The world's greatest leaders

Ivan Seeking

Re Astro: Keep in mind that Stockman - the mastermind of Reaganomics - was no fan. He argued that the model would work but Reagan betrayed it for politics. That the Soviet was on their way down was well known. But, it was argued, a push for [at that time] unattainable technology would be the straw to break their backs. With Reagan arguing for the "evil empire", and with the absolute imperative for a balance of power, they had no choice but to try to keep up with our alleged successes.

Some recent test with the NMD aren't just questionable, they are also known to be a joke.

As for the platforms, are you referring to the stability issue?

Anyway, that was my vote and I don't wan't to derail the thread too badly, so I will offer no more defense of my choice except to say that I have no doubt that he was a good man. Today I would probably take issue with much of Reagan's politics, but I can tell you that he was exactly what my generation needed. Post Nixon and Watergate, post Vietnam, Reagan restored enthusiasm for America in Americans.

Astronuc

Quote by Ivan Seeking

As for the platforms, are you referring to the stability issue?

That was just one of the problems. Perhaps the biggest problem was the size - the shuttle couldn't deliver them - neither could anything else at the time.

And Teller's idea of the nuclear pumped laser was nuts!

But they did make some nice animations.

loseyourname

Assuming it doesn't have to be limited to presidents, I'm going with:

1) Robert E. Lee
2) Abraham Lincoln
3) Andrew Carnegie

siddharth

From my country (India) , I'd say

(i) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi - method of non-violence and peaceful civil disobedience to obtain independence, contribution towards the liberation of women, work against caste, religious and economic discrimination

(ii) Jawaharlal Nehru - for his work on educational, social and economic reforms immediately after independence

(iii) King Ashoka - for his policy in economy, politics and religion as king.

Gokul43201

From India, I'd have to pick Dr. Manmohan Singh for freeing the country from a doomed Socialist agenda.

From the US, I pick a body comprising most of the framers of the Constitution, and particularly the proponents of the Bill of Rights (Henry, Paine, Adams, Madison, Jefferson) for leading through reason and recognition of the individual.

Yonoz

Abie Nathan:

In 1965 he ran for the Knesset. Although he failed to be elected, he promised that should he gain pubic support he would fly to Egypt –then an enemy country – with a message of peace. Abie fulfilled his promised on the 28th February 1968 and returned two days later labeled a peace activist, by his supporters, and an excessive publicity seeker, by his critics. The flight, known as the “peace flight”, changed the course of his life. It was followed by peace missions to Europe, the United States and Russia. Many leaders refused to meet with what they saw as a “gimmick” but others took him more seriously including the Pope, Bertrand Russell and other cultural and spiritual leaders. Returning to Israel, he decided to dedicate his resources and energy to the advancement of peace and humanitarian aid for the needy. For over thirty years, he spread his ideas, collecting money with the help of international organisations and set up refugee camps for the victims of earthquakes, hunger and war in South America, Africa, Cambodia and other countries. In Israel he contributed to many organisations in particular the Cancer Association, Ilan (Foundation for handicapped children), Yad Sarah (an Israel-wide network of volunteers aiding disabled, elderly, and housebound people) and many others. In 1967 he set up a radio station aimed at advancing peace in the Middle East. From 1973 till October 1993 the “Voice of Peace” broadcast messages of peace and love from the Mediterranean. From 1989 to 1992 Abie was engaged in a fight for repealing the law that banned meetings with the PLO, and met other heads of terrorist organisations in particular Yasser Arafat – as a result of which he was twice imprisoned. In 1993, following the Oslo Peace Accord, he scuttled his ship and continued with his humanitarian work particularly in Africa. In 1997 while he was travelling to the United States to write his autobiography, he suffered a severe stroke that left him partially paralyzed. Today, Abie lives in a Tel Aviv retirement home.

mbrmbrg

Whoa... Where's John Adams?
Sure, Washington refused to be king, but John Adams did something just as impressive. For the first time his era, John Adams was faced with the facts that his party had been in power, and the opposition had just been voted in. Legally, he knew what he was supposed to do, but no precedent had yet been set. C'mon, we have here a new, developing country whose leading party has just been voted out of power; who'd be surprised if said leading power simply refused to leave? But that's just what John Adams did--he stepped down and let the Democratic-Republicans step in.
Also, he defended the British soldiers who were caught in the ill-named beautiful piece of propaganda, the Boston Massacre.

Werg22

I see Lincoln in allot of answers. It is an admirable name; however, it is given allot more credit than it deserves. A reality that history has effaced is that Lincoln was not a man of conviction above all; his primordial goal was to the political interest of the United-States. In effect, Lincoln was no more a zealot of anti-discrimination than a typical American northerner of his time. He acted in the common interest of Americans, which is what is expected from a president. That is to say that any competent man who would have been given his position and put in the same situation would have been expected to take similar decisions – independently of his personal beliefs. Painting Lincoln as stalwart of human rights is disloyal to his true person. The modern image is only a myth; a myth that was perpetuated by his tragic death.

Ivan Seeking

Who would you choose?

Werg22

Quote by Ivan Seeking

Who would you choose?

I'm too cynical to choose.

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loseyourname Recognitions: Gold Member Staff Emeritus	Assuming it doesn't have to be limited to presidents, I'm going with: 1) Robert E. Lee 2) Abraham Lincoln 3) Andrew Carnegie

Gokul43201 Recognitions: Gold Member Science Advisor Staff Emeritus	From India, I'd have to pick Dr. Manmohan Singh for freeing the country from a doomed Socialist agenda. From the US, I pick a body comprising most of the framers of the Constitution, and particularly the proponents of the Bill of Rights (Henry, Paine, Adams, Madison, Jefferson) for leading through reason and recognition of the individual.

Ivan Seeking Recognitions: Gold Member Science Advisor Staff Emeritus	Who would you choose?