Ukraine Faces an Election Crisis

“Ukraine Election Crisis Erupts,” Nov. 23: It is important for the world to have objective news about what is happening in the post-Soviet states, which are struggling with the establishment of democracy and national identities. Regardless of what we may think of President Bush, we thank him for sending Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) as an observer, and congratulate the U.S. for its principled stand on the elections in Ukraine. With regard to the story, I would only suggest that Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich is not really “particularly popular” in eastern regions of Ukraine. A twice-convicted criminal who has lined his own pockets and wields an authoritative hand would not be popular as a political leader anywhere. It is simply that he can exercise the maximum administrative authority (read: abuse of power) in his native region.

K. Lena Maryniak

Edmonton, Canada

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David Holley wrote that Ukrainians are contesting their election and tens of thousands are marching in the street because their exit polls clearly showed the other guy won and that there were irregularities, such as more people voting in areas than there were registered voters. And our own Sen. Lugar is announcing that the election was rigged. How ironic; didn’t that just happen here? Didn’t the early exit polls indicate that John Kerry had won the election? Aren’t there many voting irregularities in Ohio and elsewhere, including more recorded votes in precincts than there were registered voters? Or are we to think that their exit polls are more reliable than ours and our voting irregularities are just a regular day in the U.S.?

Blaine Brende

Berkeley