Pres. Reagan's State of the Union speeches: on Homeland Security


One major regret: I took a risk with Iran & it did not work

Though we've made much progress, I have one major regret: I took a risk with regard to our action in Iran [in the Iran-Contra affair]. It did not work, and for that I assume full responsibility. The goals were worthy. I do not believe it was wrong to try to establish contacts with a country of strategic importance or to try to save lives. And certainly it was not wrong to try to secure freedom for our citizens held in barbaric captivity. But we did not achieve what we wished, and serious mistakes were made in trying to do so. We will get to the bottom of this, and I will take whatever action is called for. But in debating the past, we must not deny ourselves the successes of the future. Let it never be said of this generation of Americans that we became so obsessed with failure that we refused to take risks.

Let there be no mistake about American policy: We will not sit idly by if our interests or our friends in the Middle East are threatened, nor will we yield to terrorist blackmail.

Source: Pres. Reagan's 1987 State of the Union message to Congress Jan 27, 1987

  • The above quotations are from Pres. Reagan's State of the Union messages to Congress, 1982-1988.
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Page last updated: Feb 24, 2019