Orange Revolution - Spy Novel Thriller
Yesterday the New York Times came out with this spy novel version of the Orange Revolution. It's got some previously unvoiced accounts from SBU agents and generals, plus a little bit from Tymoshenko and Kuchma and some of the rest of the political figures.
It's a compelling read, and underscores the real threat of a crackdown that the people in the tents certainly felt. The reminder of the SBU's contribution is also welcome; I remember seeing their personnel up on stage with the Berkut special operations police squad, other police representatives, and media all pledging their support. That was tremendously reassuring to the protesters, in addition to the help provided in their strategic (an illegal) taping of Yanukovych's fraud plan.
But at times it also had the kind of iron causality that is a little hard to believe outside of fiction novels. My favorite example is this, the world's biggest game of phone tag:
[On November 29] Reports of the alarm were relayed to the S.B.U. command, which notified the opposition, its officers on Independence Square, and then the American Embassy.
The opposition called the American ambassador John E. Herbst, who called Viktor Pinchuk, Mr. Kuchma's son-in-law, to find out what was happening, Mr. Pinchuk said.
Mr. Pinchuk said he called Viktor Medvedchuk, chief of Mr. Kuchma's administration, who called the interior minister at home. Mr. Bilokon said he did not know what was happening. "I was really worried," Mr. Bilokon said, in an interview. "How, without my knowledge, was this order given?"Secretary of State Colin L. Powell soon telephoned Mr. Kuchma, who did not take the call.
Who knows what would have happened next if Kuchma hadn't cut the great game short?
In all seriousness, this should not lead us to forget that, ultimately, it was gutsy protesters who made the revolution and the SBU played a helper role at most. The protesters were the ones who were brave enough to step out, unarmed, into the square and every other group more or less followed their lead.
Dan McMinn
5 Comments
View Printer Friendly Version
Email Article to Friend
Reader Comments (5)
I guess the article redeems the conspiratory theorists who believe US imperialism and empire is behind every event in the world. Didn't the US ambassador call Pinchuk on the phone? Now this is 150% proof that the Orange Revolution was orchestrated from US Central Command in Talahasee Florida. Its so obvious that US is after Ukraine's energy resources. Since Ukraine has no oil, then it must be after their coal and charcoal and Chernobyl nuclear technology!
Reading the article, it is clear to me that Popkov's alibi that "I was calling their (Yanu's) bluff." is simply a cover-my-behind. It is pretty clear that Yanu with maybe the knowledge of Kuchma, but certainly with Russian help, ordered Popkov, who was on their side.
One interesting thing about this article is Kuchma's vacillations. This element should not be discounted. IMO, Kuchma was not too bad a boy during the latter half of the election campaign, and should be rewarded with his dacha, a couple of body guards, and a TV set and internet connection (proxied solely to Orange Ukraine!).
Once the storm has subsided, Kuchma should be brought to a truth commission on the Gongadze and others murders. It is far more important that the truth come out, and not that individuals get punished. The best punishment for Kuchma is the surfacing of the facts of his tenure.
It is clear from SBU's actions, and also the Ukrainian military and military intellligence unit's actions that they had been pro-Europe all along. Nothing makes a general happier than seeing a couple of state-of-the-art F18s streak by with the nation's flag on it. I give it a 50% chance of another colored revolution in one of Belarus or Russia, in the next 4 years.
However, the Islamic CIS states are another matter. If anything, they may have to go theocracy first, before they embrace liberal democracy.
Putin at this time had boots on the ground in Kiev and was investing incredible amounts of political capital throughout the world to harpoon the revolution.
This ommission is too glaring to be accidental - and nothing left unsaid at the Times is accidental.
Therefore, if the NYT is getting an account that dances around some important issues, I'd say that's because the SBU wants to dance around them. Nothing is gained by the SBU if they talk about the Russian troops on the ground that Jane's Intelligence Digest believes were there.
Also, the stated motivation of a lot of these actions is hinted by the speakers to be altruism, though the NYT tries to downplay that possibility. This is also because their main source is people at the SBU. They want to make themselves look good, so they veer away from saying:
"And when all those kids were out on the square, I could see where the wind was blowing and was honestly thrilled, because I always thought Yanukovych was a putz. I wasn't always sure I could use that tape of his HQ against him, but damn, am I glad I got it."
Hats off to the NYT for getting the interviews, though.
And I agree, Kuchma didn't crack down on protesters and didn't push his country into anarchy. He deserves the Shevardnadze Award for dictatorial presidents who try to control their citizens, but at least have the vision to know when they've lost.
And now we are seeing others suggesting that a second objective of the Times article was to sanitize those within Ukraine that were responsible for bringing on the forged election crisis.
We should be thankful that they did not add to this more thugery in the form of soldiers attacking civilians?
I guess your right but it reminds me of the Joke "Huh?! What's that on the sidewalk? Yeah that sure smells and tastes like poop - its a good thing we did not step in it."
But thanks to the NYT we still have more accounts than we did before, whatever an SBU chief's account is worth.
And I'm happy there is less thugery. Like I said, give the Shevardnadze award to Kuchma... but give the Nobel to Yushchenko.