Twenty-seven years ago, President Reagan delivered one of the most definitive lines of his Presidency: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
President Reagan believed in freeing people from the evils of communism, and because of his efforts, communism fell with the collapse of the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall stood as a stark symbol of the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Russia, but it was America’s dominance that was solidified when the wall fell. Ronald Reagan was a true believer in “peace through strength”.
Fast forward to today where we have seen two major cities in Iraq seized by jihadists associated with Al-Qaeda and there is no sign of them stopping with their eyes set on Baghdad. The extreme lack of leadership by the Obama administration to prevent these types of seizures from happening is astounding. Thousands of refugees are fleeing these cities, looking for a safe haven from terrorism running rampant throughout Iraq.
If President Reagan were alive today, he wouldn’t be afraid of tackling these tough foreign policy challenges with the seriousness that they deserve. On days like today we are reminded of what true leaders in America’s history have accomplished and what a dismal record this administration has.
Obama believes that America should lead from behind, something that President Reagan would have never even imagined. America should always be a prosperous and free nation—a true world leader among nations. Instead, our economy is failing, terrorism is rising, and we have a President who doesn’t believe in American exceptionalism.
When Reagan took a strong stance against communism at the Brandenburg Gate, the world listened and looked to America for its leadership. Today America is not strong with a military that is diminishing as a result of budget cuts. Obama has consistently handled his foreign policy with empty threats and meaningless sanctions. Thanks to his lack of leadership, America is a weaker position on the world stage than it ever has been.
Today, we remember Reagan’s famous words at the Brandenburg Gate and his belief in fighting for a strong national defense. It is time to restore American exceptionalism and it is time for American to exert its dominance, but most importantly it is time for America to re-adopt “peace through strength” in its national security efforts.