<P> By sending military aid to anti-communist insurgents in Afghanistan, Angola, Cambodia, and Nicaragua, Reagan confronted existing communist governments and went beyond the limits of containment doctrine . He deployed the Pershing II missile in Europe and promoted research on a Strategic Defense Initiative, called "Star Wars" by its critics, to shoot down missiles fired at the United States . </P> <P> Reagan's aim was to defeat the Soviets through an expensive arms buildup the Soviets could not match . However, Reagan continued to follow containment in several key areas . He pursued a comprehensive nuclear disarmament initiative called START I and policy toward Europe continued to emphasize a NATO - based defensive approach . </P> <P> The end of the Cold War in 1991 marked the official end of the containment policy, but the U.S. kept its bases in the areas around Russia, such as those in Iceland, Germany, and Turkey . Also, much of the policy helped influence U.S. foreign policy in later years, such as during the War on Terror and dealing with post-Cold War dictators, such as Iraq's Saddam Hussein . </P>

Explain the role of geography on the us containment policy