Posted on 12/29/2004 7:29:09 AM PST by Ginifer
Ukraine will withdraw its 1,400-strong military contingent from Iraq by the end of next year, Defence Minister Oleksander Kuzmuk was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
"Next April we will be sending only a reinforced battalion rather than a brigade and by the end of 2005 we will complete our pullout of the contingent," Mr Kuzmuk's press service quoted him as saying.
The statement said a battalion would be made up of about 500 servicemen.
Ukraine's original contingent sent to Iraq was made up of some 1,600 servicemen. It has suffered nine dead and 30 injured.
The withdrawal is supported by all political forces in Ukraine.
Liberal Viktor Yushchenko, winner of this week's presidential election re-run of one that had been declared rigged, favoured the pullout as did his defeated rival, Viktor Yanukovich.
Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma sent troops to bolster the US-led force in Iraq to smooth over relations with Washington, strained over allegations that Kiev had sold illicit arms to Baghdad while Saddam Hussein was in power.
By then hopefully there will be only need for small policing force and Iraqis will be in control of their own country and muSlimes will be cured out of their desires to take over the world.
Regretably the new government will be closer to the Euros for a while, at least. But that's better than having Ukraine swallowed up in a new empire. I'm hoping that Putin will come to his senses and we can get all this straightened out.
How is having Ukraine swallowed up by the mightier EU better then keeping it a neutral between the two? This isn't keeping a balance of power, this is pandering to EU expansionism, no better then what was done for the Third Reich.
I think we differ on that. My view is that the EU is destined to collapse of its own weight and sheer economic incompetence, whereas if Russia swallows Ukraine it's likely to stay swallowed.
OTOH, we probably agree that Ukraine is not best served by joining the EU. They would be much better off trading with both partners. And I believe Russia would be better served that way too in the long run.
You are right, it will eventually collapse but that collapse can take quite some time, as in the Soviet Union's 70 year time frame and I believe that they will launch a war or two to try and shift public opinion away from internal problems.
Many millions will pay with their lives for our passivity and inaction and we will be remembered like Chamberlain for doing nothing to stop this evil while we had the chance.
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