Transatlantic Intelligencer raises some troubling questions about Viktor Yushchenko, touted as the pro-Western candidate in Ukraine's election.
My take: Ukranian democracy and liberty are goods in and of themselves, and strengthening their foundations is the key rather than the individual candidate choice. The election needs to be adjudicated fairly, and if Yuschchenko wins, he wins. Meanwhile, it's worthwhile to remember that just because the other side has bad guys doesn't make the alternative an unalloyed good guy.
Undoubtedly true, but it doesnt change the fact that if this guy gets so much as a parking ticket in the next 50 years the left will be screaming about how Bush 'created' him. Somehow. Im sure there are pictures of Condi shaking Yushchenko's hand at some gala event sitting in Move-ons quick reaction file.
Spot on. The issue is democracy and clean elections, not who wins. There are good and bad points to each candidate from the US perspective, and I could care less who Ukrainians choose, so long as they get to choose.
That being said, BHHRG is a consistent apologist for Russian in neo-imperialist foreign policy goals
More on the specific allegations here
This smells like a (rather desperate and obvious) smear campaign. Note that when you actually read the report by the “human rights group” the only thing that Viktor Yushchenko has actually said regarding this paper was that government ought not to control the press. There is nothing in there that indicates that he supports any of the views published by said press. All of the incriminating quotes as from other people with “politicians like Viktor Yushchenko” inserted in the sentence to mislead the less careful reader into associating him with those views.
Seriously, this is pretty weak and sleazy.
I am not sure what to make of this. But the publication was charged with violation of a censorship law, essentially a thought crime.
Now, no one should disagree over the despicable claim of Jewish conspiracy, but defending an anti-semitic publication without more is no endorsement of its message.
BHHRG and John Laughland regularly crop up apologizing for dictators and smearing their opponents. The use of "Helsinki" in their group name causes confusion as there are many reputable pro-Democracy groups with that name. Hey, even despots can buy PR advice.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ukraine/story/0,15569,1362616,00.html
Yushchenko is not neccessarily the pro-Western leader as is being portrayed by the media (US) and therefor assumed by the public (US).
Yushchenko is more accurately described as Pro-European (particularly Germany) and tends toward anti-American. He has pledged to pull Ukrainian troops from Iraq, after all.
Pro-Western is a far too vague description and leaves for the reader to define for themselves. The uninitiated will interpret this as a friend of America & democracy and therefor his oponent as anti-American and anti-democratic.
His opponent in reality tends to show more support for the American war on terrorism, as odd as that may seem to those who have assumed the opposite.
Go figure, but that's how it is.
Be careful what you wish for. Know precisely what you are supporting and/or opposing before you go into a frenzy.
#6USMC VET; thanks for confirming my gut instincts on Yushchenko. The pro-western description didn't fit, especially when coupled with pro euro; these don't mix; just like oil & water. Too good to be true for sure. At least they should have an honest election; I'll support that whatever the results.