Vision and Leadership
November 26 | Posted by mrossol | American Thought, Western CivilizationWSJ – 11/23/2015
On April 27, 1982, I sat across the cabinet room conference table from President Reagan as I briefed the National Security Council on our plans for ending and prevailing in the Cold War. In the midst of my presentation, Reagan peered over his spectacles to ask, “Why can’t we just push ’em over backwards?”
The assembled wise men mumbled their demurrers: “The Soviet Union is a stable outfit. We need to build relationships, not confrontations. . . . The Soviets are spending about 16% of GDP on defense. Too bad for the peasants, but the men on top will survive. So will their system.”
Then a voice from the back bench rang out. Henry Rowen was there as chairman of the Intelligence Counsel.“ No, Mr. President, you are right,” Rowen offered. “The Soviets are really spending about half of their GDP on defense. They are going broke. You can ‘push ’em over backwards.’” The president looked to me. I had known him and worked for him for 15 years. The Soviets were dumping gold and overproducing oil to a farethee- well. “Mr. Rowen is right, sir.”
The president’s eyes crinkled in a manner I knew so well. “That’s what we’ll do, Tom. Let’s plan to push ’em over backwards.”
That decision became the core of our strategic Cold War plan, NSDD-32, signed by Reagan two weeks later.
Henry Rowen was exactly the right man at the right time. He did not simply “help” end the Cold War. He guided the Soviet economy toward its awaiting black hole.
THOMAS C. REED
Healdsburg, Calif.
Mr. Reed served as secretary of the Air Force and as special assistant to President Reagan for National Security Policy.
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