Russia, U.N. Voice Fallujah Concerns

[russian33]

MOSCOW - The intense U.S.-led assault on Fallujah could undermine Iraq (news - web sites)'s upcoming elections, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned Tuesday, and the United Nations (news - web sites)' refugee agency expressed concern about the tens of thousands of civilians who have fled the besieged city.

However, official reaction worldwide appeared to be far less critical than some had expected.

Still, Russia, one of the sternest critics of the foreign military presence in Iraq, expressed concern about how the fighting might impact elections, scheduled for January.

"We are ... concerned that the actions in this region not worsen the conditions in Iraq as a whole in the run-up to the possible elections there," Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko told a news conference when asked for comment on the Fallujah offensive

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&e=2&u=/ap/20041109/ap_on_re_mi_ea/fallujah_world_view_1

[phantom power]

1. It's sweet to see the UN still thinks that Bush gives a shit.

Some days I think it would be best if they dropped the pretense and kicked our ass out of the UN. Let's quit acting like Bush would ever cooperate with anybody.