[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

This was probably Reagan's single biggest mistake -- it encouraged further attacks on US forces and interests because it showed the Islamofascists that we had no stomach to actually fight them.

You hate Ron Paul so much, you'll stoop to slandering Ronald Reagan just to try and disparage Ron Paul??

Well, congratulations: you just earned an unhallowed spot on my FR Profile Page's "Ron Paul haters blame Ronald Reagan for 9/11" Wall of Shame. Enjoy the dishonor, buddy.... you earned it!!

[kevkrom]

I'm not slandering Reagan -- but the man was human, not a saint. It's a pretty commonly held view that, at least in hindsight, pulling out of Beirut was a mistake because it let the nutjobs think we could pushed around. (Hence later attacks like against the USS Cole, the two attacks on the WTC, etc.)

Now, Reagan certainly had what, at the time, seemed like good reasons -- he didn't want to get involved in a middle-east conflict while trying to win the cold war vs. the Soviet Union. Other long-term mistakes were made in that same vein -- such as supplying and supporting what eventually became the Taliban in Afghanistan, against the USSR.

Now, hindsight has the benefit of being 20/20, but if you want to use withdrawing from Lebanaon as an example of Paul's position, then be prepared to discuss the negative impacts such decisions made.

blame Ronald Reagan for 9/11

No, I blame the terrorists for 9/11. Ron Paul blames American policy for 9/11, which means he and his supporters are the ones blaming Reagan, since he was part and parcel of that policy.