« could these events be unrelated? | Main | So, I guess things didn't work out, then »
Truth to be told
April 6, 2006 06:19 AM
There's so much sound wisdom and pure common sense in this piece from Timothy Garton Ash in today's Guardian of London newspaper that, for just one moment, you may wonder if he's secretly American. This point is especially well taken:
Roughly one in three Ukrainian voters, mainly in the more Russian-oriented east of the country, chose Yanukovich. That's about 10% less than he probably got in the rigged presidential election of 2004 that sparked the orange revolution. The so-called orange vote was split between the now feuding leaders of the orange revolution, Viktor Yushchenko and Yulia Timoshenko, but their combined vote exceeded that for Yanukovich. Voters, except in the pro-western western end of the country, punished Yushchenko for disappointed hopes, economic mess, continued widespread corruption, dealing badly with the Russian gas squeeze at the beginning of the year, and falling out with Yulia. Fair on some counts, less so on others. But the essential point remains: the people could choose in a free and fair election. They can bring an old rogue back, if they want; then they can chuck him out again. It's democracy, stupid.
Ash also touches on an issue that had likewise occurred to me in the days following Ukraine's vote, when a Ukrainian friend noted that some political parties were alleging fraud at the polls. This was her way of suggesting that Ukraine had relapsed into its customary, non-democratic ways. Let's leave aside the issue of whether it's possible to have 45 political parties on a ballot without any of them claiming improprieties after the vote -- and we'll even concede that various types of fraud may have occurred here or there throughout the country, though not on any scale that should compromise the result. The fact is, the vote itself was probably less susceptible to fraud and manipulation than the balloting in any typical American election. And I say that as a certified jingoist! Granted, we Americans are always to expect a certain amount of chicanery because of the premium on turnout -- that is, parties can't take it for granted -- as well as the wide variability in ballot types and voting procedures. That's not to excuse it, but only to suggest that Western countries might strive to achieve "Ukrainian standards" in something, for a change.
Europe | Journalism | Ukraine
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://room12a.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/64
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Truth to be told:
» msn plus free download from msn plus free download college girls nude msn plus free download college girls nude recipes f... [Read More]
Tracked on May 31, 2006 08:06 AM
» mortgages from mortgages
mortgages [Read More]
Tracked on August 4, 2006 12:16 AM
» Lloyd from Lloyd
Jarrod [Read More]
Tracked on August 8, 2006 10:41 AM
» Web Hosting from Web Hosting
Cheap hosting titular cheap hosting. [Read More]
Tracked on November 7, 2006 08:56 AM
» Phentermine 37.5 mg. from Phentermine 37 5mg.
Phentermine 37 5mg. Phentermine 37.5mg. Phentermine 37.5. Phentermine 37.5 mg diet pills. Phentermine 37.5 mg. Phentermine 37.5 diet pills. [Read More]
Tracked on December 4, 2006 04:17 PM
» test from test blog name
test excerpt [Read More]
Tracked on December 11, 2006 08:49 PM
» incest mom son thumbnails family fucking from Mauglie Blog
Mauglie Excerpt [Read More]
Tracked on December 22, 2006 10:09 PM
» anal interracial porn from nsync interracial fanfiction
amateur tits [Read More]
Tracked on December 26, 2006 04:01 AM
» gay handjob from gay hentai gallery
personal beastiality web blogs [Read More]
Tracked on January 3, 2007 08:01 PM
» mature fucking young from neil young old man
lactation fetish [Read More]
Tracked on January 4, 2007 07:34 AM
» big gay cock sex from first big cock
oral cumshots video oral cumshots [Read More]
Tracked on January 4, 2007 12:58 PM
» free quality porn movie from free quality porn movie
Truth to be told [Read More]
Tracked on January 6, 2007 05:47 AM
» manga girls wallpaper from manga huge boobs
her first fuck [Read More]
Tracked on January 23, 2007 01:08 PM
» shemale big dick from mexican shemales
plumpers big beautiful women bbw [Read More]
Tracked on January 24, 2007 01:00 AM
» shemale big dick from mexican shemales
plumpers big beautiful women bbw [Read More]
Tracked on January 24, 2007 01:00 AM
» indian big tits from indian head pennies
blow job clip [Read More]
Tracked on January 30, 2007 11:27 AM
» sluts bbw clip free porn from bbw mature sex
gay interracial cum [Read More]
Tracked on January 30, 2007 09:51 PM
» hardcore anime from hardcore amateurs
dog sex free gallery [Read More]
Tracked on January 31, 2007 04:11 PM
» young asian girls pissing from free pissing stories
amature tits lesbian anime sex [Read More]
Tracked on February 7, 2007 12:52 PM
» free xxx stocking vids from lesbian stockings
hardcore dvds hardcore dvds [Read More]
Tracked on February 7, 2007 02:27 PM
» belldandy manga from final fantasy hentai manga
lesbian bdsm mpg busty and stockings caught pissing outdoors [Read More]
Tracked on February 10, 2007 07:56 AM
» tit fetish from smallest tits
mothers tits job foot fetish parties in group sex in mn. [Read More]
Tracked on February 10, 2007 09:03 AM
» animals sex with women dog from dog - woman sex
black upskirt free shemale sex pics gianna tits [Read More]
Tracked on February 10, 2007 09:52 AM
» lpga upskirt from upskirt hot
young asian girls milf finder ebony teen in red stockings [Read More]
Tracked on February 10, 2007 10:37 AM
» aunt nephew incest from erotic incest links
bbw sexy lingerie schlangenring bdsm latin porn sites [Read More]
Tracked on February 10, 2007 10:56 AM
» free bdsm thumbs from bdsm girls
beastiality cartoon videos teen buzz free gay latin porn [Read More]
Tracked on February 15, 2007 08:47 AM
» galeria zoofilia from sex zoo farm love
sexy stockings bang gang aurora free tit fuck [Read More]
Tracked on February 15, 2007 06:00 PM
» blowjob multiple cumshots from free gay cumshots gallery
big tit interracial pantyhose chat rooms slave sex horse [Read More]
Tracked on February 15, 2007 08:53 PM
» boy pissing from nude men pissing
huge tit sex [Read More]
Tracked on February 17, 2007 08:13 AM
» boby stocking from ass stockings gallery
anal bleeding first big ... [Read More]
Tracked on February 19, 2007 04:57 PM
» bdsm private from bdsm sub
free gay twinks lesbia... [Read More]
Tracked on February 20, 2007 05:46 PM
» beastiality pig from beastiality advice
hardcore movies arena lindsa... [Read More]
Tracked on February 21, 2007 03:52 AM
» incest hentai from hentai bitches
blow job cum [Read More]
Tracked on February 21, 2007 05:34 PM
» incest hentai from hentai bitches
blow job cum [Read More]
Tracked on February 21, 2007 05:36 PM
» Discount phentermine. from Discount phentermine.
Discount phentermine. Phentermine at discount prices. Phentermine us discount overnight. [Read More]
Tracked on February 22, 2007 10:14 PM
» trans sexuals michigan from sexy black trans
honda logo auto trans problems dog fucks woman [Read More]
Tracked on February 27, 2007 02:46 PM
» trans sexuals michigan from sexy black trans
honda logo auto trans problems dog fucks woman [Read More]
Tracked on February 27, 2007 02:48 PM
» bdsm dvds uk from bdsm oral
upskirt thong shots how to give a dog oral sex [Read More]
Tracked on March 14, 2007 08:41 AM
» sex animal farm from south american animal sex
hairy monster cocks [Read More]
Tracked on March 25, 2007 08:06 AM
» a dog having sex with a woman from free dog sex video
pantyhose lickers hairy muscle galle... [Read More]
Tracked on March 25, 2007 11:09 AM
» dog sex video galleries from dog sex photos
big hairy cocks [Read More]
Tracked on March 25, 2007 12:30 PM
» giving a horse a blow job from blow job action
indian mounds mn [Read More]
Tracked on March 25, 2007 02:19 PM
» horny nasty lesbians from hot lesbians in bed
pantyhose and bondage [Read More]
Tracked on March 25, 2007 03:32 PM
» naked redhead teen from big boobed redhead
thick booty ebony incest + mom + stories... [Read More]
Tracked on March 25, 2007 03:53 PM
» nude stockings from girls in heels stockings
trans flash memory cards 512mb [Read More]
Tracked on March 25, 2007 06:00 PM
» blonde sucking big cock from big cock movies
[Read More]
Tracked on April 5, 2007 06:11 AM
» rape fantasy stories from Mauglie Blog
Mauglie Excerpt [Read More]
Tracked on May 7, 2007 01:58 PM
» suck a tit from tiniest tits
pick a bbw gay latin videos [Read More]
Tracked on May 14, 2007 07:38 AM
» horse masturbation pictures from masturbation comics
interracial cocksuckers [Read More]
Tracked on May 21, 2007 09:04 AM
» bdsm gags from bdsm literature
indian masturbating fun ... [Read More]
Tracked on May 21, 2007 12:40 PM
» bdsm gags from bdsm literature
indian masturbating fun ... [Read More]
Tracked on May 21, 2007 12:43 PM
» topscore manga hentai from girls bravo manga
nasty wife [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 06:58 AM
» amature bbw from bbw creampies
boneprone movies [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 08:17 AM
» small animal sex from animal sex gallery 2
mothers i would like to fuck [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 09:45 AM
» small animal sex from animal sex gallery 2
mothers i would like to fuck [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 09:51 AM
» fucking mature women from gangbang mature
lesbians playing doctor [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 10:51 AM
» first anal from how to have anal sex
beastiality monkey [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 11:02 AM
» masturbation video clips from masturbation station
school pussy fuck [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 11:18 AM
» milf veronica from milf hoes
bbw pool fuck... [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 11:50 AM
» lady sonia - interracial sex from interracial sex video
gang bang free video [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 12:22 PM
» anime lesbian galleries from anime video clips
hairy amateur girls [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 01:20 PM
» fat asian porn from hot asian guys
young white pussy [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 01:27 PM
» fetish legs from fetish clothing, los angeles, california
female masturbation forum [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 02:10 PM
» bbw pussy from bbw doggie
pics my wife sleeping [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 02:33 PM
» free hentai / cumshots from clit female ejaculations cumshots
big tit lesbian [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 02:37 PM
» group sex lesbian from after school group sex
sheer body stockings [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2007 03:55 PM
» Floyd from Kade Mann
Social networking site MySpace is to block users from uploading copyrighted music to its pages. [Read More]
Tracked on June 5, 2007 01:12 PM
» Mullins from Ricardo Schreiber
London-born rapper Sway is to be honoured at the BET Hip-Hop awards in the US. [Read More]
Tracked on June 5, 2007 05:22 PM
» Huber from Latrell Reagan
TV host Oprah Winfrey gives audience members $1,000 (£526) each to donate to a charitable cause. [Read More]
Tracked on June 25, 2007 01:24 AM
» Cantwell from Kevon Haller
Madonna says she may adopt another child from abroad following her proposed adoption of a Malawian boy. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 01:29 PM
» Simpkins from Cason Mcvay
Singer George Michael lends the piano on which John Lennon wrote Imagine to an anti-war exhibition. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 02:04 PM
» Whyte from Devante Suarez
Pop trio Atomic Kitten will reform to play a concert in support of jailed Liverpool football fan Michael Shields. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 02:54 PM
» Donohue from Tre Montanez
Classical singer Russell Watson postpones his forthcoming UK tour after undergoing brain surgery. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 03:28 PM
» Richter from Jamarion Poindexter
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are leading the way at this years MTV Europe music awards with four nominations. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 04:03 PM
» Jeter from Melvin Lewis
Record company EMI sign a deal with the estate of crooner Dean Martin to use the singer's likeness. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 04:39 PM
» Henson from Kelton Harless
Colombia's vice president is "baffled" by Kate Moss's success following cocaine allegations. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 05:14 PM
» Gallant from Joshua Delgado
TV host Oprah Winfrey gives audience members $1,000 (£526) each to donate to a charitable cause. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 05:32 PM
» Parr from Harold Dawson
Record company EMI sign a deal with the estate of crooner Dean Martin to use the singer's likeness. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 05:51 PM
» Herrington from Zack Montague
Madonna says she may adopt another child from abroad following her proposed adoption of a Malawian boy. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 06:42 PM
» Leake from Lane Bracken
Microsoft and Peter Jackson postpone the making of a film based on the Halo video game after backers pull out. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 06:59 PM
» Crump from Drew Tierney
Pop trio Atomic Kitten will reform to play a concert in support of jailed Liverpool football fan Michael Shields. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 07:15 PM
» Hill from Kennedy Mendez
Classical singer Russell Watson postpones his forthcoming UK tour after undergoing brain surgery. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 07:34 PM
» Putnam from Morgan Hawes
Social networking site MySpace is to block users from uploading copyrighted music to its pages. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 07:51 PM
» Michels from Andreas Potter
Doctor Who takes three prizes at the National Television Awards in a repeat of its success last year. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 08:10 PM
» Francis from Rahul Ahmad
William Styron, whose Holocaust novel Sophie's Choice became a film and an opera, has died, aged 81. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 08:43 PM
» Mcclinton from Kevon Saylor
Madonna says she may adopt another child from abroad following her proposed adoption of a Malawian boy. [Read More]
Tracked on June 26, 2007 09:36 PM
» Poston from Cale Dortch
Alec Baldwin asks for his voice to be removed from an "unfair" documentary about Arnold Schwarzenegger. [Read More]
Tracked on June 29, 2007 04:17 AM
» Edmond from Santino Steadman
Pop trio Atomic Kitten will reform to play a concert in support of jailed Liverpool football fan Michael Shields. [Read More]
Tracked on June 29, 2007 04:51 AM
» Blanco from Pedro Sweat
The Rolling Stones postpone a show in the US to allow singer Sir Mick Jagger time to rest his voice. [Read More]
Tracked on June 29, 2007 07:55 AM
