Mikhail Gorbachev, the former leader of the Soviet Union, put out a warning to President Donald Trump, and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin that they need to introduce a resolution in the United Nations calling for a ban on nuclear war. Gorbachev provided his ominous prediction that "the world is preparing for war," (ABC News, 1-28-17). The former Soviet leader, who served at the same time that Ronald Reagan was President, stated that "politicians and military leaders sound increasingly belligerent," (ABC News, 1-28-17). Gorbachev also stated that even "commentators and TV personalities" are joining the bandwagon and affirming that war is inevitable.
Gorbachev's tenure as Soviet leader
Gorbachev was Soviet Premier at a time when the Soviet Union's economy was declining rapidly. Both the Soviet Union and the United States were deeply entrenched in the Cold War, and the burdensome costs of sustaining the Cold War was crippling to the Soviet Union. During the height of Gorbachev's leadership on June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan took a trip to West Berlin and made his famous statement about the Berlin Wall: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall," (National Archives, Summer 2007). In contrast, President Donald Trump, who believes that waterboarding "absolutely works," is arranging for the construction of a wall between the United States and Mexico as tensions between the two countries mount and the presidents of both countries are refusing to meet with each other.
The Soviet Union fell less than five years after Reagan told Gorbachev to tear the wall down, on December 26, 1991. The former Soviet Union was divided into 15 states. Gorbachev moved to San Francisco for a short time thereafter, and Reagan, who by that time was a former president, announced shortly afterwards that he had been diagnosed with Dementia, which soon turned into Alzheimer's Disease.
Reagan, who once was Governor of California, President of the Screen Actors Guild, and an accomplished actor, died on June 5, 2004.
Focus on prevention
Gorbachev, who believes that the fight against terrorism is a number one priority, stated that the focus should be on "preventing war," depleting the arms race and reducing and/or eliminating nuclear weapons arsenals throughout the world.
Gorbachev stated that he also feels that missile arsenals and deployments should be reduced, as well as conventional weapon arsenals.
Trump sued
Meanwhile, Trump has been sued by the organization Citizens for Responsibility and Action for violating the Constitution. The rationale for the suit is that Trump's foreign investments and financial holdings conflict with the federal law that stipulates that government employees, including elected officials, are not to profit from foreign investments and financial holdings while serving in their government positions.
