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Reagan's Foreign Policy

By Robert W. Tucker
America and the World 1988
Article Summary and Author Biography

Generally praises President Reagan's achievements in foreign policy, contrasting the bleak end of the Carter years with the break-throughs made at the close of the Reagan era. Reagan's successes would not have been possible had he been the ideologue he was often depicted as; his flexibility can be seen in his tolerant attitude towards the collapse of the Contra effort in Nicaragua. While Reagan enjoyed good fortune in his conduct of foreign policy, recurring budget deficits and the tarnished image of American democracy must also be included in any assessment of his presidency. Professor of American diplomacy, Johns Hopkins University.

Robert W. Tucker is professor of American diplomacy at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and co-editor of The National Interest. He wishes to thank David C. Hendrickson and Robert B. Shepard for their help in preparing this essay.

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