ABSTRACT
The attempts by the Reagan Administration to 'fight on every front' has provoked a debate within the US defence and foreign policy community as to what America's priorities should be. American pressure on the allies to increase their defence expenditure has continued under the Reagan Administration, even to the extent of retaining the 3 per cent target figure as an indicator of comparative defence effort. Antipathy, rather than hostilty, is an appropriate expression for the prevailing sentiment in Washington-antipathy which arises from the different perspective and orientation of the Reagan Administration and from the growing feeling that America's interests lie outside the traditional European focus. Following the imposition of martial law in Poland in December 1981, the Reagan Administration initiated a range of measures against the Soviet and Polish authorities, expecting the allies to follow suit. In tone and substance, American media comment of early 1982 closely resembled that of 1980, except that it was more virulent..
