How do you define greatness? It might be in the physical exertion that comes with an excellent sporting effort. It might be in the realization that a mother’s touch cannot be surpassed. It might even be in the words of a great speaker or in the writings of a renowned religious figure. These are certainly true, but how national leaders deal with adversity and shifting circumstances can speak volumes of what it means to be great. Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi shows that a leader can be clueless. President Mubarak is not much different, but he did have some decent sense towards the end. Of course, where is he now? Counting his money?
For true leadership, you need to turn to Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev. Yes, a Soviet Premier. While Ronald Reagan is often credited with winning the Cold War, Mr. Gorbachev actually made the Cold War end. Without Gorbachev, Mr. Reagan was but a Contra-supporting, Grenada-invading president. Remember, he pulled out of Lebanon in 1982, the seminal moment in the development of Al Qaeda – when the soon-to-be terrorist organization realized that the US would run from adversity.
Amidst these turbulent times, Mr. Gorbachev wrote the book “Perestoika” in 1987, years before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and his words in this book speak volumes to what he was seeking. As it turns out, circumstances overtook Mr. Gorbachev’s plans, but he also knew how to release his grip. As Bill Keller suggests in this article, he did it gracefully: How to Lose a Country Gracefully.
Time magazine labeled Mr. Gorbachev as the “Man of the Year” in 1987, the “Man of the Decade” in 1989. Cheers to that. Great people DO accomplish great things.
Status Mundi 