President Obama reaches out via video to the people of Iran. This historic hand of peace between the most bitter of rivals is remarkable in the contrast to what the Ayatollah Sistani has said about Israel and that is bound to be what America erupts with – but how will Iran react, that matters more in this case.

This President of the USA is doing more than any other to communicate to the world. And possibly more to the point for Republicans – is there any stopping the man? Probably not. He has more energy than an electric eel. He has more cunning than an eagle. He knows when to go in for the maximum impact.

Or will Iran take this as aggression? Because of their stance on Israel seems to colour what they say about the USA. It is not the stance of the people of Iran necessarily but who knows what their real democratic choices would be if they were not subject to religious propaganda that does not seek to guide spirituality but suggests acts of war?

While Regan was busy arming rebels to defeat the Evil Empire a la Star Wars – he seems to have ignored any possible consequence from his bargain. With Thatcher cheering him on, blindly, he went too far, the US enlisted Mujahadeen to fight the Evil Empire. If socialism is to be judged as historically a failure, he was not confident it would fail by itself, so he gave it more than a little shove. But when you examine the motives of Regan and GW Bush, there is the same fanatic belief in religious destiny guiding America into irrational and aggressive tactics in war after war.

Peace is merely a government being able to negotiate treaty with other governments. It requires tact and diplomacy. It has been an art lost by these “Republican” interventions in other nation’s affairs. GW Bush was a failed Republican. Historically, Regan does not deserve the adulation that is automatically given to him. His standing in history was marred by Oliver North and Iran-Contra – he was exposed as a meddler. Arming Al Qaeda will be seen as his most flagrant error.

The road to peace does not need to be strewn with dead bodies.