European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 26, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Gorbachev s top military adviser kills himself in aftermath of coup latvians break with the past and dismantle a statue of Lenin in Riga on sunday. From wire reports Moscow a the top military adviser to soviet president Mikhail s. Gorbachev has committed suicide in the Wake of the failed hard line coup attempt a spokesman said sunday. The suicide of marshal Sergei Fakhro Meyer 68, came after a Day of dramatic developments that culminated with Gorbachev s resignation As communist party chief and urging its Central leadership to disband the institution that has ruled soviet life for seven decades through intimidation and Force. Meanwhile Gorbachev met sunday with top reformers As he prepared a major speech to the supreme soviet legislature that will outline the nations political future his spokesman said. Presidential spokesman Vitaly Ignatenko told Cable news network that today s speech would offer Gorbachev s first Complete analysis of last week s failed coup and put Forward plans developed by Gorbachev russian president Boris Yeltsin and russian prime minister Ivan Silav. Gorbachev has asked Silav to Lead a team to suggest an entire new National Cabinet by today. Akrom Eyck formerly the chief of staff of the soviet armed forces killed himself saturday after being implicated by fellow conspirators in the failed Putsch the chief soviet prosecutor said sunday. Raisa Gorbachev sick aides say Moscow a president Mikhail s. Gorbachev s wife Raisa has fallen ill since the attempt to overthrow her husband presidential spokesmen said sunday. Raisa Gorbachev. 5�?~. Quot is sick and is at Home Quot said Igor Malashenko of Gorbachev s press office. The Gorbachev were staying in their country Home Northwest of the City. Gorbachev chief spokesman Vitaly Ignatenko said the soviet first lady Quot is sick. But 1 cannot say it is . Neither Ignatenko nor Mal Ushenko would specify her ailment. Asked about reports that she had suffered a heart attack or nervous breakdown Ignatenko said. See Raisa on. Page 2 Akrom Eyck had expressed hard line views on foreign and Domestic relations but was not known to have taken part in last week s coup attempt. A everything i devoted Niy entire life to see adviser on Page 2pentagon reconsiders cutting size of military by Susanne m. Schafer a military writer Washington a the Pentagon is having second thoughts about its plans to slash americans military by one Quarter Over five years in the aftermath of the soviet coup sources say. Perhaps nowhere in Washington was the crisis watched with such trepidation As the Pentagon. During the three tense Days last week Quot there was a real Rise in the cold War rhetoric in this building a said one senior military officer. The crisis ended with soviet president Mikhail s. Gorbachev Back in Power. But now some . Military officials wonder whether this is the right time to sharply Cut the american military. Secretary of defense Dick Cheney and the Pentagon s top military officer Gen. Colin Powell chairman of the joint chiefs of staff have argued for years that completing such cuts depended on the Rise of democratic institutions in the soviet Union. They also have said that the cuts hinge on the demise of the Warsaw pact and chances for a Surprise attack in Europe As Well Asoh soviet adherence to major arms control pacts. Cheney during an appearance sunday on Abc tvs meet the press said he thought the new soviet leadership would decide to Cut military forces. But he said he was reluctant to say at his Point that the United states a can now dramatically Cut below what we already plan to Cut which is  a the coup May be Over but Well have to wait and see whether All those things come to fruition Quot said one Cheney aide who spoke on condition of anonymity. Quot what this tells us is that the situation in the soviet Union is anything but  the official said Cheney has begun to Ponder whether he should reassess the Long term cuts amounting to roughly 25 percent of the Pentagon s annual budget see cuts on Page 2gis racial complaints Given to army Leader from staff and wire reports Washington a the chairman of the . Civil rights commission has told Pentagon officials that he has found evidence of pervasive racial discrimination at military bases in Europe. The chairman Arthur a. Fletcher met Friday with Michael . Slone the Secretary of the army and Christopher Jehn the assistant Secretary for Force management and personnel., Quot the term 1 kept hearing Over and Over is a we re not perfect and we know it a a he said following that meeting. The Pentagon officials could not be reached during the weekend for a response. Fletcher who visited six bases in Germany this month said the discrimination was occurring in the promotion of enlisted personnel and the hiring and promotion of civilian defense employees. He also said racial discrimination was endemic in the schools for employees children. Fletcher said Blacks at Many Levels were afraid to complain ubom discrimination fearing retaliation. A Flo and behold when 1 got Over there i found complaint after complaint a the chairman said saturday in a Telephone interview. A i was  Fletcher a conclusions were first reported in i he stars and stripes on wednesday shortly alter his return to the United Stales. A to taking Back hundreds of complaints a he told the stars and stripes. Quot once you have a pattern of complaints you can determine systemic discrimination. And we probably found  his statements conic at a time when the military is being widely celebrated As one of the least discriminatory institutions in american Lile. A recent cover Story in the new Republic Maga inc Lor instance sought to explain Quot Why the military is the Only truly integrated institution in  despite his findings Fletcher said Quot i Here is reason to believe that Blacks do belter in the military than they do in civilian  but he added a i also find that the Glass is half empty. There s a lot More work to be  Fletcher made the Lour of the bases from aug. 7 to aug. Luj As a guest of the National association for the advancement of coloured people. He voiced particular concern at the treatment of Black children in schools run by the detente department. Saying those children were a punished More severely than White students. A Given unequal Access to extra Cuni see gis on Page 2