[Neophyte]

...we consider his appeasement to the East as an essential step towards reunification (and therefore the end of the Cold War).

Well, I consider his appeasement of the Soviets & Co as the very step which legitimised that cannibal regimes and prolonged their survival. Thus it postponed the reunification.

The latter became possible thanks to president Reagan having balls to catch Soviets by the same and to squeese... :-))

As to the Cold War, do you really believe it's over? For the West, maybe. But certainly not for Putin.

[Michael81Dus]

What is that with you Freepers that you think that Reagan managed the end of the Cold War by himself?? Hey, he surely has set important signs, his policy (and the support of Thatcher, Kohl) have were the reason for the economic crush of the Eastern Empire, but we know that evil regimes which are economically down, can survive politically with military power (N Korea, Iraq).

Therefore I suggest, that you do not underestimate the achievements of Kohls and Bushs meetings with the reunification-opponents Gorbatchov (at the beginning of the uprises in the GDR), Thatcher and Mitterand.

Just imagine what would have happened if Clinton and Schröder had ruled the US and W Germany! They had said: "We don´t care, kill your opponents, this is not our business!" Maybe they´d have sent billions of $ to aid them...

I repeat it: without Bush and Kohl there would have been not such a fast end of the Communist empire. And without the solidarnosc-movement in Poland, Gorbatchov probably would have never enforced Peristroika. Still, mainly responsible for the end of the Cold War are Gorbatchov and Bush.