Hardliner: Harvard historian Richard Pipes shaped the [Reagan's] aggressive approach to the [USSR]

Boston Globe ^ | 11/2/2003 | Sam Tanenhaus

[risk]

Harvard historian Richard Pipes shaped the Reagan administration's aggressive approach to the Soviet Union. His support for confrontation over containment prefigured the Bush foreign policy of today.

OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, the Bush administration has inspired one of the more stimulating scavenger hunts in recent memory -- the search for the Ur-theorist of its bold foreign policy initiatives. With each new turn another name has emerged. "Regime change" gave us the political philosopher Leo Strauss. The "shock and awe" campaign brought forth the Cold War calculations of military strategist Albert Wohlstetter. Hints of follow-up aggression against Syria and North Korea had some consulting Trotsky's writings on "permanent revolution."

[risk]

This article is the latest installment of the Boston Globe's Mind of the Administration series. Sam Tanenhaus is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. Some links to articles which belie a certain unwillingness to take a strong stand on communism on his part follow.

1. Un-American Activities - Review of Arthur Herman's Joseph McCarthy: Reexamining the Life and Legacy of America's Most Hated Senator
2. The Red Scare - Michael Ybarra criticizes Tanenhaus' harsh treatment of McCarthy in 'The Red Scare': an Exchange as superficial.
3. A Vast Right-Wing Cry of Treason - Review by Tanenhaus of Anne Coulter's Treason, analyzing her hardline stance.
4. ‘Vanity Fair’ Writer Distorts Wolfowitz’s Words - Criticism of a Tanenhaus distortion of comments by Paul Woflowitz. Found on Cron Watch; by Cinnamon Stillwell

[risk]

ping: Richard Pipes is an interesting figure from the Ford and Reagan years, of whom I hadn't heard until I read this article. I question Tanenhaus's description of our strategy in Iraq, but some of this history and the comments by Pipes are interesting.

[LarryM]

Not even the commie-crat Globe can diminish the accomplishments of Pipes. It's just too bad that he is not around now. Bush's latest appeasement drive is headed for disaster again.

[nvskibum]

Richard Pipes is Daniel Pipes' father. Like father, like son?

[risk]

Richard Pipes is Daniel Pipes' father. Like father, like son?

Thank you, I had wondered. Our nation is indebted to both already.

[Valin]

His influence peaked in 1981-82 when, as an official at the National Security Council, he helped steer Ronald Reagan toward the belief that the Soviet regime could and must be defeated.

I'm sure this was a REAL hard sell.

I'm reminded of something George Wills wrote about President Reagan's frist cabinet meeting.
(I parphrase) Reagan walks in and says you want to know what our policy is? Taxes are to high, the government is to big, the Soviets are evil. You guys take care of the details.

[Valin]

Bush's latest appeasement drive is headed for disaster again.

appeasement drive Gracie?

[tallhappy]

Thanks for the ping.

I want to now read his book and find his bibliography.

[nvskibum]

It is quite interesting that both Richard and Daniel Pipes have chosen to confront the principal evils of their respective generations. In this regard, I am sure that Daniel's professional vocation is no coincidence.