Diary Entry - 10/16/1981
Key Facts
President Reagan meets with the Prime minister of Mauritius Seewoosagu Ramgoolam.
President Reagan attends a National Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in Central America.
Turkey's National Security Council, headed by General Kenan Evren, dissolves all the country's political parties and confiscates their assets.
This was a day that didn’t stop—1 on 1 with 8 different Sens. on A.W.A.C.S. A meeting with the P.M. of Mauritius. Then one with Dr. Kohl leader of the opposition party to Helmut Schmidt. He said the 250,000 demonstrators in Bonn against the U.S. came from all over Europe and it was an affair orchestrated by the Soviet U. He made a good point—that propaganda is painting us as a militaristic people when the truth is we are the most moral & generous people on earth. We should be appealing to the world on the basis of morality. Lunched with a group of editorial page editors from all over the U.S. Did a Q&A. An N.S.C. meeting that has left me with the most profound decision I’ve ever had to make. Central America is really the world’s next hotspot. Nicaragua is an armed camp supplied by Cuba and threatening a communist takeover of all of Central America. More meetings & finally home with an arm full of homework & my problem.
