U.S. troops in northern Kosovo

Peter, don't act like you are naive. The difference is that these forces are international forces that are there to put down any skirmish from any side.
In Presevo Valley the forces are Serbian, the same forces that a decade ago commited attrocities to the same population.

First German, now Americans... Interesting. Massing up on the Serbian border? But not on the Macedonian where we have daily gunfire exchanges between Macedonian police and Albanian militia?
Either Germans and Yankees are getting ready to defend the Serb minority in the north (just joking, of course) or ready to suppress the same minority into submission once Albanian separatists carve out a part of Serbia and call its own?
Will see.
Considering how “well” they did their job over the past 8 years – if I were a Serb, up there, I wouldn’t dare to sleep anymore . Being killed, under the supervision and watchful eye of Americans and Germans, is still kinda not the best prospect. It may be “democratic” and “unique case”, it may be “ justified because of the growing Albanian frustration” or even “an event that never happened” , yet – something is up and someone is up to no good. And it is not Serbs this time. So, how is it? Any guess? Remember March 2004?
Will see.

Peter, Serbia sent Serbian soldiers...the UN is sending American soldiers..not Albanians.

Are you having trouble understanding nationalities?

Yes Peter, you are right. But as I said yesterday Albanians would be just glad to see more slaughtered Serbs. This is how Albanians exercise their democracy with their favourite friends by demonstrating the force whenever there is the opportunity. However, nothing will happen in December.

To the Albanian posters here:

Just yesterday there was huge commotion over the militarization of Presevo Valley, a lot of you voiced concern, but then what is the difference in this particular situation?

I hope they bolster the Southern areas (would be reassuring to know the Polish are in the south) as it was there that they are most required in 2004 and if any thing should happen to the non-Albanians in this area NATO will need to act very fast and hard - and they konw this only too well.

That said the Germans are in the north and that is a good sign as they like to be in areas where there wont be any issues - as reflected in Northern Afghanistan.

The difference is that American soldiers would never commit genocide, force Serbs from their homes, or strip them of what little rights they have left in our soon to be new country.

Americans, French, Netherlands, Danish anth others are there not just to protect borders from serbs but protecting serbian minority and albanians there. But whos protecting albanians in walley? Can you request help from french solders to take walley under controll since they are your friends?

""it's only an exercize""-who believes anymore on santa ? they are there for a purpose, which is to keep fair away serbian forces from Kosovo, giving the signal to Albanians that they are free to declare indenpendence, since ""someone"" is saving the borders.

"But wasn't it gonna be "sooo easy" for the Serb areas to breakaway from the new independent Kosovo?

I guess it won't...
(Funcakes, 27 November 2007 20:55)"

Well, guess again. I think the US and Germans are in the north to help protect the Serbs in case Albanian frustration erupt ot violence after Dec 10 is here and there's no independence.

Nato's mandate is specified by 1244 anyway. Why else do you think the West is so desperate to get Belgrade to agree to Kosovo's independence? And don't expect the West to go "breaking the law" anytime soon for you. Because this could be used by others elsewhere in the world where the West has interests to ensure international laws are upheld.

One last thing, assuming Kosovo declares independence outside UN (which you can do so easily -- just declare!) unilaterally, the north could then just as easily declare itself part of Serbia (which it is under 1244 anyway) ..... then what's Pristina and Nato going to do about that? Use force and violence on the K-Serbs in front of the entire world???? I don't think so!

So you see, Funcakes, actually it is really going to be "sooo easy" for the north to declare itself Serbian. They just declare. And what you will have then will be de facto partition.

ninety ( 90 ) american G.I.´s are a guarantee for you that the serbian army "will not do any stupid mistakes"...???

miri, if that sentence is not stupid itself...then I don´t know.

it the serbian army starts rolling...

but don´t worry, those 90 dudes are only symbolic.

by the way, don´t you know that Bushie has lifted the US-arms embargo against Serbia, and is eagerly sending equippment for the serbian military?

better don´t count on the US...I believe that they would be the only winners if there was a new violent outbreak..since it would mean that they can stay with their troops in the balkans...

what wouldn´t be necessary if the problem was solved mutually acceptable and peacefull...

the biggest losers will be the Albanians in Kosovo, ...that´s why I am saying that you are being duped, all the time.

but you still don´t get it.

some day you will.

Mr. Gunar Knob.
Since you wonder why no forces in the border with Macedonia, here is the answer for you. The international forces will take over North of Kosova to make sure that Serbian army doesn't do any stupid mistake on stepping in Kosova's soil.
The int. community has already decided that Kosova will be independent and NO partition. All these troops movements are to enforce the new "international law". I gues history really repeats itself. In 1912-1913 british navy position itself in the Adriatic just to make sure Serbia gets Kosovo and Montenegro gets Ulcinj. It looks like Serbia stepped in someone's toy and will pay for it. As for russians, they are just too far and un-interested to do anything about this.

the north is secure.
let's procede with independence.

KS and miri

My only point is that it was the US that hit targets in Serbia, sometimes civilian ones, it is also hard to imagine them as being true peace keepers in this particular situation. The Serbs also feel uneasy around US presence, I am sure! Granted, it is not the same fear as Albanians fearing Serbian presence, I am not saying that at all!

It would be better to put another professional army with a more neutral approach that would be suited as an unbiased peace keeping force, such as British, Polish, German or Ukrainian, for example.

That was you can be more sure that a peace keeping force would be unbiased towards minority Serb interests in the North, something I feel the US may turn a blind eye to.

Dave Huckabee, So you want us to believe that American soldiers would never strip Serbs of their dignity.
Is that because they have a lot of compassion for humanity?

All I ask is that you remember Abu Gharb.

This deployment of troups is in line with NATO commitment "to secure and pretect Kosovos full territorial integrity".
Furthermore this is in line with the Contact Group (USA, England, France, Italy and Russia) princippels, to secure existing border between Kosovo and Serbia.
NATO troups could also intervine in the Valley if they saw it to be appropriate, e.g stop any repression agains albanians (same as they sucesfully intervened in Kosovo).

femi

It's SudYka and I am Polish, this silly Albanian argument over people's nationalities is getting a little old.

Why should American soldiers be deployed in Presevo? Presevo is a part of Serbia and Serbs can militarize it or demilitarize it if need be. It's their country.

Fact - $700,000,000 in arms sales to Serbia in the past year alone and rising!!!! Sold by???
You guessed it America and Russia.
Time to join the dots on that and see what picture it draws.
If i was in kosovo i would be very worried both serbs and albanians.
So if you think there's a chance for independance around the corner you are simply kidding yourself!!!

Jack

To lowe,
good point!

"The difference is that American soldiers would never commit genocide, force Serbs from their homes, or strip them of what little rights they have left in our soon to be new country.
(Dave Huckabee, 27 November 2007 17:52) "

Does this poster know what is going on in iraq and afghanistan?

why don't you go to these countries and ask them what they think of america.

Mika,
If only i wasn't married.

Much ado about nothing. 90 soldiers is hardly a show of force. Either that's all that's needed to pacify northern Kosovo since it's relatively calm, the US thinks ANA and CLG are pushovers, or this is just window dressing.

But wasn't it gonna be "sooo easy" for the Serb areas to breakaway from the new independent Kosovo?

I guess it won't...

Peter Suduka; who claims to be Polish:

Think AMERICAN solders in Kosova, but in Preshevo Valley, these soldiers are Serbs.

If in the Valley American Nato forces are deployed it wouls be fine by Albanians.

So Jovan, all of a sudden, all of the NATO and UNMIK presence will just magically be worth nothing...and they will just let Albanians in Kosovo be killed by the Serb army, AGAIN?

Dream on.

"But as I said yesterday Albanians would be just glad to see more slaughtered Serbs. This is how Albanians exercise their democracy"

If I was a Serb I wouldn't dare to talk. Its as if a member of KKK wast to accuse others of being racist.

Oh, and Peter I doubt that either the Polish or the Germans are more professional than the US troops. We as Albanians would love to have say French troop in the valley to protect our brothers from the Serbs.

"Oh, and Peter I doubt that either the Polish or the Germans are more professional than the US troops. We as Albanians would love to have say French troop in the valley to protect our brothers from the Serbs.
(johny, 28 November 2007 04:17)"

I never said that US troops are less professional than Polish or German. I wrote: "It would be better to put another professional army with a more neutral approach that would be suited as an unbiased peace keeping force, such as British, Polish, German or Ukrainian, for example." Note the word: ANOTHER.

"Peter don't be surprised about it. It is rare to see a Pole have the same attitudes and agree with Moscow on any issue. If you're really a Pole then you're a specimen. That's why all the questions. Now if you were say from Belarus we wouldn't doubt you for the obvious reasons."

There are 38 million Poles living in Poland, you think we all think the same? You don't live here, so I can tell you, most Poles have bigger problems in their lives than the Kosovo status and whose side to take. I am the only person at my work that follows this issue, for example, everyone else jokes when they see me on B92, because you rarely see it on the news (the elections got no more than a minute of airtime).

I definitely don't agree on Russia on every issue. I agree with their Kosovo arguments, but I doubt their sincerity, I agree with their view on the US missile shields, just not for their reasons, I agree with how Putin dealt with Chechnya, but only after the Beslan and Moscow theater attacks, not the disastrous Yeltsin campaign. Same way I agree on the US supporting Kosovo independence, just not unilateral/outside of UNSC, I support their idea of the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, just not how they are handling it now.

I am not clearly pro-this or anti-that, I have my own views, I don't follow like a sheep. I like to think.

BTW Belarussians and Poles are not so different from each other. Only our governments are, don't make the mistake of linking people to governments.

U.S. troops are always welcomed to go wherever Albanian land is. 90 troops is nothing, I thought they were gonna send 90,000, that would have made me smile for a while, but hey, that day is not far away. Just wait and see. I am sometimes cought by surprise by the 19-th - beginning of 20-th century kind of understanding of states' "independence" and "souvereignity" concepts that Serbian posters have.

"It's SudYka and I am Polish, this silly Albanian argument over people's nationalities is getting a little old. "

Peter don't be surprised about it. It is rare to see a Pole have the same attitudes and agree with Moscow on any issue. If you're really a Pole then you're a specimen. That's why all the questions. Now if you were say from Belarus we wouldn't doubt you for the obvious reasons.

""it's only an exercize""-who believes anymore on santa ? they are there for a purpose, which is to keep fair away serbian forces from Kosovo, giving the signal to Albanians that they are free to declare indenpendence, since ""someone"" is saving the borders.

Yes Peter, you are right. But as I said yesterday Albanians would be just glad to see more slaughtered Serbs. This is how Albanians exercise their democracy with their favourite friends by demonstrating the force whenever there is the opportunity. However, nothing will happen in December.

Americans, French, Netherlands, Danish anth others are there not just to protect borders from serbs but protecting serbian minority and albanians there. But whos protecting albanians in walley? Can you request help from french solders to take walley under controll since they are your friends?

The difference is that American soldiers would never commit genocide, force Serbs from their homes, or strip them of what little rights they have left in our soon to be new country.

Peter, Serbia sent Serbian soldiers...the UN is sending American soldiers..not Albanians.

Are you having trouble understanding nationalities?

Peter, don't act like you are naive. The difference is that these forces are international forces that are there to put down any skirmish from any side.
In Presevo Valley the forces are Serbian, the same forces that a decade ago commited attrocities to the same population.

To the Albanian posters here:

Just yesterday there was huge commotion over the militarization of Presevo Valley, a lot of you voiced concern, but then what is the difference in this particular situation?

But wasn't it gonna be "sooo easy" for the Serb areas to breakaway from the new independent Kosovo?

I guess it won't...

the north is secure.
let's procede with independence.

Mika,
If only i wasn't married.

I hope they bolster the Southern areas (would be reassuring to know the Polish are in the south) as it was there that they are most required in 2004 and if any thing should happen to the non-Albanians in this area NATO will need to act very fast and hard - and they konw this only too well.

That said the Germans are in the north and that is a good sign as they like to be in areas where there wont be any issues - as reflected in Northern Afghanistan.

First German, now Americans... Interesting. Massing up on the Serbian border? But not on the Macedonian where we have daily gunfire exchanges between Macedonian police and Albanian militia?
Either Germans and Yankees are getting ready to defend the Serb minority in the north (just joking, of course) or ready to suppress the same minority into submission once Albanian separatists carve out a part of Serbia and call its own?
Will see.
Considering how “well” they did their job over the past 8 years – if I were a Serb, up there, I wouldn’t dare to sleep anymore . Being killed, under the supervision and watchful eye of Americans and Germans, is still kinda not the best prospect. It may be “democratic” and “unique case”, it may be “ justified because of the growing Albanian frustration” or even “an event that never happened” , yet – something is up and someone is up to no good. And it is not Serbs this time. So, how is it? Any guess? Remember March 2004?
Will see.

Mr. Gunar Knob.
Since you wonder why no forces in the border with Macedonia, here is the answer for you. The international forces will take over North of Kosova to make sure that Serbian army doesn't do any stupid mistake on stepping in Kosova's soil.
The int. community has already decided that Kosova will be independent and NO partition. All these troops movements are to enforce the new "international law". I gues history really repeats itself. In 1912-1913 british navy position itself in the Adriatic just to make sure Serbia gets Kosovo and Montenegro gets Ulcinj. It looks like Serbia stepped in someone's toy and will pay for it. As for russians, they are just too far and un-interested to do anything about this.

Dave Huckabee, So you want us to believe that American soldiers would never strip Serbs of their dignity.
Is that because they have a lot of compassion for humanity?

All I ask is that you remember Abu Gharb.

This deployment of troups is in line with NATO commitment "to secure and pretect Kosovos full territorial integrity".
Furthermore this is in line with the Contact Group (USA, England, France, Italy and Russia) princippels, to secure existing border between Kosovo and Serbia.
NATO troups could also intervine in the Valley if they saw it to be appropriate, e.g stop any repression agains albanians (same as they sucesfully intervened in Kosovo).

Peter Suduka; who claims to be Polish:

Think AMERICAN solders in Kosova, but in Preshevo Valley, these soldiers are Serbs.

If in the Valley American Nato forces are deployed it wouls be fine by Albanians.

"But as I said yesterday Albanians would be just glad to see more slaughtered Serbs. This is how Albanians exercise their democracy"

If I was a Serb I wouldn't dare to talk. Its as if a member of KKK wast to accuse others of being racist.

Oh, and Peter I doubt that either the Polish or the Germans are more professional than the US troops. We as Albanians would love to have say French troop in the valley to protect our brothers from the Serbs.

U.S. troops are always welcomed to go wherever Albanian land is. 90 troops is nothing, I thought they were gonna send 90,000, that would have made me smile for a while, but hey, that day is not far away. Just wait and see. I am sometimes cought by surprise by the 19-th - beginning of 20-th century kind of understanding of states' "independence" and "souvereignity" concepts that Serbian posters have.

So Jovan, all of a sudden, all of the NATO and UNMIK presence will just magically be worth nothing...and they will just let Albanians in Kosovo be killed by the Serb army, AGAIN?

Dream on.

Much ado about nothing. 90 soldiers is hardly a show of force. Either that's all that's needed to pacify northern Kosovo since it's relatively calm, the US thinks ANA and CLG are pushovers, or this is just window dressing.

KS and miri

My only point is that it was the US that hit targets in Serbia, sometimes civilian ones, it is also hard to imagine them as being true peace keepers in this particular situation. The Serbs also feel uneasy around US presence, I am sure! Granted, it is not the same fear as Albanians fearing Serbian presence, I am not saying that at all!

It would be better to put another professional army with a more neutral approach that would be suited as an unbiased peace keeping force, such as British, Polish, German or Ukrainian, for example.

That was you can be more sure that a peace keeping force would be unbiased towards minority Serb interests in the North, something I feel the US may turn a blind eye to.

ninety ( 90 ) american G.I.´s are a guarantee for you that the serbian army "will not do any stupid mistakes"...???

miri, if that sentence is not stupid itself...then I don´t know.

it the serbian army starts rolling...

but don´t worry, those 90 dudes are only symbolic.

by the way, don´t you know that Bushie has lifted the US-arms embargo against Serbia, and is eagerly sending equippment for the serbian military?

better don´t count on the US...I believe that they would be the only winners if there was a new violent outbreak..since it would mean that they can stay with their troops in the balkans...

what wouldn´t be necessary if the problem was solved mutually acceptable and peacefull...

the biggest losers will be the Albanians in Kosovo, ...that´s why I am saying that you are being duped, all the time.

but you still don´t get it.

some day you will.

"But wasn't it gonna be "sooo easy" for the Serb areas to breakaway from the new independent Kosovo?

I guess it won't...
(Funcakes, 27 November 2007 20:55)"

Well, guess again. I think the US and Germans are in the north to help protect the Serbs in case Albanian frustration erupt ot violence after Dec 10 is here and there's no independence.

Nato's mandate is specified by 1244 anyway. Why else do you think the West is so desperate to get Belgrade to agree to Kosovo's independence? And don't expect the West to go "breaking the law" anytime soon for you. Because this could be used by others elsewhere in the world where the West has interests to ensure international laws are upheld.

One last thing, assuming Kosovo declares independence outside UN (which you can do so easily -- just declare!) unilaterally, the north could then just as easily declare itself part of Serbia (which it is under 1244 anyway) ..... then what's Pristina and Nato going to do about that? Use force and violence on the K-Serbs in front of the entire world???? I don't think so!

So you see, Funcakes, actually it is really going to be "sooo easy" for the north to declare itself Serbian. They just declare. And what you will have then will be de facto partition.

femi

It's SudYka and I am Polish, this silly Albanian argument over people's nationalities is getting a little old.

Why should American soldiers be deployed in Presevo? Presevo is a part of Serbia and Serbs can militarize it or demilitarize it if need be. It's their country.

Fact - $700,000,000 in arms sales to Serbia in the past year alone and rising!!!! Sold by???
You guessed it America and Russia.
Time to join the dots on that and see what picture it draws.
If i was in kosovo i would be very worried both serbs and albanians.
So if you think there's a chance for independance around the corner you are simply kidding yourself!!!

Jack

To lowe,
good point!

"The difference is that American soldiers would never commit genocide, force Serbs from their homes, or strip them of what little rights they have left in our soon to be new country.
(Dave Huckabee, 27 November 2007 17:52) "

Does this poster know what is going on in iraq and afghanistan?

why don't you go to these countries and ask them what they think of america.

"It's SudYka and I am Polish, this silly Albanian argument over people's nationalities is getting a little old. "

Peter don't be surprised about it. It is rare to see a Pole have the same attitudes and agree with Moscow on any issue. If you're really a Pole then you're a specimen. That's why all the questions. Now if you were say from Belarus we wouldn't doubt you for the obvious reasons.

"Oh, and Peter I doubt that either the Polish or the Germans are more professional than the US troops. We as Albanians would love to have say French troop in the valley to protect our brothers from the Serbs.
(johny, 28 November 2007 04:17)"

I never said that US troops are less professional than Polish or German. I wrote: "It would be better to put another professional army with a more neutral approach that would be suited as an unbiased peace keeping force, such as British, Polish, German or Ukrainian, for example." Note the word: ANOTHER.

"Peter don't be surprised about it. It is rare to see a Pole have the same attitudes and agree with Moscow on any issue. If you're really a Pole then you're a specimen. That's why all the questions. Now if you were say from Belarus we wouldn't doubt you for the obvious reasons."

There are 38 million Poles living in Poland, you think we all think the same? You don't live here, so I can tell you, most Poles have bigger problems in their lives than the Kosovo status and whose side to take. I am the only person at my work that follows this issue, for example, everyone else jokes when they see me on B92, because you rarely see it on the news (the elections got no more than a minute of airtime).

I definitely don't agree on Russia on every issue. I agree with their Kosovo arguments, but I doubt their sincerity, I agree with their view on the US missile shields, just not for their reasons, I agree with how Putin dealt with Chechnya, but only after the Beslan and Moscow theater attacks, not the disastrous Yeltsin campaign. Same way I agree on the US supporting Kosovo independence, just not unilateral/outside of UNSC, I support their idea of the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, just not how they are handling it now.

I am not clearly pro-this or anti-that, I have my own views, I don't follow like a sheep. I like to think.

BTW Belarussians and Poles are not so different from each other. Only our governments are, don't make the mistake of linking people to governments.