Reagan administration advocates Reagan Doctrine

the u.s.-supported nicaraguan contras.

within reagan administration, doctrine embraced of reagan s top national security , foreign policy officials, including defense secretary caspar weinberger, un ambassador jeane kirkpatrick, , series of reagan national security advisers including john poindexter, frank carlucci, , colin powell.

reagan himself vocal proponent of policy. seeking expand congressional support doctrine in 1985 state of union address in february 1985, reagan said: must not break faith risking lives...on every continent, afghanistan nicaragua...to defy soviet aggression , secure rights have been ours birth. support freedom fighters self-defense .

as part of effort gain congressional support nicaraguan contras, reagan labeled contras moral equivalent of our founding fathers , controversial because contras had shown disregard human rights. there allegations members of contra leadership involved in cocaine trafficking.

reagan , other conservative advocates of reagan doctrine advocates argued doctrine served u.s. foreign policy , strategic objectives , moral imperative against former soviet union, reagan, advisers, , supporters labeled evil empire .