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White House Diaries
October
12
1986
October 12, 1986
Sunday, October 12, 1986
Final day & it turned into an all day one even though we’d been scheduled to fly out in early afternoon. Our teams had given us an agreement to eliminate entirely all nuc. devices over a 10 yr. pd. We would research & develop S.D.I. during 10 yrs. then deploy & I offered to share with Soviets the system. This began the showdown. He wanted language that would have killed S.D.I. The price was high but I wouldn’t sell & that’s how day ended. All our people thought I’d done exactly right. I’d pledged I wouldn’t give away S.D.I. & I didn’t but that meant no deal on any of the arms reductions. I was mad—he tried to act jovial but I acted mad & it showed. Well the ball is in his court and I’m convinced he’ll come around when he sees how the world is reacting. On way out I addressed our mil. force & familys at Air base. They were enthused & cheered my decision.
