Fledgling Democracy

Hey, maybe, if things go well in Iraq, we could leave behind a shiny new democracy like, say, Ukraine:

A Ukrainian opposition leader and presidential candidate is recovering in hospital in Vienna after an alleged attempt to poison him.

Viktor Yushchenko arrived in the Austrian capital a week ago after falling ill with what was thought at the time to be food poisoning.

But doctors found "chemical substances" inside the candidate, an aide said.

A presidential aide made light of the allegation, suggesting the candidate should have drunk vodka as a cure.
...
Austrian doctors were quoted as saying their patient's illness was due to both a serious viral infection and "chemical substances which are not normally found in food products".

In August, an attempt was allegedly made to force the candidate's car off a road as he campaigned in Ukraine.

There is no truth to the rumor that Karl Rove has applied for an internship in the Ukrainian president's administration.