By September, however, revolutionary euphoria had soured into disappointment in Washington and resentment in Ukraine as the new democratic government made no movement towards fulfilling the grand promises of democracy. Therefore, it was not surprising that Ukrainians who fought for the Orange Revolution felt betrayed by their leaders. Because, after locking arms to overthrow the communist government, these leaders merely fought amongst themselves when it came time to govern – as I chronicled in this article. And their betrayal was only exacerbated when the economic and social maladies, which were the hallmarks of communism, only worsened amidst this political chaos.
It was this untenable state of affairs that led, inevitably, to Sunday’s vote in which Ukrainians appear to have voted – out of fear – for the nostalgia of communist stability; instead of voting – with forlorn hope – for the elusive promises of democracy. And, overthrown communist president, Yanukovych, seems poised for a dramatic return to power as he leads (L – 27.3%) over Orange revolutionaries Yulia Tymoshenko (C – 23.4%) and Yuschenko (R- 16.3%). Final tallies may differ but Yanukovych’s margin of victory seems assured.
Although, Yushchenko and Tymoshenko are considering locking arms again to foil his return. Only this time, Tymoshenko, the woman Yushchenko appointed as Prime Minister in his government, is insisting that she be on top if they do it again. (I suspect Yushchenko will just lay back and take it like a man….)
Stay tuned….
Viktor Yanukovych, Viktor Yushchenko and Tulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine elections
Anonymous says
Once again you comment on something you know nothing about (apart from the stuff you get in sound bites tailored to keeping the people in T.V. land comfortable).
Try this link:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20041220/steele
“US funding has ranged from bankrolling opposition websites and radio stations to paying for the exit polls, which play a powerful role in mobilizing street protesters. It follows a template used four times in the past four years. The overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade in 2000 and of Eduard Shevardnadze in Georgia in 2003 were US successes.”
The U.S. bankrolled the ‘Orange Revolution’, but without real popular support it failed.
Your little story may play well with the folks at home but it has nothing to do with the facts.
james says
Anonymous
If you know all the “facts”, why are you just blowing hot air. What do you think “…Ukraine anointed as the latest country to be converted by President George W. Bush’s democracy world crusade” refers to, if not US support for the revolution? That’s the whole point of his series of commentaries on Ukraine you bloody fool.
In fact, if you bothered to read ALH’s earlier posts, you’d see that he even refers to Bush’s direct challenge to Russia to stay out of the election. So apart from your ignorant rant, what exactly is it you find so lacking in this “little story”?
Jennifer says
Hi James
You stole my thunder. Don’t you wonder what motivates people like anonymous to write such obviously ignorant comments. It’s really interesting how some people in the blogosphere just get off ranting like that but offer no facts to back up what they write. I wouldn’t call him or her a “bloody fool” though. I pity people like that.
Anonymous says
Morons it wasn’t democracy in the first instance.
Democracy is when people get to vote WITHOUT interference by foreign powers (U.S. interference motivated by self interest and not a noble desire to further liberty).
Read the link, if your attention spans and reading skills can cope with more than a sound bite.
The U.S. tried (and succeeded) n engineering an election result in a foreign country. Unfortunately without true democratic support that Government didn’t get very far. HOW SURPRISING! Not.
Jennifer says
Ok James, so this anonymous person is a bloody fool.
My goodness, he or she doesn’t even know that the reason it’s called a “democracy crusade” is because Bush is trying to convert people who were not living under “democracy in the first instance”.
Anonymous says
“In short, intervening in foreign elections under the guise of an impartial interest in helping civil society has become the run-up to the postmodern coup d’état, the CIA-sponsored Third World uprising of cold war days adapted to post-Soviet conditions. Even if conducted impartially around the world, this heavy use of money in another country’s elections (which would be illegal in the United States and most Western countries) raises serious questions. What makes it worse is its selectivity.
Like “humanitarian interventionism,” which has been used more than once recently as a cover for going to war, “electoral interventionism” has become a tool in Washington’s arsenal for overseas manipulation. The instruments of democracy are used selectively to topple particular rulers, and only when a US-friendly successor candidate or regime has been groomed. Countless elections in the post-Soviet space have been distorted by incumbents to a degree that probably reversed the result, usually by unfair use of state television and sometimes by direct ballot rigging. Boris Yeltsin’s constitutional referendum in Russia in 1993 and his re-election in 1996 were early cases. Azerbaijan’s presidential vote last year was also highly suspicious.
Yet after none of those polls did the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the main international observer body, or the US and other Western governments, make the furious noise they are producing today. The decision to protest appears to depend mainly on realpolitik and whether the challengers or the incumbent are considered more “pro-Western” or “pro-market.” Or, as in Azerbaijan, Washington is happy with the antidemocratic policies maintained by the Aliyev dynasty because it is friendly to US oil companies.
In Ukraine, Yushchenko got the Western nod, and floods of money poured in to groups supporting him. This one-sided intervention is playing with fire. Not only is the country geographically and culturally divided–a recipe for partition or even civil war–it is also an important neighbor to Russia. Putin has been clumsy, but to accuse Russia of imperialism because it shows close interest in adjoining states and the Russian-speaking minorities who live there is a wild exaggeration. “
The above from the link:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20041220/steele
There is enough information out there about what is going on in the world. You just have to keep an ear to the ground and TURN OFF FOX NEWS.
Anonymous says
” Ukraine has been turned into a geostrategic matter not by Moscow but by Washington, which refuses to abandon its cold war policy of encircling Russia and seeking to pull every former Soviet republic into its orbit. The US campaign against Yanukovich accelerated this summer after outgoing President Leonid Kuchma reversed policy and said he no longer aspired to NATO membership for Ukraine. Yanukovich adopted that line.
Many Ukrainians certainly want a more democratic system. The vast bulk of the demonstrators in Kiev are undoubtedly genuine. Their enthusiasm and determination are palpable. But they do not reflect nationwide sentiment, and the support for Yanukovich in eastern Ukraine is also genuine. Nor are we watching a struggle between freedom and authoritarianism, as is romantically alleged. Yushchenko served as prime minister under Kuchma, and some of his backers are also linked to the brutal industrial clans who manipulated Ukraine’s post-Soviet privatization. On some issues Yushchenko may be a better potential president than Yanukovich, but to suggest that he would provide a sea change in Ukrainian politics and economic management is naïve. Putin is not inherently against a democratic Ukraine, however authoritarian he is in his own country. What concerns him is instability, the threat of anti-Russian regimes on his borders and American mischief. ”
FROM THE SAME ARTICLE.
OK Guys ?
Santa is not real.
America is not this great force for good in the world.
You guys need to abandon self-serving myths and grow up.
Rachel says
Hi Anthony
I really like the way you inject humor into your most serious articles. BTW, I now understand why you pay so little attention to comments. As a devoted and critical reader, I feel I should apologize for people like this Anonymous commenter. It’s so clear he hasn’t even bothered to read your posts.
Hey Anonymous, why not start your own blog and write your nonsense there and have to balls to sign your name to it.
Anonymous says
When I want some career advice I’ll come straight to you Rachel.
Let’s keep this all a little group of people with the SAME ideas, opinions and information and all hold hands, shall we ?
And Rachel why do you even read the comments, since they are so worthless. Just read the ones you already agree with. That way you can be sure you’re right.
What is this ? A knitting club or something ?
Dominic says
Excellent article ALH.
I thought your articles on the French troubles, last November’s riots and the strikes I’m watching on the tele just now, are brilliant too. Do you think the immigration protests in America will escalate into national riots as well?
Anonymous says
I think your reference to the disillusionment in Ukraine with democracy is correct. I also think that Yanukovych and communism has been so discredited that ultimately Ukrainians will back another democratic coalition over a return to him and his Russian bosses.
Anyone who does not appreciate that the Russians have interfered in this and the previous election far more than the Americans did is either naive or stupid.
P Bridges
Anonymous says
You need to ask yourselves why you find it so confronting to be faced with the idea that the rest of the world does not necessarily see America as this great force for good, something Americans seem to believe without question.
Why do you need to believe this myth ?
America can probably have a positive role in the world, but not when it is so frightened of having its motives and actions challenged.
Michelle says
Hi all
I think that Anonymous guy is French and with the time difference I hope he’s gone off to bed, instead of waiting to pounce on anyone who leaves a comment.
But his last commment makes it clear that he had no interest in ALH’s article on Ukraine. He just wanted to bash America. My God, here are the Russians trying to assassinate the democratic candidate for president and all he sees in big bad America trying to influence the elections. Amazing.
Anonymous says
The way law and order is breaking down in so many democratic countries, with all these riots and protests, the iron-fisted rule of communism might be more attractive than ever to many Europeans.
Anonymous says
Michelle bashing America (which seems to mean any questioning of American motives) was not my intention.
I did not write the article, a very respected journalist did. And I would bet that Americans are rarely exposed to that kind of information or analysis, which is a pity. Did you read the article entirely ? I would guess not.
Don’t shoot the messenger. Read widely and consider other points of view. That way you may avoid bigotry and ignorance.
ALH’s presented a very ‘American’ analysis of Ukraine. I thought another viewpoint was needed. The world is rarely as black and white as people in America seem to believe. It’s a complex place.