"In his first term, from 1981-85, Reagan escalated East-West tensions, spoke in bellicose rhetoric, and jacked up military spending to 30-year highs. This is the Reagan whom Republican chieftains worship and insist that all subsequent presidents emulate. But in his second term, which coincided with Gorbachev's rise to power, Reagan flipped, making dramatic diplomatic overtures to Moscow and accepting equally dramatic proposals in turn.
"Few remember, but many of the Republicans who now tout Reagan's accomplishments pummeled him at the time for 'betraying' his followers and their Cold War ideology."
Fred Kaplan in Slate wonders why conservatives believe that Ronald Reagan was resolute in conducting foreign policy.
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