View From America - December 2004

Bill Sykes' Newsletter from America.
(December 2004)

An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear or favor)---of the American Scene

Politics:
I thought that I could get away from politics in this edition but as always, situations crop up on a daily basis that interest me and therefore require my comments. (Well - you are going to get them whether you wish to hear them or not).

I was interested to read and view the recent visit to Chile by President Bush to attend another summit, or whatever, and came to the conclusion that Mr Bush did not get the adulation from the people of Chile, or the members of various countries who attended the summit, which he apparently thought that he would get. The general response from the Chilean people was that Americans are trying to force their own rules wherever they go and that they the Chilean people would not put up with American unilateral actions, hence the massive street demonstrations.

My Comment:
If these angry demonstrations in Chile annoyed Mr Bush, I would suggest he hasn’t seen anything yet until he witnesses the reaction by the people of Great Britain when he arrives on a planned visit to UK in the New Year.
I think that he will be in for a big shock.

Then we have the current turmoil in the Ukraine where the Presidential vote has caused much anguish, (particularly in America), when it was announced that the pro-Russian contender, (to replace outgoing President Leonid Kuchma),
Mr. Yanukovych had won the election against the pro-European candidate Mr. Yuschenko.
The official results were as follow:
Mr.Yanukovych: 49.46% (The pro-Russian incumbent Prime minister),
Mr. Yushchenko: 46.61% (The pro-European Union Opposition leader).
The much disputed election results, where the opposition leader claimed massive election fraud and widespread abuses, have been suspended by Ukraine’s Supreme Court in order for them to examine the opposition’s complaints.

The court insists that no final assessment of the election can be made until it has examined Mr. Yushchenko’s appeal against the electoral authority’s decision.
Large demonstrations are taking place in the capital city of Kiev by supporters of the opposition leader.
Members of the Bush Administration have stated, "The Ukrainian election results lack credibility and the United States cannot accept them, and does not recognise the validity of those results."

My Comments:
How can the United States Administration criticise and reject the election results of a sovereign country when they can’t get their own house in order - surely Russia can say that its none of America’s business.
I for one do not see why the United States should interfere in the political process of a sovereign nation, but they certainly have done so in the past and no doubt will do so in the future.
Methinks the United States is meddling in the politics of other countries far too much.

Of course if you look back in history the dominant powers of this world have always interfered in and tried to change the religious and political life styles of the people other countries.
When looking at the allegations of election fraud in the Ukraine perhaps the election was fixed, as a large number of the Ukraine people claim but aren’t most elections fixed one way or another?
Upon reflection one should remember the United States Presidential election of November 2000, where an un-elected candidate was selected by the United States Supreme Court to become President.
Perhaps the Ukraine Supreme Court will follow in the footsteps of the United States Supreme Court and declare the loser the winner, or on the other hand if they retain the election result as they are will that generate more violent clashes between the supporters of the two factions than the peaceful demonstrations that are occurring currently.

I’m afraid that my crystal ball is more than a little cloudy on this issue—but I’m very much afraid that whatever the Ukraine Supreme Court decides that clashes between the two factions will continue.

Getting back to reasons why the United Sates should be concerned about the events currently occurring in Russia.
1) President Putin indicated recently that all local appointments in the Russian confederation of states will no longer be by election but will be made by Moscow.
2) President Putin indicated that Russia is continuing its research on new modernised nuclear ballistic weapon systems, which the rest of the world does not have.

Does the current political upheaval, both in Chechnya and now the Ukraine, suggest that the Russian political hierarchy are considering the possibly of retreating from what they perceive to be a failed experiment in Democracy?
Has Mr. Bush ever considered that the perhaps Russia is now changing its mind in accepting the validity of the Bush doctrine that attempts to spread American type democracy worldwide and is perhaps considering reverting back to an old communistic type regime? No wonder the United States Administration is worried!!!
I see that the latest attempt to interfere in world politics by the man who would be king is right there upon your own doorstep when he telephoned Ian Paisley, the hard line Presbyterian minister, with what I would assume to be suggestions as to how to solve the Northern Ireland situation.
Will this man ever stop his apparent quest to reshape the world in America’s image???