Buildup of military started with Carter?   You jest?   I WAS IN the military at the time.  I EXPERIENCED the difference.  
I also know about Star Wars.   Yes, in a lot of ways, it was a bad joke and some of the ideas behind it would never have worked.   However, it kept pressure on the USSR and helped lead to the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.   
As far as Vietnam is concerned, I am still not convinced that we could not have won that war if we had competent leaders.  Though, it may not have been good to go in in the first place.