Submitted by: Submitted by katabr
Views: 877
Words: 2554
Pages: 11
Category: Societal Issues
Date Submitted: 03/08/2009 01:59 PM
Kathleen Pugh
Political Science 2244E
Dr. W.R McKercher
February 26, 2009
Reagan’s invasion of Grenada
Born in Illinois, Ronald Reagan became the 40th President of the United States in 1981. As president, Reagan implemented new and very bold political and economic initiatives. In Reagan’s first term he survived an assassination attempt, went against organized labor, and ordered military action in Grenada. He was reelected in a landslide in 1984 and his second term was marked by foreign matters, namely the ending of the Cold War, the bombing of Libya, and the revelation of the Iran-Contra affair.[1] This essay will evaluate Ronald Reagan’s decision and reasoning behind his invasion of Grenada in relation to his political career and his public support. While it was reported to have had high praise and support throughout the United States as well as in segments of the population in Grenada, the invasion was highly criticized by England, Canada and the United Nations General Assembly. Reagan’s administration’s decisions and actions in the invasion of Grenada were made based on three very non credible reasons. In order to evaluate Reagan’s foreign policy accurately, a short history on Grenada will be included. Although the invasion of Grenada has not gone down in history as one of the most influential or important incidents in American or World history it has nonetheless been a significant and almost perfect illustration of how Reagan’s administration used fear and the presidents formal powers to justify an invasion to the American people and gain support. The Reagan administration went to war without the permission of congress and gave the American people three very imperfect reasons for the invasion of Grenada. All of the reasons consisted of statements about the perceived danger and what could have happened if there had not been an American invasion.[2]
The Invasion
The US invasion of Grenada, code-named Operation Urgent Fury, began in 1983 on...