The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Example for Free

The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy Essay The Reagan Doctrine was the foreign policy in the United States, enacted by President Ronald Reagan. The doctrine was design to eradicate the communist governments in Africa, Asia, and Latin America that were authorized and corroborated by the Soviet Union. This assignment will review by what method the United States delivered open and private backing to guerrilla and resistance movements during the Regan years. Additionally, explain the political doctrine detailed events that occurred in Afghanistan when the Soviet Union invaded. As a final point, this assignment will define the benefits and drawbacks established on the Regan Doctrine. Summarize the Situation of U. S. Diplomatic of the Regan Doctrine During the course of the initial years of the Cold War, Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter all endorsed dogmas against communism in order to enclose it. Ronald Regan prohibited their detente policy in 1979, when the Soviet Union attacked Afghanistan. This alone demonstrated that policies that only contain communism were unproductive. Regan criticized in the compromise policy when it emanated to any communist government. As an alternative, Reagan proposed the Rollback policy. The creation of the Reagan Doctrine moved from containment and dispersal to eradicating all current communist governments. Likewise, the United States wanted to rise and encourage democracy and capitalism in additional of overthrew communist administrations (Conservapedia, 2012). Execution of the Regan Doctrine was to deliver explicit and concealed support to guerrilla and resistance movements in nations were the Soviet Union wanted to feast their communists plan or where eradicate an existing regime (Conservapedia, 2012). The doctrine was in complete operation when The Soviet Union deprived of aggravation and with overpowering force attacked Afghanistan in 1979. This roll back of Soviet control met little resistance from the international community excluding Central America. Internally, Democrats in Congress advised that the Regan Doctrine would ultimately lead to a nuclear war in return; they attempted to hamper and break the enactment of the doctrine (Conservapedia, 2012). Historian Barbara Tuchman differed with Regan confrontation doctrine and desired the United States to follow the stuff goose strategy. This decision was to offer the Soviet Union with consumer goods and all the grain they needed. Nonetheless, in spite of Regans lack of foreign policy qualifications his detection to stop the â€Å"Evil Empire† would not deter him. Nevertheless, several people thought he was a precarious warmonger (Souza, 1997). Explicate the Regan Doctrine and Specific Actions and Events With the war in Afghanistan into a year, most of the international community believed that the Soviet Union was invincible and to stop them would lead into a nuclear war. In an article written in the Third World Quarterly, by Andrew Hartman titled, The Red Template: US Policy in Soviet-Occupied Afghanistan. â€Å"The broad framework of US foreign policy in the era of the Cold War, as well as other eras, the U. S. must adhere to the bottom line. This means, protecting a constructive investment environment for private business benefits† (Hartman, 2002). In 1981, former Pakistani Dictator and General Mohammed Zia al-Haq, understood US Policy bottom line. In a meeting with William Casey, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the dictator offered Casey with a map of the Near East demonstrating how the Soviet Union occupation is moving towards Iran, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea. General Mohammed proposed that if the US does not interfere, the Soviets would produce great economic disturbance in the region (Hartman). Of course, the CIA recognized that this was not only possible but a fact. The Regan Doctrine not only stops the spread of communism but to eradicate the â€Å"Evil Empire†; is the core essence of U.  S. policy. The subsequent action was that the CIA introduced a concealed war against the Soviet Union. Just as during the Cold War, the Soviets campaign to initiate and increase was met with the reaction of U. S involvement. This state was no different. Describe the effects of these diplomatic efforts for the U. S. and other countries. As stated previously, The US foreign policy is driven by the bottom line. Communism is a threat to a capitalist country, consequently the Reagan Doctrine is only reinforced. US policy makers understood that if the Soviets were permitted to expand towards Iran, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea capitalism and democratic civilizations would be in grave endangerment. The oil rich field in those areas could not be governor by any communist regime. The chief economic motivation for hegemony in Afghanistan, Iran, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea is make sure that the U. S. provide military logistics and support to anti-Soviet armies and or guerrilla and resistance movements. The U. S. iplomatic efforts are to also keep these oil rich countries as a private interest and not under the control of a communism. The fact of U. S. reliance on foreign oil, is reason enough for involvement. An economic failure ripple effect in the Western Hemisphere would have distressed all democratic governments on both sides of the Atlantic ocean as well (Evelyn, 2011). The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Regan Doctrine The Regan Doctrine allowed the advantage of the U. S. to retain revenge for Vietnam and the invasion of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan provided that opportunity which could not be ignored (DSouza, 1997). The Pulitzer-Winning Historian Barbara Tuchman, stated that if Reagan had taken the â€Å"Stuff Goose â€Å"approach when it was offered in 1982, the â€Å"Evil Empire† would most likely still exist (DSouza). The drawbacks of the Regan Doctrine were not in absence in particular. The Iran Contra is perchance the best-known scandal connected with the policies of the Reagan Doctrine. Agreeing to the television program American Experience, broadcast on the Public Broadcasting Station (PBS), the online article and video titled, â€Å"Regan† stated, â€Å"In 1985, while Iran and Iraq were at war, Iran made a secret request to buy weapons from the United States. The detail that an embargo was established against selling weapons to Iran, and the U. S. broke their own policy to advance their international relations with Lebanon and gain more power in the Middle East was a pressure on Reagan Doctrine. Operating a covert mission to a communist regime was intolerable. Conclusion The Cold War agreeing to former United States, Sectary of State Henry Kissinger defines as, â€Å"the most stunning diplomatic feat of the modern era. † Margaret Thatcher states, â€Å"Ronald Reagan won the Cold War without firing a shot†. The Afghanistan war by delegations was just another reaction to the Soviets several efforts to expand their socialism. Before Regan, the U. S. policy was only to contain, but as with any untreated disease, the contagion would eventually spread. In the 1985 State of the Union, President Ronald Reagan stated â€Å"We must not break faith with those who are risking their liveson every continent from Afghanistan to Nicaraguato defy Soviet aggression and secure rights which have been ours from birth. Support for freedom fighters is self-defense† (Regan, 1985).