Ruth Campbell, Staff Writer. "Gorbachev: U.S. must consult allies and Russia on Iraq exit strategy"

      It's not too late for the United States to bring other countries in on an exit strategy for Iraq, former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev said while visiting Midland Tuesday, adding he felt the war was a mistake from the start.
    Gorbachev, 75, spoke through an interpreter to a nearly packed Chaparral Center on the Midland  College campus as part of the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute Distinguished Lecture Series. JBS is housed at University of Texas of the Permian Basin.
     When the war in Iraq began, Gorbachev said he was on a Toyko subway being interviewed by a Russian news service. At the time, he said he thought it was a mistake and "we would pay for that mistake."
     "This is still my position. We were told it was a previous strike against a regime that had nuclear weapons. They didn't find nuclear weapons. They didn't find chemical weapons. I think the situation in the Middle East has also suffered," he said. He added the opinions of U.S. allies and the United Nations were not taken into account before the 2003 invasion.
     "International law suffered as a result. I think it was also not good for the administration of George W. Bush. I believe President Bush still has time to improve the situation. He (needs) the right kind of exit to make sure the Iraqis can manage themselves," he said.
     Gorbachev recommended using the Soviet Union's approach to its withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Iraqis say they will be able to control their country.
     "I think there might be an outbreak of violence and instability. I think it's good to withdraw before President Bush's term expires," he said.
     He added that the Bush administration should consult with the European Union and Arab countries in solving the Iraq war. Russia, he said, would also like to play a role as it has in Iraq and the Middle East over the years.
     On the subject of his time in office from 1985-1991, Gorbachev said the toughest decision he made was starting perestroika (restructuring).
     "I could continue to sit on the chair of the general secretary and perhaps could still be sitting in that chair. That's not me," he said.
     Based on experience during his 50-year political career, Gorbachev accepted a proposal to become general secretary. He knew the power of the Russian system and how merciless it could be. But he also realized change could only be made from the top.
     The realization he must begin perestroika was not immediate. He said he would do it again, but differently.
     Following the end of the Cold War, which he said began during the Reykjavik summit with the late President Ronald Reagan, the United States developed a "winners' complex" that prevents it from facing international challenges such as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, poverty and the global environmental crisis.
     "Only together can we solve those problems," he said. "... Now we are in a situation where we have to think what to do. ... We can be proud of what happened in Reykjavik."
     At the time, Russians were marginalized and not able to voice their opinions.
     "We wanted to know what they thought. ... Without perestroika, glastnost (openness)" would not have happened, he said.
     "Without glastnost, we could not improve anything," he added.
     While life was hard for many years as the country moved toward a free-market economy and under former President Boris Yeltsin, Gorbachev said Russia is again on the rise. "We believe Russia will stand firmly on its feet. Russia is a serious player in international politics and can be a ... partner to you. Russian leadership wants a good partnership with the U.S.," but the alliance must be a two-way street, he said.
     The trust built up between the United States and Russia under presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush, he said has been squandered. Current leaders don't have enough political will and vision to build on what was achieved before, he added.
     "I think America has a real president. There were some doubts about George Bush, just like there were some doubts about (current President Vladimir) Putin. But both President Bush and President Putin are doing their jobs," he said. "There are some problems among the entourage of President Bush. President Bush still has time on his hands" to do important things on the world stage.
CNBC senior economics correspondent Steve Liesman moderated the event.

Midland Reporter-Telegram, 18.10.2006