Withdrawing Ukraine troops from Iraq priority, Yushchenko says

sierratimes.com ^ | Sunday January 9,2005 - 11:02:59 am | AFP

[Destro]

Withdrawing Ukraine troops from Iraq priority, Yushchenko says

Posted: Sunday January 9,2005 - 11:02:59 am

KIEV (AFP) - The winner of Ukraine's presidential vote Viktor Yushchenko said that withdrawing the nation's troops from Iraq will be a priority for him once he takes office, after an accidental blast killed seven Ukrainian soldiers there.

"Viktor Yushchenko sends deep condolences to the families of Ukrainian peacekeepers who died in Iraq Sunday," said a statement released by his press office late Sunday.

"Insofar as withdrawing Ukraine's peacekeeping contingent from Iraq, it remains one of Yushchenko's priorities once he assumes office," the statement said.

The seven Ukrainian troops, along with one Kazakh soldier, died after a bomb they were about to defuse went off accidentally in Iraq's central Wasit region, where Ukrainian and Kazakh troops serve under Polish control, Kiev's defense ministry said.

Another seven Ukrainian and four Kazakh troops were injured as a result of the accident, which occurred at 12:05 pm after a team of Kazakh sappers and their Ukrainian backup had brought back for defusion some 35 aerial bombs that Iraqi police had found stashed near the central military base of As Suwayrah.

After the bombs were unloaded from their transport vehicles one of them exploded for reasons that are still being investigated, the ministry said.

Some 1,600 Ukrainian troops have been deployed since August 2003 in Iraq's Wasit region where US-led coalition forces are under Polish command.

Prior to Sunday's deaths, Ukraine has lost nine of its troops, with another 20 injured.

In the heat of Ukraine's election saga in December, parliament in Kiev approved a resolution that demanded outgoing President Leonid Kuchma withdraw Ukrainian soldiers from Iraq.

[KenmcG414]

This guy is no friend of the USA. He'll be just like the French & German leeches who want to get all they can from us. Our friend George Soros helped bank roll this guy's campaign. Enough said?

[Toddsterpatriot]

Funny how many "conservatives" here supported anti-Iraq and pro EU Yushchenko over outgoing PM Viktor Yanukovych who along with President Kuchma sent Ukrainian troops to Iraq.

Funny how freedom for 47 million Ukrainians is nicer than 1,600 Ukrainian troops in Iraq.

[anonymoussierra]

"We shall see, won't we." :}}}}}}}}} Thank you

[Truthsayer20]

The funny thing is that many of the paleo-cons and other assorted malcontents who have been supporting Yanukovich on FR, were also against the Iraq war from the beginning. I hope these people are not NOW making an issue about Yushchenko planning to pull back the Ukranian troops. In fact, why would they support someone (i.e., Yanukovich and Kuchma) who goes along with such "neo-con" policies?

[Destro]

Oh, so now only paleo-cons supported Yanukovich? Many stripes of Conservatives supported both candidates.

[Truthsayer20]

"Oh, so now only paleo-cons supported Yanukovich?"

Well, that's my general observation. A Western-supported candidate is poison to them with Putin being the current hero.

[WOSG]

most of us bought the Yushchenko=clean-govt candidate. media spin? Yeah, but alot of truth to it too; if the do-over vote was clean, this was perhaps the case that democracy did triumph. But it was clear this was liberal/youth/city/pro-EU centered, which in turn implies the secularist liberal European ideology and not necessarily pro-American. But I'd rather have a true democrat of liberal sentiments than an autocrat, and that's how the media played this.

"and religious hatred of Eastern Orthodox "

This part I dont understand ... Ukraine is mostly catholic, and the Pat Robertson CBN presented Yushchenko's wife as a woman of Christian faith ... Was this election Catholic/evangelical v Russian orthodox, or is that just a proxy for the ethnic division in the race (Russian vs. Ukrainian)? I dont think the religion angle even entered into the consciousness here. Most of us are unaware of the real subtexts of these political races, just as Europeans would likely scratch their heads over Kerry's intense desire to kill a duck 4 weeks before the election.

[spetznaz]

LOL. I just have to laugh. Wasn't this guy mr popular just a few short weeks ago. People were supporting him without even knowing what the heck he stood for just because the media said he was 'pro-west.'

[Lukasz]

Yushchenko: Our participation in the solution to the crisis in Iraq is in the interest of Ukraine. We have economic ties and investment in the country. Our units are only involved in achieving humanitarian goals and it depends on the future government in Iraq if they need our further help. We will consult our allies before we decide anything however.

There is a quote from interview with Yushchenko for “Spiegel”. When he saying that withdrawn of troops is priority that don’t means that he will do this immediately and without of consultation with Iraqi government and coalition forces. Beside that we all want to our troops back as soon as it would be possible, maybe not?

And Of course even if Ukraine would withdrawn troops, I would still support Yushchenko because I have some priorities and democracy in Ukraine is more important than 1600 troops in Iraq. Destro your comment is biased because we all remember that Yanukovich during their election campaign used often anti-American rhetoric. Yushchenko was often accused for being American spy.

I know that Yuschenko team is trying right now, arrange meeting with Bush when he will arrive to Europe.

[blackie]

You're welcome!

[HardTarget]

Kind of humbling to be getting a lesson in democracy from the Ukraine, isn't it?

[olde north church]

I was under the impression Eastern Orhodox was a subset of Christianity?

[Soul Seeker]

Agreed.

I would suggest others in this thread quit suggesting we were unaware of Yushchenko's impending decisions. One candidate was pro-Putin. Obviously since Putin was behind his attempted rise to power. The other is pro-EU. the same union that envisions itself becoming the new Superpower to rival the U.S.

I personally did not like either candidate, but we did respect the right of a free people to determine their own leader. Russia/Putin did NOT illustrate any such respect.

[roamincadillac]

It's the election in Spain all over again.

[WOSG]

"I was under the impression Eastern Orhodox was a subset of Christianity?"

It is, of course. So I'm puzzled by Destro's comments.

[olde north church]

As a matter of fact, I was of the impression one of the gulfs between the Church of Rome and the Church of Byzantium was the more concrete aspect of Roman influence as opposed the the cerebral Greek influence in Byzantium.
I understand that's an oversimplification but I think my point is made.

[MeekOneGOP]

Withdrawing Ukraine troops from
Iraq priority, Yushchenko says

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Yushchenko vs. Yanukovych/Ukraine election ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks.

[PhilDragoo]

We will consult our allies before we decide anything however.

Priority one is the free exercise of democracy, not continuing a foreign presence where we are transferring power to the indigenous people.

Ukraine gets to vote, Iraq gets to vote--it's that "endowed by their Creator" principle.