Ukraine to pull out troops from Iraq (starting this month)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/11023177.htm

Ukraine's top defense and security body has decided to order the withdrawal of the nation's soldiers from Iraq, and the pullout will begin this month, officials said Tuesday.

The phased withdrawal will begin March 15, and 150 soldiers will leave Iraq in the first batch, Defense Minister Anatoly Gritsenko said.

The National Security and Defense Council - headed by President Viktor Yushchenko and including the foreign, defense and interior ministers, decided to order the pullout "after detailed consideration," Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk said, according to the Interfax news agency.

The decision was widely expected. Yushchenko, who took office in January, has promised a full withdrawal this year.

Gritsenko had said Ukraine's 1,650-member contingent could be completely withdrawn by October, and would be reduced to some 700 troops by April

[bluestateguy]

1. I like that country

when they held a bullshit election the people took to the streets and made it clear that they would not tolerate it. If anybody knows sham elections it would be ex-Soviet citizens.

[daleo]

2. I hope it is true, but I will believe when it is done.

Bushco must want a quid pro quo for his support. I think they will still twist some arms in the Ukraine over this.

[Hobarticus]

5. They bribed Poland with US airfields...

That's probably why they're leaving; they couldn't be bought off. Don't think Old Mother Russia would sit still for a US airfield that close!

[Lizzie Borden]

3. That didn't take Yushchenko long!

I applaud them. Who is left in the coalition of the willing? The Brits, the Aussies and who? Afterall, we can forget Poland now.

[physioex]

6. Coalition of the willing....

More like Coalition of the wanting..

[Career Prole]

8. England, Great Britain, the English, the British...

...and Texas. And don't forget wee Fukovia! ;)

[CoffeeCat]

4. I'm surprised at this...

Bush seemed to be pretty chummy with Yushchenko. I don't know how genuine their working relationship is, but the US has spent a great deal of time discussing their "friend, Mr Yushchenko."

At this point, countries with a handful of troops in Iraq--are merely there as a positive symbolic gesture to the United States, namely Bush.

Pulling out all troops now--feels like a negative statement toward Bush. The publicity over it only hurts Bush.

I wonder why this happened.

Maybe, everyone is just tiring of Bush's heavy-handed, dictatorial bullroar.

Just this week--Putin has thumbed his nose at us, Canada has told us no way and now the Ukraine is pulling out all troops.

Is the world beginning to stand up to *?

[Tempest]

7. Why are you surprised?

Every single world leader Bush has made a deal with has played him for a sucker.

Just look at how Putin and Mushy have screwed Bush over.

[Career Prole]

9. Ah, but Yushchenko is chummier with the people who elected him.

Just think...if all national leaders had listened to the will of their people the "great coalition" would have mostly evaporated.
How many coalition leaders sent troops against the will of the majority of their citizens? Quite a few, perhaps most, as I remember.
I think it's pretty cool that Yushchenko will actually listen to what his people want before laying down for shrub. :)

[0007]

11. Don't forget Venezuela and China!

[cire4]

12. Bush's support of Yushchenko had nothing to do with the Iraq war

It was a Cold war-esque move. It was all PNAC-motivated and focused on limiting the power of Russia and Putin. Putting the Europe oridented Yushchenko in power would make Russia weaker. Anything that makes Russia weaker is good, according to the PNAC creed.

[0007]

10. Good for Ukraine. Many kudos for President Viktor Yushchendo

[rodeodance]

13. at last their leaders are listening to the people!

.....Ukraine, which has lost 17 soldiers in Iraq, strongly opposed the U.S.-led war but later agreed to send a large contingent to serve under Polish command in the center and south of Iraq.

The troop deployment was widely seen as an effort by former President Leonid Kuchma to repair relations with Washington, frayed by allegations that he had approved the sale of radar systems and other military equipment to Saddam Hussein's regime in violation of U.N. sanctions.

The deployment is deeply unpopular among Ukrainians, and one of Kuchma's last orders was to bring the troops home. In January, eight soldiers died in an explosion that Ukrainian defense officials described as a terrorist attack..........