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US Removes Piracy Sanctions From Ukraine

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the carrot-on-a-stick dept.

An anonymous reader writes The US has restored Ukraine to their preferred trade partner status after requiring the country to crack down on piracy. The United States had also imposed 100-percent import duties on $75 million worth of Ukrainian exports since 2002." From the article: "Concern over high piracy rates prompted the Bush administration to suspend Ukraine from the program in 2001. At that time, Ukraine was the largest producer and exporter of pirated CDs and DVDs in Europe, USTR said."

11 of 157 comments (clear)

  1. New relationship because of the elections by CRCulver · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The US has restored Ukraine to their preferred trade partner status after requiring the country to crack down on piracy.

    More like the US has restored Ukraine after installing a puppet who, even if he doesn't solve the privacy problem, is useful to the US in other ways.

    I was in Kyiv two weeks ago. The consequences of the election of Yushenko are already evident, Ukrainian young people want to align themselves so much with the West that it's suddenly all McDonalds and Coca-Cola (wasn't this bad during my first trip here four years ago). Ukrainian traditional culture is being eroded before one's eyes. This isn't the normal pace of globalisation, this is Ukraine rapidly getting the life sucked out of it by a new administration that doesn't care about its own country. Of course, the other choice would have been a Russian puppet, who would be almost as bad (but at least the Russians are fellow Orthodox). The best turn of events would be an isolationist Ukraine, but no one stepped forward asking to turn the country in that direction.

    Piracy hasn't changed much in Kyiv. There are a few new places to buy media legally (in touristy locals where foreigners hangout), but most markets sell bootlegs.

    1. Re:New relationship because of the elections by KiloByte · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The consequences of the election of Yushenko are already evident. Ukrainian traditional culture is being eroded before one's eyes.

      Do you mean, 300 years of Russian occupation didn't really have any negative effects?
      They have just freed themselves from a powerful, warmongering, authoritarian neighbour. Give them a chance, and forgive them the urge to find new allies with some clout.

      --
      The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
    2. Re:New relationship because of the elections by gkuz · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Ukrainian young people want to align themselves so much with the West

      Deciding this for themselves is, then, anathema to you? They are supposed to want what you want?

      this is Ukraine rapidly getting the life sucked out of it by a new administration that doesn't care about its own country

      Led by a president who very nearly gave his life just as a consequence of running for President, to throw off the Russian yoke -- that's how little he cares about his own country? Who speaks Ukrainian -- not Russian -- at every official function because Ukrainian is the official language. His language. A language Yanukovich doesn't even speak.

      (but at least the Russians are fellow Orthodox)

      Many Ukrainians are not Orthodox. Many of those that are do not belong to the Moscow Patriarchate.

      Please learn some more before you go back again.

    3. Re:New relationship because of the elections by CRCulver · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Deciding this for themselves is, then, anathema to you? They are supposed to want what you want?

      They are supposed to continue what their proud ancestors accomplished, not take the spiritual emptiness and boring homogeny of the West. What is happening now is cultural suicide. No people should be allowed to extinguish their precious diversity.

      Who speaks Ukrainian -- not Russian -- at every official function because Ukrainian is the official language. His language. A language Yanukovich doesn't even speak.

      Ukraine is at least a trilingual nation. That no official status was granted to Russian and Rusyn is an outrage. Ukrainian should not have been forced upon people whose lands were always Russian-speaking, and Russian shouldn't have been imposed on the West. A Belgian solution might have been found.

      Many Ukrainians are not Orthodox.

      Orthodoxy is the historic faith of most of Ukraine. That foreign rule imposed Catholicism on parts of the West is regrettable. At least many Uniates have returned to Orthodoxy in recent times.

      Many of those that are do not belong to the Moscow Patriarchate.

      Still, better to stay with fellow Orthodox than surrender to the atheism of the West.

    4. Re:New relationship because of the elections by gkuz · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Orthodoxy is the historic faith of most of Ukraine

      One should be careful in using words like "historic" or "always". What faith did Volodymyr take on in 988? Is that even a meaningful question, pre-Schism? So what does "historic" mean? Or "always Russian-speaking"? What was being spoken when Kyiv was golden domes and Muscovy was a swamp?

      A Belgian solution may indeed have been found. But it wasn't. The Ukrainians I talk to know they are Ukrainians. They don't want to be Poles or Belgians or Americans. Let them decide, OK? Your cultural chauvinism, saying what they are "supposed" to want, is as bad as what you deride.

    5. Re:New relationship because of the elections by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      300 years ago -- heck, 100 years ago -- the whole world was a much darker place. Every country was a cesspool of injustice, suffering, and institutionalized lies. "History" is terrible, and still the cause of our largest problems. Morality and common decency demands that we discard the past.

    6. Re:New relationship because of the elections by gkuz · · Score: 3, Insightful
      How many of these people are devout Orthodox, listen to traditional music, wear appropriate clothing, and spurn Western influences?

      Forgive me, I didn't realize I was talking to Solzhenitsyn.

      What in the world is "appropriate clothing"? What is "traditional music"? Which century would you like these people to live in? If they choose to be 21st century Europeans, that's their choice, not yours.

    7. Re:New relationship because of the elections by martinX · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You know, there was a time when this traditional music you speak of was The Newest Sound Around. And it was probably derided by the traditionalists back then...

      --
      When they came for the communists, I said "He's next door. Take him away. Goddam commies."
  2. There's more to this... by SQFreak · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You know there's more to this story than just piracy legislation. Also in the news today, Ukraine's Yushchenko Wants to Join EU. That's a trend; Yushchenko is a pro-Western, mostly anti-Russian leader. Is there any doubt that the US is going to help a nation trying to reform its democracy as Ukraine is doing? This is just one of the ways the US will help.

  3. **AA Goverment by jonfr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    /scarsam

    When did the MPAA and RIAA get into the U.S goverment ? I am also sure that Ukraine goverment has been "figthing" piracy. Since there is so much less real crime in that country.

    Somebody in the U.S goverment needs to be reconnected to reality.

    scarsam/

  4. Re:I just hope.... by octopus72 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Dominating sky as part of US Air Force attacking poor contry (which was under sanctions for a decade) is easy for any plane, fighting modernised Sukhoi/MIG planes with good ground support is completely different thing.