PART NINETEEN: MARTIAL LAW
Op-Ed Contributor
After Camp David, the world wonders when Russia will be held accountable
By Frank Johnson
Published: February 6, 1992
Washington — As Russian President Vladimir Zhirinovsky stepped onto the plane to return to Russia, two things became abundantly clear. First, it appears clear that the United States prefers to deal with the Russian President as opposed to his federal counterpart. And second, that his trip to the United States proved to be a rousing personal success for the ambitious politician. He was able to easily deflect questions about human rights violations in Azerbaijan, blaming it on his federal counterpart, while solidifying his role as the real leader of Russia, and even the UDR. At no point did President Bush even mention UDR President Viktor Alksnis by name at Camp David, and most interpreted the trip as clear proof that Bush not only wants to work with Mr. Zhirinovsky, but that he will do whatever he can to tilt the fragile balance of power in favor of the Russian President.
Mr. Alksnis must have been worried as he watched the news broadcast on CNN showing a smiling Zhirinovsky and Bush discussing plans to privatize property in Kazakhstan. He knew that Kazakhstan is outside of the legal jurisdiction of the Russian President, but that sticking point didn’t seem to deter either man. For the former communist hardliner, it may appear that the winds of change are blowing too hard to resist. Already in Russia a viable alternative is emerging to the UDR, a Union of Independent States which would act as a looser federation held together by a charismatic leader, much like Yugoslavia under Tito. So far five Republics have already agreed in principle to the UIS, and many experts predict that the UIS might be enough to convince some of the breakaway Republics to abandon independence and preserve the badly fractured Union.
All this is good on paper, but at what point will the world really ask the tough questions that need to be asked. Mr. Zhirinovsky is a sorry replacement for the assassinated former Russian President Boris Yeltsin. He has no interest in economic matters, and has yet to release government control of the economy. His plans for privatization appear shallow and limited. He has shown no interest in breaking up the giant state held corporations, instead choosing to privatize a few plots of land. And most damning, he still refuses to recognize the independence of Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania. Those three countries have already been admitted into the UN, and President Bush’s moves to prevent the UN from recognizing the independence of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kirghizstan has not only damaged America’s prestige in the Middle East, but has even caused many Democrats to question the President.
“We had the perfect opportunity to get Russia to recognize the independent Baltic Republics,” commented presidential candidate Paul Tsongas, “and we gave up one of our most viable negotiating tools.”
If the United States is going to deal exclusively with the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and its leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, we shouldn’t refrain from asking tough questions just because they are not communists. It is a philosophy like that which has created problems for this country in places like El Salvador, and Colombia, and Zaire, and dozens of other countries in the world. But none of those countries are Russia. None of them have a stockpile of nuclear weapons and the means to redraw international borders by force. None of them have the capability to allow their conflicts to turn into a world war. Although few deny that Zhirinovsky is a better alternative than Alksnis, we cannot ignore his faults and take comfort in the simple fact that he denounces communism. We need to hold him accountable for the role of the Russian Republic in the Azerbaijani conflict. We need to hold him accountable for the rising crime and emergence of criminal gangs not only in Russia, but in the newly-recognized independent Republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. And we need to hold him accountable for what should be apparent to this government: that he is seeking to create a dictatorship in Russia.
Can Zhirinovsky be reasoned with? Most likely he can be. But if we let him push the envelope without calling him on it, why should he be reasonable? Right now he is getting everything he wants, and the only thing he has to give up is some vacant land in Kazakhstan.
OPPOSITION LEADER MIKHAIL ARUTYUNOV CONDEMNS GROWING LAWLESSNESS IN FORMER SOVIET UNION
USA TODAY
Published: February 5, 1992
(MOSCOW)- Popular lawmaker Mikhail Arutyunov, who heads the leading opposition party in the former Soviet Union, has called for the resignation of both President Alksnis and President Zhirinovsky, blaming them for the growing lawlessness in the former Soviet Union. Condemning the “failed policies of Presidents Alksnis and Zhirinovsky,” Arutyunov has called for the immediate resignation of both men in a speech to the Russian Duma yesterday afternoon.
“We have clear proof that Vladimir Zhirinovsky and the Liberal Democrats are giving out Kalashnikovs to any Russian who promises to relocate to Kazakhstan or the Baltic Republics,” Arutyunov said during a session of the Russian Parliament, “and half of those people are just turning around and using the guns to commit crimes here in Moscow.”
Zhirinovsky, who was travelling through the United States, was unable to address the charges personally. However, Russian Vice President Andrei Zavidiya ridiculed the charges against the LDP.
“All over the UDR innocent civilians are being targeted because they happen to be Russian, or Ukrainian, or Ossetian,” Zavidiya said angrily, “but the only thing Arutyunov wants to do for them is to pull back the borders of the UDR and tell them, ‘sorry, but we can’t help you anymore, you’re not part of our country’”.
However, recent independent polls conducted by various foreign news sources have indicated that the growing problem of street crime has become an area of concern for many Russians, and that the popularity of the LDP is suffering tremendously because of it.”
“I understand President Zhirinovsky has a great deal on his plate,” commented a Russian construction worker who attended the session, “and we appreciate that he was able to go America and stop the UN from recognizing the independence of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. But we can’t continue to support him when it is becoming dangerous just to leave our house in the morning. It seems like everyone is running around with a gun now, and the police don’t seem to care as long as you’re not Uzbek or Chechen.”
The most recent USA Today poll indicated that Arutyunov’s Party for a Free and Democratic Russia would have the support of nearly 40% of Russians in the next election, up from just over 15% back in October of last year after the war with the breakaway republic of Azerbaijan.
Former Soviet Premier Gorbachev mugged in Moscow
Newsweek
Published: March 3, 1992
(MOSCOW)- In a shocking example of the growing problems of crime in the UDR, former Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev was mugged yesterday afternoon outside of Lubyanskaya Square after an interview with a German reporter discussing the problems of crime in the former Soviet Union. Mr. Gorbachev told police that three young men approached him brandishing automatic rifles and took his wallet and his watch. He advised that it was the same watch given to him by the Icelandic government during his meeting with President Reagan in Reykjavik in October of 1986. Right before fleeing, one of the men spat on the former Communist Party leader and yelled pro-Russian nationalist slogans as they casually jogged away. Mr. Gorbachev advised that the police took over one hour to arrive.
Crime is quickly surpassing all other issues as the most pressing matter on the minds of most Russians. Citizens have grown increasingly discontent with the growing lawlessness in Russia and the other republics of the UDR. Russian president Vladimir Zhirinovsky has condemned the federal government for its apparent unwillingness and inability to deal with the sudden spike in crime. However, numerous politicians have placed the blame solely on the feet of Zhirinovsky, citing reports that his Liberal Democratic Party is handing out automatic weapons to Russian citizens in preparation for what some fear is a planned intervention in the Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
“My Russia- An Autobiography by former Russian Prime Minister Gennady Burbulis”
Published by Interbook, © 1998
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
Zhirinovsky refused to accept any blame for the deteriorating situation in Russia, and was dismissive of the Gorbachev mugging. We tried to tell him that it was an absolute PR disaster; the most powerful man in Russia just six months ago now wasn’t even safe walking down the streets of Moscow in the middle of the day. We told him he needed to get his hooligans under control, but he seemed more concerned about Alksnis than the issue of crime.
“Alksnis has police units at his disposal,” Zhirinovsky said angrily, “why is he not told to do his part? Why is it always me who is to blame?”
I tried to reason with him, to get him to stop handing out Kalashnikovs like they were candy to any Russian who asked for one, but he refused. He was so delusional he assumed that they would all fight for him, that he was creating his own militia loyal to him. What a fool! Most of these people only wanted a gun to either commit crimes or make some money! I was told that at least half of the guns were being sold on the black market to Uzbek, Chechen, and Kazakh terrorists. He was arming those forces that he claimed to be fighting against! But he wouldn’t listen. I was so angry that I didn’t even notice when Vice President Zavidiya walked into the room with a deeply troubled look on his face.
“Mr. President,” Zavidiya said, “Marshal Lebed and General Dubynin have formally seized control of the KGB and declared marital law.”
“What?” Zhirinovsky said as he jumped up, “Get me General Ivanenko on the phone!”
“I already spoke to him,” Zavidiya said, “he told me that the Russian KGB will now only take orders from the Marshal of the UDR.”
Zhirinovsky exploded, he began screaming out profanities and promising to have Lebed, Dubynin and Ivanenko arrested for treason. But I must admit, as much as I feared a military dictatorship, I couldn’t blame Lebed for taking that step. And, I guess I was glad he did. If nothing else it would prevent Zhirinovsky from taking control of the country. I had enough trouble with him in America, trying to control him there and preventing him from saying something irrational and creating an international incident. I looked over at Prime Minister Silayev and I could see in his eyes that he was troubled. The question remained, who would Lebed side with? If it were Alksnis then we were all doomed. But Zhirinovsky was, if nothing else, a clever man. For a man with such little control of his emotions, he could easily suppress them and make rational decisions...when his power was threatened. And again he surprised us by putting emotions aside and making the one call that could prevent his slide into obscurity.
“Call Marshal Lebed,” he said firmly, “and tell him that he has the full support of the Russian government in any police action he deems necessary to restore order.”
Marshall General Lebed shortly after seizing control of the Russian KGB (AP)
