying to claim that Reagan single-handedly brought about the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Margaret Thatcher is on record as saying that she did it.

She made greed, materialism and self-centeredness respectable again. She became power-drunk on her own hubristic belief that she was infallible. Blair is equally consumed by hubris, but compounds the fault by turning on the charm and trying to convince us he's a nice guy. At least Margaret Thatcher's one redeeming feature is that she knew she couldn't get away with that trick.

"Greed, materialism and self-centeredness respectable again"? Sounds like a fitting description of the last coin fair I attended. I am not among President Reagan's admirers, but as I recall the attack on Tripoli was not without cause.