Posted on 02/24/2005 9:14:05 AM PST by Drew68
KIEV (AFP) - Ukraine plans to pull out all of its 1,650 troops in Iraq, the sixth-largest contingent in the US-led coalition forces, by the end of this year, the country's new defense minister revealed.
"I believe that our troops will be withdrawn this year," the Interfax news agency quoted Defense Minister Anatoly Hrytsenko as saying.
The defense minister, who took up his post earlier this month, said that no concrete timetable would be announced before a meeting scheduled next week of the national security and defense council.
"The president will decide what month this will take place and it is the president's decision whether or not this will be carried out in two or three phases," he said Thursday.
Last week, Hrytsenko said that around 700 Ukrainian troops among the 1,650-strong contingent serving in a Polish-led multinational division would probably leave Iraq by the end of April.
A withdrawal of Ukraine's contingent is sure to displease Washington, with Poland already having decided to pull out a third of its 2,400 soldiers from the war-torn country because of strong domestic opposition to the deployment.
New pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko promised during his election campaign late last year to pull Ukrainian troops out of Iraq.
The United States, which backed him during the "orange revolution" standoff with Leonid Kuchma's regime that eventually brought him to power, has said any withdrawal should be made gradually and in a coordinated way.
Kuchma opposed the US-led war in Iraq but later agreed to deploy troops there in what observers said was an attempt to mend fences with Washington, which accused him of approving a sale of military equipment to Saddam Hussein's regime despite an international embargo.
A total of 18 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in Iraq.
The former Soviet republic has the sixth largest contingent in the US-led coalition after the United States, Britain, South Korea, Italy and Poland.
New pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko promised during his election campaign late last year to pull Ukrainian troops out of Iraq.
Nobody here should be surprised. Yuschenko's "pro-Western" title really needs to be amended in the press to "pro-European Union" as this would be a more accurate description.
If they are no longer needed, should we insist that they stay, just to say they are still there. Doesn't that say to the Iraqi's that they will never be "good enough" to defend themselves?
Call me an optimist, but this is not the bad news some may make this out to be.
We had troops in France for about 20 years after WW2.
I'm not sure if it is good news or bad news, but I certainly expected it.
George Soros poured millions into this man's election. He would not have done so without assurances of withdrawal of Ukraine from the coalition.
I wasn't making a judgment on the issue. I am merely anticipating the deluge of "how dare Yuschenko do this?" from the folks who thought the Orange Revolution would be the greatest thing for Ukraine since sliced bread.
I think this was expected. There was a choice between a socialist leader who wanted rapprochement with Europe and an ex-Communist leader who wanted to move Ukraine back into federation with or incorporation with Russia.
Neither is ideal, but of the two the European direction is preferable. Once part of Russia, Ukraine would not be spit up again for a hundred years, if ever. Once part of the EU, if that happens, Ukraine will still have room to look out for its own interests, which means good relations with the U.S., Poland, and other non-Francophiles.
***Doesn't that say to the Iraqi's that they will never be "good enough" to defend themselves?
We had troops in France for about 20 years after WW2.***
Right. Let's edit that a bit.
Didn't that say to the Frenchies that they will never be "good enough" to defend themselves?
They aren't good enough to defend themselves but they asked us to leave in the mid 60s.
correct me if i'm wrong, i believe the end of 2005 was a planned exit out of iraq since ukraine went in. the idea that they are 'pulling out', seems to be more political speak.
Come on...you know the answer to this, don't you?
The US needed bases in Western Europe to counter the Soviets. That's why we stayed there.
I don't think the Ukrainians need future bases in Iraq for anything, do you? If what, pray tell us all.
I'm I've got news for you, Yushchenko is also an x-communist apartachek. His second is a thief and oligarch who made $11 billion either 2 years in business or 5 years running the gas sector, your choice, no one knows. His next two are the head of the socialist party and another oligarch. Yup, what a Democratic crowd they trully are. Socialists and billionaires, the perfect Kerry crowd.
Almost everyone in the East is an ex-Communist. I understand that neither candidate was ideal, but the voters had to choose one or the other of them. I think they chose the lesser evil.
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