AHC: Ruin Reagans Legacy

[Corbell Mark IV]

It could be a limited war that doesn't wreck much of the planet. Maybe back-channel diplomacy keeps the war limited to Southeast Asia and the war ends with Pakistan being dismembered by India and the USSR.

Or perhaps the Pakistanis do something a bit more provocative on their own, leading to a Soviet invasion with the U.S. staying out (albeit no doubt providing lots of arms and money to the Pakistanis to bleed the Soviets as much as possible) since, after all, the Pakistanis brought this on themselves and a nuclear war would be too much of a risk.

Reagan will be remembered in the short run as the man whose recklessness led to the loss of a major U.S. ally in Asia, although in the long run, people might think an end to the Partition was a good thing.

(Of course, the obvious response is that Reagan didn't INTEND to reunite India.)

This is a possibility. Although this would be a huge drain on Soviet resources, the loss of life would be staggering.

I doubt this would work out well for India. Not sure how India is better for having poor, war ravaged territory added on.

Mmm, hell, I could see Reagan being very upset about the way his policy worked out. Perhaps even resigning after an speech where he takes full responsibility?

 

[BigWillyG]

Iran-Contra + crack epidemic. The CIA helped the Contras bring in cocaine to be used to make crack, after all.

The only PODs needed are recognition. Or you could just wait a generation or two.

This sounds ASB. Like "Reagan stopped the Iranian Hostages being released" a conspiracy theory like that could if anything increase his positive legacy by making his critics look insane.

 

[Derek Jackson]

It is true that the CIA did get involved in that trade to support Central American 'freedom fighters/ terrorists'

If Reagan had been told that and not stopped it- well?

 

[BigWillyG]

It is true that the CIA did get involved in that trade to support Central American 'freedom fighters/ terrorists'

If Reagan had been told that and not stopped it- well?

Really? I've heard about this before but it's always been from sources which also blame the government for 9/11, claim Obama was born in Kenya and other sorts of insane conspiracy theories.

 

[serbrcq]

This sounds ASB. Like "Reagan stopped the Iranian Hostages being released" a conspiracy theory like that could if anything increase his positive legacy by making his critics look insane.

It's not a conspiracy theory, it's fact. Of course, since this is public record in OTL and nobody knows about it, it's difficult to find a PoD that would get people to pay attention. The Iran War scenario I linked to on the first page here could prompt more scrutiny into the matter under some circumstances - imagine soldiers being conscripted from the ghetto only for the military to find that a lot of them are crack addicts. This could make the crack epidemic a serious topic of debate and result in active investigation from a hostile Congress - which could uncover North &co.'s involvement and tarnish the administration as a whole.

 

[BigWillyG]

It's not a conspiracy theory, it's fact. Of course, since this is public record in OTL and nobody knows about it, it's difficult to find a PoD that would get people to pay attention. The Iran War scenario I linked to on the first page here could prompt more scrutiny into the matter under some circumstances - imagine soldiers being conscripted from the ghetto only for the military to find that a lot of them are crack addicts. This could make the crack epidemic a serious topic of debate and result in active investigation from a hostile Congress - which could uncover North &co.'s involvement and tarnish the administration as a whole.

That might do it although the sea of powder cocaine the wealthy and famous of the '70s used could make putting blame for the Crack Epidemic on North & Co. harder since everyone already knew cocaine was widespread in the US before the invention of crack. Would also produce a good defence for the administration since they could bring up Studio 54 and other pre-Reagan/Contra era cocaine use to downplay the importance of any Contra smuggling.

 

[superjames1992]

I hate to point this out but he is considered one of the worst US presidents...

In what world do you live in?

Outside of leftist blogs and leftist academics, I've never heard that said.

 

[Consumerist]

Probably because most conservatives don't surround them with media that challenges their worldview.

 

[adam888]

Have it come out on tape that the Reagan campaign conspired with Iran on the hostages prior to 1980 election. It remains curious that the hostages were released on the very day Reagan was inaugurated.

 

[BigWillyG]

Have it come out on tape that the Reagan campaign conspired with Iran on the hostages prior to 1980 election. It remains curious that the hostages were released on the very day Reagan was inaugurated.

ASB. National Geographic had a documentary about the hostage crisis and interviewed a man who is now an Iranian defector but at that time was one of the people guarding the hostages. According to him the hostages were released within hours of Reagan being inaugurated as one last way to humiliate Carter.

 

[Plumber]

That might do it although the sea of powder cocaine the wealthy and famous of the '70s used could make putting blame for the Crack Epidemic on North & Co. harder since everyone already knew cocaine was widespread in the US before the invention of crack. Would also produce a good defence for the administration since they could bring up Studio 54 and other pre-Reagan/Contra era cocaine use to downplay the importance of any Contra smuggling.

IIRC, the CIA/Contras alliance specifically funneled the cocaine to one of the major inventors/suppliers of crack in LA.

 

[Andrew T]

Bonus Points!!! - Carter runs against Reagan again in '80, wins, and starts the country toward the economic recovery we experieced in the 80's into the early 90's, 80's popculture stays the same, Carter Reelected in 84 and his VP elected in 88, Soviet Union collapses on time. :c)

Someone with better Photoshop skills than I can surely whip up a "Re-Elect Mondale '92" button, right??

 

[BigWillyG]

IIRC, the CIA/Contras alliance specifically funneled the cocaine to one of the major inventors/suppliers of crack in LA.

True. I was thinking of what the Administrations defense would be since we got on this topic discussing an impeachment of Reagan due to Iran/Contra.

 

[Cook]

That's like asking random Americans what they think about Hollande.

They'd say the tulips were lovely.

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

They'd say the tulips were lovely.

Too true, too true, I'm afraid.

 

[Mike Stearns]

ASB. National Geographic had a documentary about the hostage crisis and interviewed a man who is now an Iranian defector but at that time was one of the people guarding the hostages. According to him the hostages were released within hours of Reagan being inaugurated as one last way to humiliate Carter.

Yeah, I've heard that too. The Iranians refusing to release the hostages while Carter was in office, was basically a giant "fuck you" to the Carter White House.

 

[Plumber]

They'd say the tulips were lovely.

What is Holland?

 

[craigm]

Another for ruining ray gun's legacy----

Not sure what this would do or howit would be accomplished but the unions starting with the airline unions all walk out over thePATCO decert etc. a general strike which he handles poorly.