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International News Title: World history brought to life: Mikhail Gorbachev reflects on past, future 2011 marks two milestone events involving former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. Twenty-five years ago this month, Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan broke the freeze of the Cold War in Reykjavik, Iceland, by agreeing to move toward nuclear disarmament. And 20 years ago, after incorporating the freedoms of Glasnost and Perestroika’s less-oppressive government tactics, Gorbachev facilitated the demise of the communist Soviet Union. Last week, I attended a presentation and Q&A session featuring Gorbachev at Lafayette College in Easton. Gorbachev, the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1990 for his role in ending the Cold War, was direct, provocative and reflective in sharing behind-the-scenes peeks into those historical events, as well as peppering the discussion with his views on today’s economic and social global developments. He artfully connected his discussion to teens and young adults. I came to the event with several questions, all of which were answered by the time Gorbachev finished. It was as if my AP world history course with Ms. Mallon had come to life. Gorbachev described the squalid conditions in the USSR when he took reign in 1985, noting that people “were suffering and sacrificing in order to allow the USSR to maintain its nuclear arms parity with the United States.” He acknowledged that he was “the first leadership of his generation” and understood the need to change. With that goal already in mind, the horrific Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in early 1986 increased the urgency for Gorbachev, who understood that “one nuclear missile with multiple warheads equaled 100 Chernobyls.” Thus, the scene was set for Reykjavik. Gorbachev shared that he and Reagan could not see eye-to-eye, reflecting on how, after several arguments on day one, Reagan told his advisers that Gorbachev was nothing but a “diehard Bolshevik” while Gorbachev shared with his own advisers that Reagan was “a dinosaur.” But both understood the need for discontinuing nuclear armament. The two committed to that purpose, agreeing to act to reduce nuclear proliferation. Gorbachev claimed the two leaders agreed that neither side would seek “military superiority” and he believes the US did not uphold its end, as it still, to this day, accounts for “75 percent of all global military expenditures.” Gorbachev reflected that even as he and George H.W. Bush “officially” ended the Cold War at the 1989 Malta Summit and the fall of the Berlin Wall, “84 percent of (Russian) people polled like the old way, but only 9 percent wanted to return (to) it,” indicating a move to democracy left Russians torn. Gorbachev explained that, as he moved to dissolve the Soviet Union and allow political freedoms, media freedom and the freedom of speech, “baby steps were needed for the massive change, but that did not satisfy some people — while others in Russia wanted to go back to Communist central control, thinking things were moving too fast.” Despite the election result, Gorbachev notes his work was proven “successful” when, in 1991’s open elections, Boris Yeltsin, a traditional hard-liner, was voted in by the people. Gorbachev says Russia “will never go back to the old way,” but points out it “is only halfway to true democracy today.” He shared his disappointment that Russia has not experienced more progress, and he maintains the US made “a big mistake in trying to build a global American empire” in the last 15 years. He believes those principles have indirectly led to the latest scenario of a struggling global economy, widespread poverty and unemployment, and waves of protests around the world. Gorbachev stated that redirecting the military-dedicated “massive spending and brain-power to solve universal human problems like poverty, famine and the global environment” is critical, while “building a society with human beings and human sovereignty at the center.” Nodding to teens and 20-somethings, he predicts the new generation is “rising,” and that today’s protests remind international leaders of the likelihood of a New World Order that will address common human problems. Reflected Gorbachev: “Around the world, people are making it clear that they will no longer suffer silently.”
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