Raykjavik

Watching the negotiations with NOKO play out, I am reminded of Reagan and Gorbachev when they met in Reykjavik in 1986. Reagan had proposed a missile defense that the press ridiculed as star wars but Russia was deeply concerned. The Soviets proposed eliminating half of the long range bombers and missiles as well as all missiles in Europe but they had one catch and that was for Reagan to stop the star wars project and Reagan refused and walked away. Reagan was excoriated by the press most of whom thought Reagan was a dunce and this proved it. This time, though, the photos turned out badly. When he emerged from his bargaining sessions with Mikhail Gorbachev, the president looked stung, like a small boy who had burned his fingers playing with a light socket. Reagan came home empty-handed from Iceland, and for once he was wearing the black hat — the man who said no to a historic opportunity. Confronted by the chance to become a genuine peacemaker, the president retreated in confusion. His image-makers had been overwhelmed by reality. Gorbachev knew he could not compete with star wars and the Washington Post later referred to the meeting as the 48 hours that ended the cold war.