One perceived benefit of the Reagan Doctrine was the relatively low cost of supporting guerrilla forces compared to the Soviet Union 's expenses in propping up client states . Another benefit was the lack of direct involvement of American troops , which allowed the United States to confront Soviet allies without sustaining casualties . Especially since the September 11 attacks , some Reagan Doctrine critics have argued that , by facilitating the transfer of large amounts of weapons to various areas of the world and by training military leaders in these regions , the Reagan Doctrine actually contributed to " blowback " by strengthening some political and military movements that ultimately developed hostility toward the United States , such as al-Qaeda in Afghanistan . However , no direct U.S. aid to Osama bin Laden or any of his affiliates has ever been established
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Reagan Doctrine