What Would Reagan Do About Egypt

Larry Elder

We’re about to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth. As much as I would like to praise that great and good man, I have to wonder what he would do about Egypt? Would he shepherd Egypt along the path to democracy—as he did successfully with South Korea and the Philippines? Or would he maintain a “constructive engagement”policy with Mubarak as he attempted with the apartheid regime in South Africa?

That policy frankly failed, and we had to await F.W. de Klerk moves to release Nelson Mandela and allow the African National Congress to compete in democratic elections. Reagan’s greatest success—of course—was in pressing for reforms behind the Iron Curtain, and for publicly demanding that Soviet ruler Mikhail Gorbachev “tear down this wall.” A key part of Reagan’s success was his recognition that religious liberty was central to ending Communist totalitarianism. As a candidate for president, Reagan had watched, as indeed the world watched, in awe as the Polish Pope John Paul II celebrated an outdoor Mass in Warsaw. One million Poles cried out “We Want God!” Reagan, unashamed, teared up. “I want to work with him,” he said. And how he did. Read full column here:

What Would Reagan Do About Egypt