Posted on 06/05/2004 3:19:47 PM PDT by Kieri
Across Eastern Europe, Gratitude to a President Who Helped End Communism
By William J. Kole Associated Press Writer Published: Jun 5, 2004
VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Leaders, former dissidents and ordinary citizens across eastern Europe expressed gratitude to Ronald Reagan for helping to end decades of "evil empire" communism and Cold War-era oppression. Most of the region threw off communist rule in 1989, the year Reagan retired from a presidency marked by determination to loosen the grip of the Soviet Union through diplomacy and unrelenting appeals to the masses via Radio Free Europe.
As the world paused to remember the sacrifices of Allied troops 60 years ago on D-Day, leaders such as former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban reflected on Reagan's influence in bringing democracy to those starved for it behind the Iron Curtain.
"Hungary and Europe do not forget Ronald Reagan's help and his support for the former communist countries," Orban, 41, told The Associated Press on Saturday.
In 1983, Reagan stunned the world by denouncing the Kremlin as an "evil empire" whose nuclear arsenal threatened the globe.
In 1987, in a speech at the Berlin Wall, he challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev: "If you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization ... tear down this wall."
Throughout, the Reagan administration devoted manpower and cash to quietly expanding its contacts in East bloc countries such as Poland and Czechoslovakia.
"He is the one who allowed the breakup of the Soviet Union. May God rest his soul," said Bogdan Chireac, a foreign affairs analyst for the Romanian newspaper Adevarul.
Reagan appointed a deputy secretary of state to shuttle in and out of the region, and encouraged others to do the same. He poured millions of dollars into programming by Voice of America and Prague-based Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, using the airwaves to encourage fledgling pro-democracy movements like Poland's Solidarity.
"During his administration, U.S. citizens at all levels and of all walks of life - politicians, senators, journalists, academics - systematically and repeatedly were visiting Czechoslovakia and other communist countries, meeting the dissidents and the opposition," former Czech dissident Jiri Dienstbier told AP.
"Their open support was very important for our safety and for our position in society," he said.
As his presidency wound down, Reagan lashed out at communism in eastern Europe as "an artificial economic and political system, long imposed on these people against their will."
Within a year, the Berlin Wall had fallen.
"Mr. Reagan, along with Pope John Paul II, was one of the architects who dismantled communism in eastern Europe and stopped the expansion of the Soviet Union," said Ivo Samson, an analyst with the Slovak Foreign Policy Association.
"The fact that today Bulgaria is a member of NATO could happen only after the efforts of this great American president. His name will forever remain in history," said Petko Bocharov, a prominent Bulgarian journalist.
There were some bumps on the road to freedom.
In 1984, while testing a microphone, Reagan cracked a joke that didn't set well with the Soviets at the height of the nuclear arms race. "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes," Reagan quipped.
His administration was criticized by human rights activists for waiting until early 1989, the year the brutal Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was toppled and executed, to withdraw that country's "most favored nation" trade status.
But his speeches, which so often sought to encourage the oppressed while taking aim at their oppressors, stirred a generation.
"For us, Reagan was important because we knew he was really anti-communist, emotionally anti-communist," said Zdenek Kosina, 65, a Czech computer specialist.
"For us, he was a symbol of the United States' genuine determination to bring communism to an end."
Laurentiu Ivan, 35, a customs officer in the Romanian capital, struggled to describe Reagan's legacy and then said: "It is due to him that we are free."
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She hasn't been in the best of health these past few years, and I think that she deserves some consideration in light of her fragile health.
Even though she was dead wrong about the invasion of Grenada-and migration policy in her native country-she was still a courageous freedom fighter who will always hold a special place in my heart and the hearts of so many others who share her values.
Just curious. How did this story get past AP's editors? Are they busy watching the Belmont?
Uh...any expressions of grattitude from western european leaders yet?? Wouldn't expect it from that pack of communist/muslim "butt kissers".
Good question! Even the editors at The Detroit Free Press (aka "Liberal Rag") are asleep at the bat. Their headline?
"Former President Reagan, optimist and patriot, dies at 93"
Followed by:
"A triumpant moment in Detroit: `Reagan comes out swinging'
ping
Aye. Maggie was a fantastic PM. As some would quip, she is the best man in Europe. I am certain thet her heart is very heavy this day.
She was an amazing prime minister.
I'm sure there are still people in the UK who resent her ouster by those backstabbing Conservative MPs back in 1990.
Somehow, I don't believe that John Major will go down in the history books as the natural heir to Churchill's legacy.
The RATS will still never give him credit.
That is what I thought immediately! Just so.
NO! We will need to WRITE the history books of our children. The leftists have proven they cannot be trusted with our records, so we MUST take them back!
Oddly enought CNN's WH correspondent,John King and Aaron Brown said Bush is a lot like Reagan..now whether they think that is very good...I wonder, but it sounded favorable.
Since I have been living half of my time in Slovkia for the last 2 years, I posted this to the Slovensko.com forum:
"The one man who did more then anyone to set central and east Europe free from communist rule has died. Ronald Reagan died in peace at his home today.
Slovaks, as well as all people of Europe should pray for the man that stood in Berlin and said "Tear down this wall"."
I agree but the people who write textbooks (assemble is probably a better word) are pretty much all libs. And the people who buy them in the school administrations are pretty much all libs.
The way my high school history teacher handled this was to set aside the textbook and get us to read real books that provided a clear view of history.
"The Fabric of Freedom" comes to mind.
I think historians on all sides of the aisle will always shine a bright star on this former Democrat turned conservative Republican. May he rest in peace.
If people want on or off this list, please let me know.
If we just don't lose heart.
I cried a few years ago at the all star game when Ted Williams couldn't find home plate and had to be helped out of the golf cart.
I'm crying harder now.
Hopefully, the president will be able to continue Pres. Reagan's legacy in his attempts to preserve unborn human life.
I also think that he's done a pretty good job of standing up to the tin horn dictators-Mahatir Muhammed, Charles Taylor, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Saddam Hussein, inter alios-that Reagan showed such well-earned contempt for during his tenure in office.
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