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Originally Posted by Hawkeye
Didn't the Sovt Union collapse during Bush senior's presidency.
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The actual demise was spread out over time after 1987 (the Baltics) and concluded in 1991, during the first Bush Administration. But clearly RR was the initial and most significant advocate - I mean he suggested in one summit (Iceland ?) that both America and the USSR disarm the nukes (not all but a bunch). Interestingly, the Soviet Union was going to collapse anyway - it could no longer function economically or politically. So, from that aspect, RR did not really do all that much outside of US economic trade policies, etc. But, RR did significantly facilitate it and helped the USSR through it by making it America's, if you will, friend - at least through his freindship with MG. The Vatican also had a significant hand in the demise of the USSR as well because the RCC HATED the USSR and did everything it could to facilitate its fall. In sum, no one entity or person can claim sole responsibility for the fall of the USSR other than their version of communism did not work, but it can be said with accuracy that RR did a bunch to facilitate it.
Here are some websites on the demise of the USSR:
http://www.coldwar.org/articles/90s/...iet_union.php3
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/storie...08/21/015.html
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2612360
There are many, many more.