Former Secretary of State George Shultz told a story once. Reagan was at a secret intelligence meeting, whereupon very sensitive human intelligence (HUMIT) sources within the Kremlin had information to pass on. They said that they Soviet leadership thought Reagan was a cowboy with his finger on the "nuclear button" and was itching for a fight with the Soviets. They thought he was war-crazy.
Reagan looked at the briefer and asked: "Do they really think that?"
"Yes sir--they do."
"Good! Let 'em think that. I want them to think that--and sleep lightly."
The academic jokes who have PhD's in nothing and pretend they are experts (what is the latest one--a "Gender Theorist?") and left-wing press always like to make quips about Reagan's lack of intellect (remind you of any other president?). But Reagan had out-flanked them all---and they didn't even know it.
Slight mistake in the above article--the USS Ronald Reagan is an aircraft carrier--not a battleship. No matter, the above cartoon says it all.