1982 - Political Events

Political Events

President Brezhnev announces March 16 that the Soviet Union is halting the deployment of new nuclear missiles in Europe and says Americans are evading serious negotiations on strategic-arms limitations (see "Zero Option" proposal, 1981). U.S. officials dismiss the unilateral move as a propaganda ploy; President Reagan outlines a two-phase proposal for arms reduction May 9, with each superpower being allowed 850 ballistic missiles (down from 2,350 for the Soviet Union, 1,700 for the United States), long-range bombers to remain at present levels of 400 for the United States, 350 for the USSR, and a reduction in the number of Soviet SS-18 land-based missiles. U.S.-Soviet negotiations on limiting medium-range nuclear weapons in Europe resume at Geneva May 20 after a 2-month hiatus. A rally against the nuclear arms race brings 800,000 demonstrators into New York's Central Park June 12 demanding a "nuclear freeze" that would bring a moratorium on atomic weapons development. Allied leaders oppose such a freeze, arguing that it will solidify Moscow's advantage, since the USSR already has its missiles emplaced at bases east of the Ural Mountains. Lieut. Gen. Edward L. Rowny, 65, U.S. Army (ret.), opens new talks with chief Soviet negotiator Viktor Karpov at Geneva June 29; medium-range arms negotiator Paul H. Nitze and his Soviet counterpart Yuli A. Kvitsinsky walk in the woods outside Geneva on a rainy afternoon in July, sit down on a log in the Jura Mountains, and agree on a "joint exploratory package for consideration of both governments"; their "walk in the woods" formula allows each superpower to deploy 75 launchers in Europe, the Soviet SS-20 missiles to have three warheads each, the NATO Tomahawk cruise missiles to have four, with the United States agreeing not to deploy Pershing II missiles (but see 1983).

Islamic fundamentalists threaten to bring down the government of Syria's president Hafez al-Assad in February. Not himself a Muslim (he belongs to the Alawi sect and professes to rule in the name of Baathism), Assad locates the source of the rebellion at Hama, and to squelch it he has his artillery batter fundamentalist neighborhoods there, leveling the country's fourth largest city and killing somewhere between 10,000 and 25,000 people in a merciless crackdown. Survivors take refuge in Afghanistan, Lebanon's wild Bekaa Valley, or in Europe or America. Syria will not have another problem with religious extremists in this century, but Saudi millionaire Osama bin Laden, 25, raises money to support Afghanistan's mujahideen guerrillas in their efforts to resist Soviet occupation forces and will propagate a murderous interpretation of Islam doctrine that many jobless young Muslims will embrace. Youngest of some 20 sons of the late construction magnate Mohammed bin Laden, Osama was raised in air-conditioned luxury and received a degree in civil engineering from King Abdul Aziz University at Jidda in 1979 (see 1991).

Islamic terrorists at Paris assassinate an Israeli diplomat April 3, Israel's prime minister Menachem Begin warns of PLO guerrilla activities and arms buildups, and Israel hits PLO strongholds in Lebanon April 21—the first Israeli strike since last year's cease-fire. The PLO has allegedly staged 130 guerrilla attacks inside Israel during the cease-fire, and Defense Minister Gen. Ariel Sharon mobilizes forces for an invasion designed to rid southern Lebanon of Palestinian guerrillas (see 1981). Israeli forces complete their withdrawal from the Sinai April 25 under terms of the 1978 Camp David accord. Israeli planes raid PLO bases south of Beirut May 9; PLO forces respond with artillery fire across the border. Israel's ambassador to Britain is critically wounded at London June 3 by terrorists more extreme than the PLO. Israel invades Lebanon June 6, captures medieval Beaufort Castle June 7, downs dozens of Soviet-built Syrian MIGs (weaponry made in Russia proves itself no match for Israel's U.S.- and French-made arms and aircraft), destroy Syrian surface-to-air missiles in the Bekaa Valley, and reach the outskirts of Beirut June 10.

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Israeli forces invaded Lebanon to root out the PLO terrorists who were harassing the Jewish state.

Saudi Arabia's Khalid ibn Abdel Aziz Al Saud dies at Tali June 13 at age 68. The new king is Abdel's diabetic brother Fahd, 60, who has called Israel's Menachem Begin a "fanatic Zionist."

Israeli jets bomb West Beirut civilian areas July 27, killing 120 and injuring 232. U.S. ships land 800 Marines at Beirut August 25 to evacuate 8,000 PLO guerrillas after heavy fighting has brought mediation by U.S. envoy Philip Habib. Lebanon's president-elect Bashir Gemayel is killed in a bomb explosion September 14 at the headquarters of his Christian Falangist Party (he is later succeeded by his brother Amin Gemayel, 40). Israeli forces move into West Beirut September 16, too late to prevent a massacre of Palestinians by Christian Falangists. The bloodshed brings fresh demands for Prime Minister Begin's resignation (see 1983). About 1,200 U.S. Marines land in Lebanon September 29 as part of an international peace-keeping force and take up positions around Beirut International Airport.

Iranian forces recover the port city of Khurramshahr May 24, taking 30,000 Iraqi prisoners in the ongoing war (see 1981). Syria has reportedly supplied Iran with Soviet-built weapons (see 1984). Former Iraqi president Ahmad Hassan al-Bakr dies of heart disease at Baghdad October 4 at age 68.

Polish police use tear gas and water cannon to break up Solidarity rallies August 31 (see 1981). The nation's Roman Catholic primate urges the release of imprisoned Solidarity leader Lech Walesa. Former communist leader Wladyslaw Gomulka dies of cancer at Warsaw September 1 at age 77; Walesa is released November 14 after 11 months' internment on orders from Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski, who has met with Archbishop Josef Glemp (see 1983).

West Germany's coalition government unravels in late September as the Free Democrats quit the government of Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who has opposed nuclear freeze proposals; Schmidt is ousted in a no-confidence vote and CDU leader Helmut Kohl, 52, is elected chancellor of the Bonn republic October 1. He has backing from the Free Democrats and will remain chancellor until September 1998, helping to unite East and West Germany (see 1989).

International disarmament advocate Philip J. Noel-Baker, Baron Noel-Baker (of the City of Derby), dies at London October 8 at age 91; former French premier Pierre Mendès-France at Paris October 18 at age 75.

Spanish voters elect a socialist government October 29 for the first time since 1937. Felipe Gonzalez becomes prime minister and there is dancing in the streets of Madrid.

Leonid I. Brezhnev dies November 10 at age 75 after 17 years as Soviet party secretary. He is succeeded in that position by former KGB head Yuri V. Andropov, 68, who will rule for only 15 months before succumbing to a chronic kidney ailment.

A Vietnam War memorial dedicated at Washington, D.C., November 13 displays the names of all 57,692 killed or missing U.S. soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen etched into black granite. (The monument was designed last year by Yale architecture student Maya Ying Lin, now 22.)

Guatemala's four leading leftist factions put aside their ideological and strategic differences in January to form a coalition which will strengthen the insurgency that has gone on since the early 1960s and will continue until 1996 (see 1972). Dictator Romeo Lucas Garcia is overthrown March 23 in a coup by a three-man military junta and charged by Amnesty International with responsibility for at least 5,000 political murders since his election in 1978. Gen. José Efrain Rios Montt, 55, assumes dictatorial power in June and continues the repression of his predecessor.

Surinam's military establishes a Revolutionary Front, Vice Premier Andre Haakmat is dismissed and flees to the Netherlands, the civilian government of President Henk R. Chin A Sen resigns February 4, and a four-man military council announces February 5 that it has taken direct control of the government at Paramaribo (see coup attempt, 1981). The military-controlled civilian government resigns December 9, virtual martial law is imposed December 10, the Netherlands government claims that the so-called escapees were actually executed, and it suspends economic aid December 12 until such time as democracy is restored (Surinam's economy has been dependent on an agreement signed in 1975 which obliged the Dutch to subsidize their former colony to the tune of $1.25 billion over a period of 10 to 15 years). The United States also suspends its $1.5 million economic and miilitary aid program (see 1983).

Panama formally assumes responsibility for policing the Canal Zone April 1 under terms of the 1977 treaty with the United States.

Argentine forces invade Britain's Falkland (Maldive) Islands April 2 and seize South Georgia Island April 3, Britain imposes a blockade April 12, British commandos invade South Georgia April 25, a British submarine sinks Argentina's only cruiser May 2 with a loss of more than 320 lives, the Admiralty uses the QE2 to bring troops to the South Atlantic, Washington expresses support for its NATO ally, British troops return in force to the Falklands May 14, fierce fighting brings heavy casualties to both sides in the next few weeks, and Argentine forces surrender June 14. Argentina has lost more than 1,000 men including those who went down with the cruiser General Belgrano, Britain 243. Argentina has lost 74 planes and seven helicopters, says Britain; Britain has lost 48 planes, says Argentina (see 1983).

The Canada Act approved by the British Parliament March 25 makes Canada wholly independent (see 1981). She gets her own constitution April 17 as Elizabeth II signs the Constitution Act at Ottawa, it replaces the North America Act of 1867, and Elizabeth proclaims Canada's independence.

Mexican voters elect Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado, 47, president July 4 as falling oil prices force peso devaluations and bring the country to the edge of financial disaster. While Madrid has been secretary of planning and budget (and deputy director general of Pemex) the greatest economic surge in the nation's history has become the worst economic crisis in 6 decades.

The Boland Amendment to the defense appropriations bill wins unanimous approval from Congress December 8, banning use of defense funds to support CIA efforts to overthrow Nicaragua's Sandanista government. President Reagan's budget address February 6 has called for much higher military appropriations and less spending on social programs, and Congress has voted 346 to 68 to increase military spending by 6 percent after inflation (Reagan had asked for a 13 percent boost) over fiscal 1982. Congressmen Edward P. Boland (D. Mass.) and Tom Harkin (D. Iowa) have introduced the amendment, which limits the activities of the CIA by making it illegal to support Nicaragua's "Contras" (see 1984).

Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe dismisses his home minister Joshua Nkomo and charges him with having plotted a coup d'état (see 1980). Nkomo's soldiers desert the army and go home, Mugabe sends his presidential guard and North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade into Matabeleland, where in the next 5 years they will kill more than 10,000 people, including many villagers (see 1983).