Reagan Today

I got an email from reader Jim M. this morning with a list of Reagan quotes. They were typical Reagan, lighthearted and funny, like 'It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first' or 'The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'

Some others are still very relateable in today's world. He said 'Here's my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose.' With American support for the Iraq war dipping and with the loss of 22 lives at our military base in Iraq today, it's more important than ever for Americans to hear this kind of simple message. We must win, they must lose. If we lose heart or run scared, if we don't finish the job in Iraq and set it up as a democratic model to all the neighboring despot states, we lose.

I saw Daniel Pipes speak last week and he said that it was a mistake to label our current war as 'on terrorism'. He said that after Pearl Harbor we did not declare a war on 'surprise attacks'. Our war is with Islamofascists and if we let go of Iraq, if they succeed in breaking our will, then they will win not just the battle for Iraq but the war for the world. They will have a safe haven from which to spread murderous ideology and illiberal philosophies. This threat brings me to yet another Reagan quote 'Of the four wars in my lifetime none came about because the U.S. was too strong.' A strong America is a necessity for us to win. I hope American resolve to finish the war in Iraq will be renewed in the new year. I don't think there is a Reagan quote to describe what will happen if it isn't.