Ukraine (closed; covers till August 2014)
I've been here for a year with one to go. Just wondering if anyone on this board is out here or if anyone knows anyone who is...Not that I'm lonely, but am just curious. Political situation here is interesting and I'm always looking for fresh perspectives on it.
By the way, this probably slipped by (as it's largely rumor) most people, but an interesting story potentially linking recent assasination to Yuschenko poisoning. Story is full of "funny" information...
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle...a13000365.html
anniversary of the creation of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army
On Sunday, Ukrainian partisans celebrated the creation of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) on the main square (the Maidan) in Kyiv despite attemps by the Socialists and Communists to prevent them. This anniversary is the first time that UPA has been able to celebrate with the full approval of the Ukrainian government. Previous celebrations devolved into violence, but a large police presence provided for a more peaceful celebration this year...Full story at:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g...5VStwD8S9BTO00
More interesting is the debate over whether the UPA are patriots or traitors and whether they should receive full social and medical benefits (equal to veterans of the red army, for example). President Yuschenko is in favor of providing them full benefits. Anyway, it's an interesting history. For more information, check out:
Wikipidia UPA page
Chronicles of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi.../250px-UPA.jpg
UPA Appeal Poster
Ukraine government falling apart
Several stories in major news sources about pending collapse of government in Ukraine. Not a new story, in many ways, since the government always seems to be on the verge of collapse and the current coalition was weak to begin with. It is a bigger story with the situation in Georgia, the Black Sea Fleet parked in the crimea, the large Russian and Russia-leaning population in Ukraine and the Prime Minister Tymoshenko and former PM and opposition leader Yanukovych kow-towing to Russia. Where does that leave Ukraine? Victor Yuschenko seems to be the only person still openly and fully supporting Western ties (NATO, EU, etc) but he has limited and dwindling power.
I've heard through friends that several ministers have resigned and that Tymoshenko is trying to strengthen her position as Prime Minister through making changes to the Constitution. Meanwhile, Yuschenko's own party is voting to leave the coalition government. In addition, GasPutin has pressured Turkmenistan to increase the cost of gas to Ukraine, further pressuring the leadership into concessions.
Still not clear if the US has a plan to respond and if so, what it is. EU is pouring money into Ukraine and working on changing laws, standards, etc but that's a slow process and the Ukrainians can string that out as long as they like. Not a pretty picture.
J'accusé -- et j'accusé ;
but ...my last accusation is bigger than your prior accusation - and I have the prosecutor's ear.
Then:
Quote:
Ukraine's PM accuses president of self-interest
REUTERS
Reuters North American News Service
Sep 06, 2008 09:05 EST
KIEV, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko accused President Viktor Yushchenko on Saturday of putting his political ambitions before the national interest, adding to the bad blood between the former allies. .....
http://wiredispatch.com/news/?id=332954
and two days later:
Quote:
Ukraine president Viktor Yushchenko accuses PM Yulia Tymoshenko of treason
Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has accused Yulia Tymoshenko, the Prime Minister, of high treason amid a bitter political struggle over whether the country's future lies with the West or with Russia.
By Bruno Waterfield in Brussels
Last Updated: 8:06PM BST 08 Sep 2008
Miss Tymoshenko has revealed that she has been summoned by prosecutors to answer the president's charge of treason as Ukraine's two rulers battle it out for power ahead of a 2010 presidential vote over their country's future direction. ....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...f-treason.html
May have to reference my old Soviet law books on the conduct of "state trials".
A Viewpoint by Doug Bandow
Here is one view of US policy and the Ukraine. Draw your own conclusions.
Quote:
No Dog in This Fight
by Doug Bandow
09.09.2008
Washington has become an ugly place. Eight years of bitter Republican attacks on Bill and Hillary Clinton have been followed by eight years of bitter Democratic attacks on George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. But this venom cannot compare to the tidal wave of political hatred that has recently overwhelmed Ukraine’s capital of Kiev.....
....
Doug Bandow is the Robert A. Taft Fellow at the American Conservative Defense Alliance. He is a former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan and the author of several books, including Foreign Follies: America’s New Global Empire (Xulon).
http://www.nationalinterest.org/Article.aspx?id=19810
See also DB's wiki bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Bandow
SovCom Law & "Western Law"
The old Soviet law was based on the continental European Code systems (e.g., French, German and Italian systems are the usual grist for study in a Comparative Law course). There were some Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist additions - to carry out the aims of the "dictatorship of the proletariat".
That being said, the basic sustantive and procedural law was not that much different from what one finds in Germany. While somewhat different from the UK and US "common law" systems (which are filled with statutes and codes anyway), Russian law then (and probably now - I haven't kept up with the Russian and Ukrainian codes) was not that bad - in ordinary cases.
In fact, in ordinary criminal cases, it sometimes could give better results than our system. Besides the prosecutor and defense lawyers (who were not always competent), the Russians had an independent legal office that reviewed the case in all aspects for errors by lawyers and judges. Many cases we read resulted in reversals of decisions because of that office.
But, all such bets were off in a political case. If you were a political defendant, you were screwed - the only question was how much of a show would be produced. In all of the Great Purge Trials, the form of due process was observed, though the results were pre-ordained. Of course, those summarily executed in the Lubyanka cellers were spared that show. I suspect (but do not really know) that the old pattern may still prevail as to political trials (e.g., the fall of the oligarchs).
So, as to Ms. Tymoshenko's options, it really wouldn't matter what legal procedures were used if the cards were stacked as they used to be in the good, old days.
PS: Chinese law was even wilder - going from the Manchu system (based on the continental European Code systems in large part) to the Mao-based ChiCom system - a real innovative piece of work.
A poll is not an election, ...
but here is the poll:
Quote:
EDM
SURPRISING AND CONTRADICTORY OPINIONS ON THE UKRAINIAN STREETS
By Roman Kupchinsky
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
A number of recent public opinion polls in Ukraine reveal that regional differences toward Russia after the war in Georgia remain a factor but are not as extreme as some media reports present them to be.
http://www.jamestown.org/edm/article...cle_id=2373355
Quote:
from same source
The results of these polls would seem to indicate that the President of Ukraine, a firm advocate of Ukrainian membership in NATO and a strong supporter of Georgia, and the opposition Party of Regions are both out of touch with the views of the majority of the population. ...
....
Only the Yulia Tymoshenko bloc has benefited from recent events by refusing to endorse the president’s pro-Georgian stance and limiting itself to statements supporting Georgian territorial integrity and by taking a neutral view of future membership in NATO.
The greatest loser in the eyes of the Ukrainian public appears to be the Russian leadership, which failed to win overwhelming support from the allegedly “pro-Russian” eastern and southern regions of Ukraine for its actions in Georgia.....
Eggs and smoke bombs in parliament?
Yes, it's Ukraine and it would be funny if weren't also sad. I like the fact that the speaker had an umbrella with him to shield him from the eggs....
I do think the opposition is right, though. Yanukovych is selling the country out. The USG is so behind the curve. Russia has been buying up land and businesses in crimea for years. They've also been distributing propaganda and encouraging russian nationalism. In 2008, the USG figured out that it might be smart to put some money in and engage in crimea in an attempt to balance the equation somewhat (heading up to the election). They channeled existing and new project funds to crimea and attempted to show a good american face down there. People still voted en masse for Yanukovych and the russian option and now I'm sure the USG is kicking themselves for sitting on the sidelines for so long.
Secondarily, I wonder whether recent events in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan and current realities in Ukraine (bad economy tentatively propped up by the IMF) might push people to respond with violence (beyond the usual paid mobs and such)? Time will tell, I guess.