He will never be great because in hindsight he failed miserably in responding to the growth Islamic terror.
A quick overview of Reagan and terror immediately excludes him from greatness as far as I'm concerned:
1)Beirut Embassy bombed 63 dead 120 wounded No response
2)Marine Barracks blown up 241 US Marines Dead - No response- US leaves Lebanon
3) Kuwait Embassy bombed No response
4) CIA Station Chief William Buckley taken hostage / murdered - No response
5) Pays bribes to Iranians to get hostages - against expressed US Policy
6) Kuwaiti Airliner hijacked-2 USID Employees Killed Iranians allow hijacker to leave unscathed. Reagan does nothing
7)American Airlines jet hijacked to Lebanon American Navy Seal murdered and tossed onto the tarmac Reagan has no response. Under pressure from Washington Israel released hundred of terror suspects in response to demands of terrorists.
8)1985- the Achille Lauro hijacked on the high seas-American citizen Leon Klinghoffer is murdered and tossed overboard. Hijackers eventually captured when their plane is forced down in Italy- Italian authorities eventually release Abu Abbas unharmed.
9) 1985 Rome and Vienna airports were bombed killing 5 Americans - No response
10)1986 discotheque in West Berlin is bombed killing US Servicemen. Reagan finally response by attacking Libya.
11) In retaliation for US bombing Palestinian Abu Nidal executed 3 US citizens who worked at American University in Beirut.
12) Qaddafi survives to arrange the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland
Reagan's record regarding terror is arguably worse than Jimmy Carters.
Reagan?
Soviet Union.
The greatest threat by far to the U.S. and her future during Reagan's time was global communism. He faced that threat head on and won. That's greatness.
Your argument is like saying Jefferson and Adams did not respond to the north/south divide that engulfed the country fifty years later so they failed miserably.
I'm not buying it.
An interesting post.
I believe President Reagan was in later years, more subject to the spin doctors/media nuts such as Deaver, Gergen, James Baker, etc. I believe they helped to pressure Reagan from acting in ways he would have otherwise acted. Also, Reagan liked to delegate, but that is only as successful as the people you delegate to being up to the challenge. The Iran-Contra matter cost Reagan dearly in the area of Middle East foreign policy credibility.
With that said, building a strong defense was a priority for Reagan and I believe that he correctly deduced that Communism was the bigger threat than Islamic extremism.