Changes

Shortly after taking office in 1981, Reagan issued National Security Decision Directive 11–82 (NSDD 11–82), which explicitly made U.S. defense spending a form of economic warfare against the Soviets. The directive was known more unofficially as the Reagan Initiative, and was an incorporation of the principle of [[Peace through strength]].  

Shortly after taking office in 1981, Reagan issued National Security Decision Directive 11–82 (NSDD 11–82), which explicitly made U.S. defense spending a form of economic warfare against the Soviets. The directive was known more unofficially as the Reagan Initiative, and was an incorporation of the principle of [[Peace through strength]].  

The United States' "exploit and demonstrate the enduring economic advantages of the West to develop a variety of [arms] systems that are difficult for the Soviets to counter, impose disproportionate costs, open up new areas of major military competition and obsolesce previous Soviet investment or employ sophisticated strategic options to achieve this end. Reagan's [[Strategic Defense Initiative]] (SDI), or " Star Wars" as the media referred to it, was a costly high-tech research and development program designed to make arms spending a "rising burden on the Soviet economy."<ref>Peter Schweizer, [http://www.reason.com/news/show/28929.html ''Reagan's War: The Epic Story of His Forty Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism''], New York: Doubleday, 2002.</ref>

The United States would "exploit and demonstrate the enduring economic advantages of the West to develop a variety of [arms] systems that are difficult for the Soviets to counter, impose disproportionate costs, open up new areas of major military competition, and obsolesce previous Soviet investment or employ sophisticated strategic deception options to achieve this end."<ref>Draft Reagan-era defense guidance issued by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, quoted in Jeffrey T. Richelson, Planning to Deceive, 59 Bull. Atomic Scientists 64, 67 (Mar./Apr. 2003).</ref> Reagan's [[Strategic Defense Initiative]] (SDI), or " Star Wars" as the media referred to it, was a costly high-tech research and development program designed to make arms spending a "rising burden on the Soviet economy."<ref>Peter Schweizer, [http://www.reason.com/news/show/28929.html ''Reagan's War: The Epic Story of His Forty Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism''], New York: Doubleday, 2002.</ref>

The Reagan Initiative was also concerned with aiding nations in active conflict with the Soviet Union. One such group was the [[mujahideen]] of Afghanistan, who were given anti-aircraft missiles to fight the Soviet invaders.  

The Reagan Initiative was also concerned with aiding nations in active conflict with the Soviet Union. One such group was the [[mujahideen]] of Afghanistan, who were given anti-aircraft missiles to fight the Soviet invaders.  

===Libya===

===Libya===

In the 1980s, [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]] became a sponsor of [[terrorism]].  President [[Ronald Reagan]] ordered a retaliatory bombing of his palace and key Libyan targets in April 1986 during Operation El Dorado Canyon.  At the time, Gaddafi, [[Fidel Castro]], and [[Leonid Brezhnev]] were considered to be a "unholy trinity".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=rVXuAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22unholy+trinity%22&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%22unholy+trinity%22 Time Inc., 1982], [[Time Magazine]]</ref>

In the 1980s, [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]] became a sponsor of [[terrorism]].  President [[Ronald Reagan]] ordered a retaliatory bombing of his palace and key Libyan targets in April 1986 during Operation El Dorado Canyon.  At the time, Gaddafi, [[Fidel Castro]], and [[Leonid Brezhnev]] were considered to be an "unholy trinity".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=rVXuAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22unholy+trinity%22&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%22unholy+trinity%22 Time Inc., 1982], [[Time Magazine]]</ref>

[[Image:Reagan and Thatcher.jpg‎|right|225px|thumb|Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher at the [[White House]]]]

[[Image:Reagan and Thatcher.jpg‎|right|225px|thumb|Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher at the [[White House]]]]

===Thatcher on Reagan===

===Thatcher on Reagan===