State of the Union speech 1/26/82

State of the Union speech: "A recognition of what the Soviet empire is about is the starting point. Winston Churchill, in negotiating with the Soviets, observed that they respect only strength and resolve in their dealings with other nations.That is why we have moved to reconstruct our national defenses. We intend to keep the peace--we will also keep our freedom."

Hasbro brought back 4" G.I. Joe at Feb. Toy Show in NYC, with Gen. Flagg leading the Mobile Strike Force against the faceless terrorist Cobra, using jet packs and Hawk missiles and Vulcan cannon motorcycles.

Reagan supported Britain in the Falkland War after Argentina overran the islands and 84 British marines on Apr. 30. PM Margaret Thatcher sent a British fleet with Harrier jets and 5000 troops that retook to the islands by May 31.

U.S. deployments

Solidarity

cruise missile test

June 6 - Israel invaded Lebanon, Reagan sent 1800 Marines as "peacekeepers" to Beirut, but "goofy from the beginning" (Colin Powell) and a reversal of Nixon Doctrine - Beirut Memorial On Line dedicated to the 241 Americans killed in Lebanon Oct. 23, 1983.

June 7 - Reagan met with Pope John Paul II in Vatican, started secret plan to aid Solidarity in Poland.

June 8 - Reagan speech to House of Commons said " the emergency is upon us. Let us be shy no longer. Let us go to our strength. Let us offer hope. Let us tell the world that a new age is not only possible but probable."

June 12 - 700,000 marched for nuclear freeze in New York march, called a KGB plot by Reader's Digest (where Reagan took many of his speech ideas, such as confusing nitrous oxide from plants with nitrogen dioxide from factories - "Chop Me Down Before I Kill Again").

July 16 - Reagan & Brezhnev/Andropov reject "walk in the woods" INF plan.

• Nitze and Kuitsinsky at Geneva agreed to reduce SS20 missiles to 75, to allow cruise missiles to 75 but no deployment of Pershings
• instead, Reagan wanted "zero option" = removal of all SS20 missiles from Asia and Europe in return for US promise to cancel cruise and Pershings.

Iraq removed from terrorist list, Saddam began shopping for arms, Commodity Credit Corp. backed $1.5 billion loan to Iraq.

Recession ended, bull market began 9-year rise from 800 in Aug., inflation dropped to 2%.

Next - Reagan 1983

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