PLATFORM : U.S. Back Long Ago

In the course of the 1980s, America overcame any lack of confidence of influence in the world. And without this war, looking at the changes that were occurring in the Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe, we had already come to the conclusion that our way of life and our influence was not only spreading, it was decisive and victorious at the most important battle of our time. I do not think we needed this war to come to that conclusion. I don’t necessarily think Americans have to go kill people to prove that they have confidence.

So I would not agree with the notion that somehow or another our victory in war is more decisive than our victory as a people in the Cold War conflict and in overcoming the notion that there was some way of life preferable to our own when so many people in the world were choosing ours.