Gorby had the lead role, not Gipper

[struggle4progress]

<snip>
Then Mr. Gorbachev announced a grandiose plan to rid the world of nuclear weapons by 2000. Just another hoax, the Reagan men cried. More Commie flim-flam.

Then came another concession -- Kremlin permission for on-site arms inspections on Soviet land -- and then the Reykjavik summit. In Iceland, Mr. Gorbachev put his far-reaching arms-reduction package on the table and Mr. Reagan, to global condemnation, walked away, offering nothing in return.

Glasnost and perestroika became the new vernacular. For those in the White House like Richard Perle, the prince of darkness who still thought it was all a sham, Gorby now began a withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan. He released the dissident icon Andrei Sakharov and hundreds of other political prisoners. He made big strides on freedom of the press, immigration and religion. He told East European leaders that the massive Soviet military machine would no longer prop up their creaking dictatorships. He began the process of something unheard of in Soviet history -- democratic elections.

By now, the U.S. administration was reeling. Polls were beginning to show that, of all things unimaginable, a Soviet leader was the greatest force for world peace. An embarrassed Mr. Reagan finally responded in kind. Nearing the end of his presidency, he came to Moscow and he signed a major arms-control agreement and warmly embraced Mr. Gorbachev. A journalist asked the president if he still thought it was the evil empire. "No," he replied, "I was talking about another time, another era."
<snip>

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040610/COMARTIN10/TPComment/TopStories

[wryter2000]

1. I remember Reykjavik

I think it was George Schultz who reported on everything Gorbachev had offered, and my hopes got up for peace. Then, Schultz added, "And the President turned it down. I've never been more proud of him."

That was the first time, I think, I wanted to put my fist through the screen.

[JuniorPlankton]

2. It is just a bit more complicated

While I give credit to Gorby for a lot of stuff (certainly many times
the credit I give to Reagan), I don't think he meant to do what ultimately happened. He started a few minor tweaks that were designed to strengthen the communist regime in the changing world. Then things got out of control. Gorbachev was REALLY scared. Too late, though...

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. It would be a cold day in hell when faux news admits to those

historical facts, that, are well known to ANYBODY who lived through it with their head outside of their ass. If anything, rayguns should be given "credit" for impeding and obstructing world peace. I believe that the fall of the USSR came as a complete and unexpected surprise to rayguns & co. They had no such strategy for this. They were simply headed down the same road as the Soviets, only the Soviets collapsed first.