Thwarting the Specter of Russian Fascism
Far fetched? Of course. Unlikely? Yes. Impossible? No. The chances of
fascist dictators seizing power in Russia are still slight. In a Las Vegas
casino, the odds would still firmly be with Boris Yeltsin.1 Yet, the specter
of Russian dictatorship is real and growing at a frightening pace.
Meanwhile, American engagement, and Western involvement more
generally, has come under sharp criticism by both Russian nationalists and
even Russian liberals who vested their political careers on their ability to
deliver Western assistance. Despite nationalist resurgence in Russia and
Western neglect, the reform process will still probably survive albeit
amended to deal with these new circumstances. If reforms turn sour,
however, the West will have missed the most important opportunity for
promoting democracy and insuring world peace of this century. The
Clinton campaign correctly made the analogy between the Bush
administration winning the Cold War and the rooster calling the sun to
rise. However, if the sun sets during the Clinton administration, they will
still be blamed for loosing the peace.