Posted on 08/04/2006 4:09:14 PM PDT by A. Pole
MOSCOW President Viktor Yushchenko reached across the Orange Revolution's barricades Thursday and nominated his arch rival to lead Ukraine's government out of nearly five months of political paralysis.
The deal, reached as a constitutional deadline that expired Wednesday night, creates a "grand coalition" between the pro-Western Mr. Yushchenko's Our Ukraine movement and Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions, which favors closer ties with Russia. Ukraine's parliament, the Supreme Rada, is expected to elect Mr. Yanukovych as prime minister on Friday.
Critics suggest the accord has betrayed the Orange Revolution and played into Moscow's hands. Some, including Yushchenko's former ally Yulia Tymoshenko, who heads the second largest party in parliament, say they will boycott the Rada and call their supporters into the streets to protest.
[...]
Yanukovych won a pledge that joining the organization would have to be approved by Ukrainians in a referendum. "The prospect of NATO membership for Ukraine is very fragile," says Masha Lipman, an expert with the Carnegie Center in Moscow. "Polls show the majority of Ukrainians do not support the idea at this time."
[...]
But a poll conducted in mid-July by the independent Kiev International Institute of Sociology found that if fresh elections were held, voter turnout among exhausted Ukrainians would be a low 56 percent, and Yanukovych's Party of Regions would win an outright majority of 50.3 percent of the votes. And Yushchenko's fiery Orange rival Tymoshenko would take 22 percent and Yushchenko's own Our Ukraine movement would receive less than 10 percent.
[...]
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
Orange bump
I predicted this a long time ago. In time I am pretty sure that we will find that both sides of this "coalition" government are controlled by Moscow. Let's see how much they dupe and fleece the West now that they have their dialectic in place.
ping
I don't think either side is "controlled" by Moscow. Rather their collective incompetence plays right into Moscow's hands. Yushenko and Timoshenko are not true democrats. Never were and never will be. They are that breed of Slavic "Democrat" that believes as long as they tell the West they are "reformist" or "democratic" the West will ignore their shady dealings, kleptocratic ways, and lip service to democratic ideals. The so-called democrats in Russia are the exact same. They play lip service to democracy but continue shady dealings with oligarchs ensuring they are personally enriched. The electorate can see through it and seek out the nationalist candidates. This trend will continue as long as charlatan democrats run in the region and as long as we don't do our research on who we are actually supporting. Unfortunately, the pseudo-democrats are very good at keeping the true reformers down and out. They're also extremely proficient at never agreeing amongst themselves. In Ukraine it's Timoshenko and Yushenko falling out frequently. In Russia it's Yavlinsky refusing to link up with Nemtsov's or Khamadova's forces - a disunited front will never be victorious.
If I remember correctly, Yushchenko used to be a member of the Communist elite (as a banker) before the Cold War ended. I think it's a good possibility that both he and Yanucklehead (Yanuk for sure) are both Moscow puppets. Time will tell, but I figured a long time ago that if a coalition government between these two forces ever emerged it would be proof that both sides are controlled opposition (with Moscow pulling the strings).
The Ukranian Military has ALWAYS been opposed to joining NATO, nor have there been the changes in the top brass, (this happened in all of the E.European countries which joined NATO and became democracies.
Your theory is much too complex when compared to the common caring of self answers too many questions. It's awful that things have reached this point. Hopefully things don't go the way of Russia with an autocracy gaining eternal powers.
The mugger back in charge. Awful.
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Russia has alot more influence than you think.
Russia does have influence, but not anything like what they did in the Cold War. Young individuals like yourself who don't remember fighting the communists cannot see the difference.
They are that breed of Slavic "Democrat" that believes as long as they tell the West they are "reformist" or "democratic" the West will ignore their shady dealings, kleptocratic ways, and lip service to democratic ideals. The so-called democrats in Russia are the exact same. They play lip service to democracy but continue shady dealings with oligarchs ensuring they are personally enriched. The electorate can see through it and seek out the nationalist candidates.==
I support each word. So bad that you are not Bush and Codi Rice adviser. Seriously.
American ambassador in Moscow should be you and it will play much better for benefits of America and Russia:).
I am afraid this is the tendency which is universal, applying to every country. I say tendency because not all leaders or groups are always bad.
The very idea of constitutional systems (including republic, monarchies and theocracies) is based on pessimistic view of human beings (those in power and those being ruled).
I am afraid this is the tendency which is universal, applying to every country. I say tendency because not all leaders or groups are always bad.==
I should say that here in russia we didn't ever see no real democrates or republicans. I mean the real people who cares for country not thier pockets but in same time ar enot authoritarians (like Putin). For today Putin is the lesser evil.
Those who crowd around western embassies and fed from thier hands are called by the "grant-suckers". No absolutely none respect to them from ordinary russian population - the voters.
I'm curious to know how it is in Poland today? Does your the twins democrates are realy democrates?
In a sense the twins ARE democratic and they DO represent regular Poles. It is good and bad at the same time as the present leaders share some limitations of popular mindset.
In total they are good guys while their opposition includes some of the most unbearable, pompous and smug Politically Correct characters.
My impression is that Poles and Russians have more in common that they like to admit. The key difference is that the fate pushed Russians into great politics forcing them to be serious, while Poles can enjoy the leisure of political theater and showing off (at least at present moment).
"The Two That Stole the Moon" are GREAT!
"Russia has alot more influence than you think."
How about some actual examples instead of empty slogans?
Giving pockmarks to Yushchenko?
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