http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...eu/ukraine_iraq

 

KIEV, Ukraine - Parliament called for the withdrawal of Ukraine's 1,600 peacekeepers from Iraq (news - web sites) in an appeal Friday that was symbolic but showed the weakening of outgoing President Leonid Kuchma amid the country's political crisis.

 

Kuchma was expected to ignore the non-binding resolution, which was passed 257-0 in the 450-seat parliament. Forty deputies who were present did not take part in the vote, while other members stayed away.

 

Still, the vote showed the fragility of the Ukrainian presence in Iraq, where the country's troops make up the fourth-largest contingent in the U.S.-led coalition.

 

 

 

Seems to me that Putin has now applied this pressure for withdrawal in response to the West's meddling in Ukraine's elections.

So what we still have Poland. You can't forget them.

So what we still have Poland. You can't forget them.

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:lol

haha

Poland is an unstoppable force. Believe it.

Poland withdrew already, but those posters are hilarious.

Wow, how devastating to our efforts in Iraq. :whistle

Seems to me that Putin has now applied this pressure for withdrawal in response to the West's meddling in Ukraine's elections.

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Well, while I'm sure Putin (whose country meddled in Ukraine's election more than any other) has a little bit of pull in the east and in administration elements, I think it's inconceivable for him to have the power to get nearly the entire Ukrainian parliament (which consists of pro-western, opposition parties in addition to pro-Russia, pro-govt ones) to vote to pull out the troops.

 

The Bush administration was actually put in a pretty interesting pickle....do they support Yushchenko--the opposition, pro-Europe candidate who pledged to pull out all troops from Iraq--in demanding a re-vote? Or do they keep quiet and support Kuchma-backed Viktor Yanukovich in order to not lose another member of the coalition?

 

As it turns out, we supported Yuschenko, and, at this point, it looks like all sides may now have a reason to want to pull out of Iraq.

 

Not that I really mind...a pro-European Ukraine trumps 1600 measly troops any day of the week.

Although much less significant than the troops situation, the Ukraine election fiasco might affect the Dec. 11 heavyweight clash between Vitali Klitschko and Tyson-slayer Danny Williams, since Klitschko is obviously very distraught over this, and rightfully so.

 

http://www.fightnews.com/fightnews_2/headl...lyYYsLCMDa.html

Although much less significant than the troops situation, the Ukraine election fiasco might affect the Dec. 11 heavyweight clash between Vitali Klitschko and Tyson-slayer Danny Williams, since Klitschko is obviously very distraught over this, and rightfully so.

 

http://www.fightnews.com/fightnews_2/headl...lyYYsLCMDa.html

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Ahhh, boxing. The only thing more corrupt than an Eastern European "election".