[Federalist Patriot]

With all due respect, I think you are trying to put too fine a point on things. Of course there were many who worked to bring down the Soviet Union. But in looking at the big picture, it was not Poland that brought down the Soviet Union. It was the United States putting constant pressure on the Soviets for 40+ years. Obama’s intent was not to say what you are saying, but to diminish the idea that the U.S. was central to the defeat of Communism. IMHO

[Conscience of a Conservative]

You could be right (and, given Obama's general outlook, I wouldn't be surprised if you were). I was only making the point that, in the excerpt played on FNC, Obama didn't say anything that directly diminished the U.S. role.

I realize that you can't take most things Obama says at face value. I was only saying that, if you did take this one thing at face value, it's not the end of the world.

[ClearCase_guy]

Yes. I've known people who say that Gorbachev won the Cold War -- because he was wise enough to introduce freedom to the Soviet Union. It was Gorbachev, you see, who single-handedly dismantled the USSR by being brilliant enough to mismanage their affairs to such an extent that the whole thing completely fell apart.

It's nothing but an effort to declare Reagan a non-entity.