What was the danger in President Reagan referring to the Soviet Union as evil?

The progressive’s isolationists were afraid he would screw up Nixon’s policy of Détente and set off another round in the ongoing weapons race. In fact the Soviets were just using it as cover and had already screwed it up by sponsoring the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the invasion of South Vietnam in 1975, the deployment of Soviet and Cuban troops to sub-Saharan Africa in the 70s, the deployment of SS-20 ballistic missiles in Europe to destabilize NATO, sponsoring Wars of National Liberation in Central America, and the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. It turned out Reagan was right. The US needed to stand up to the Soviets, not empower them to spread chaos throughout the world.

There was no danger. That was just panty-waist liberals getting all worked up because someone dared call their favorite dictatorship for what it really was.

Abolition of detente

http://www.britannica.com/topic/detente