Martin Kirby notes that Americans "appear to be sorry" that Reagan has died and see him as "a nice man who did more good than harm" (14/6/04). Sadly I think Martin is right, but the truth of Reagan's time in office is very different. He did considerable harm.

Reagan cut benefits to the poor to pay for massive increases in military spending. He turned the world's richest country into a debtor for the first time since 1944. Poverty increased and inequality rose sharply. This was Regeanomics and the beginning of the neo-liberal agenda of market deregulation, flexible labour laws and privatisation.

Reagan supported the apartheid regime in South Africa and Suharto in Indonesia, who was responsible forover one million deaths. He armed and funded the death squads in Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador which lead to a quarter of a million deaths during the 1980s. When caught in an "act of treason", paying ransom to Khomeini and his terrorists, Reagan said, "I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart tells me that's true, but the facts tell me it is not."

Then there's the invasion of Grenada, the bombing of Libya and Beirut, arming the mojahedin (many of whom evolved into the Taliban), supporting Osama Bin Laden and selling weapons, including chemical, to Saddam. Would the "war on terror" now be happening if it had not been for Reagan?

As others have said, Reagan's presidency was one of the best staged in history thanks to his acting abilities and his media specialists. Even in his death it seems the truth about this man is remaining hidden to much of the American public.

Ivi Szaboova-Baxendale, Gloucestershire Green Party