Lynn C. Woolsey: “last week Victor Yushchenko, the new president of Ukraine, spoke to a joint session of Congress. We were lucky to have…”

“last week Victor Yushchenko, the new president of Ukraine, spoke to a joint session of Congress. We were lucky to have received such a distinguished speaker, one who has done so much to encourage democracy over the last year, even overcoming a vicious poison attack by those who opposed his calls for democratic reform in the Ukraine. Mr. Yushchenko led the people of Ukraine through what is called the Orange Revolution. Ukrainian protestors bravely rejected an illegal and predetermined presidential election and demanded a new one. Since he took office after winning the second election, Ukrainians have been getting serious about fighting corruption, promoting fair competition and demanding transparent government business relations. Peaceful creation of democracy is possible. {time} 1745 As I listened to President Yushchenko, I could not help but note the irony that a man who has encouraged democracy through such peaceful and nonviolent means had been invited to speak to a joint session of the U.S. Congress, which is still working with the White House to create a democracy in Iraq through the barrel of a gun. The irony is that Ukraine, an Eastern European holdover from the Soviet Union's Communist bloc, understands the inner workings of democracy better than the President and Congress of the United States. I believe that the war in Iraq flies in the very face of democratic governance.…”