Thaci announces "magnificent welcome"

Here comes the lap for the lap dogs. You guys are so funny in Kosovo; you'd do anything for an American. Every American should go there because within a couple of days of the visit Kosovo's Albanians will name their children after you and perhaps even a street. I've never seen such foolishness anywhere in the world, except perhaps with some Central American peasants who believe that being American automatically means being wealthy, having two beautiful cars, and all the luxuries one can dream of. The fact is that the US is just like any other country in the world. It's even harder here to be a success than in Kosovo. There, one just sits around drinking coffee all day while the handouts come in. Here, we whether of Albanian or Serbian origin, have to work our butts off to make it. Enjoy Biden's visit. Remember, though, he's also going to Serbia and the US is now very interested in partnership with Serbia. Thank goodness Obama not Clinton won the election!

"Here comes the lap for the lap dogs. You guys are so funny in Kosovo; you'd do anything for an American. "

Look who's talking. It's called APPRECIATION! USA bombed you, took away "15% of Serbia" and you are still going nuts over his visit. Imagine if he had helped you

We will give him the best welcome he has ever experienced. USA is a true friend.

@ Daniel

I would not say Kosovars are as naive as you might think.

Thaci will of course try to use this visit for internal political marketing.

Naive or not, look at the results of the last 20 years. I would say Kosovars performed far better than Serbs.

I agree that some stupid people are over-emotional about USA, but believe me, people who are there to think about the future of Kosovo do completely understand pros and contras, risks and opportunities.

Agim, I don't know where you live, but I was born and raised in the US with a Serbian mother. You all can kiss pictures of Clinton all you like, but unless you are born here and have lived the American life, you will NEVER be an American or even understand what it means to be an American. Sorry to disappoint you. Please go ahead and name streets after American pop culture since that's all you have reference to, but that still won't make you American. In America one thing we have is freedom of speech. In Kosovo from what we've already seen, if an Albanian speaks out against one of his leaders, he gets silenced, sometimes violently. In the US, we can say whatever we want so long as it is non-threatening. What a right it is. That's one reason an independent Kosovo could never be like an Independent US. You want your cake and eat it too. In this country you can have your cake but sometimes the frosting is bitter. In the US there are many people whom refuse to accept Kosovo's independence, and not all of them are of Serbian heritage. Yet when they speak out here, people listen. When those individuals however speak out on the international stage, Kosovo's Albanians treat them like they are lying. That's the difference between Kosovo and the US, and that my friend is the difference between you and me. I can listen to an Albanian or an Albanian supporter and even empathize with him because I am a real American. You all cannot because you are Wannabe Americans. That's a big difference.
I voted for Obama despite Biden. He's not a very bright man. His views on Serbia are about as correct as a 3 year old's views on Calculus. I can say that because I live in America. You, on the other hand, if you live in Kosovo or Albania cannot say such things for fear of your safety. America has freedom of speech and you don't. I guess we cannot all be lucky. Oh well

"agim,

Serbians are not going nuts about the US VP's visit to Serbia. In fact I think you will see protest when he arrives. No one in the world licks the boot of an American more than an Albanian. And by the way Serbia has not lost 15% of its territory, its currently occupied but not lost, legally speaking anyway. Kosovo is not legally yours, that's a fact sir!
(Canadian, 18 May 2009 16:00) "

This 'licking' as you call it, resulted in bombs being droped all over Serbia, and Kosovo getting recognised as independent by the most influential countries in the world.

At least we are 'licking' the right boots. The 'licking' of Russian boots by Serbs, hasn't really paid off has it?

agim,

Serbians are not going nuts about the US VP's visit to Serbia. In fact I think you will see protest when he arrives. No one in the world licks the boot of an American more than an Albanian. And by the way Serbia has not lost 15% of its territory, its currently occupied but not lost, legally speaking anyway. Kosovo is not legally yours, that's a fact sir!

""He is acquainted with the issue of our liberation fight, the process of democratic transition and Kosovo's independence, and now with the processes of Kosovo's integration into NATO and the EU. He is a friend and a supporter of Kosovo and we will give him a welcome he deserves," Thaci was quoted as saying."

My goodness, Hash better bring an extra pair of undergarments in case he gets too excited. I have no doubt he'll pull out all the stops for Biden, with drinks, rides, face paints, and maybe even another bear hug for the photographers. But seriously, this is more for Hash's internal political jockeying than anything else. I wonder how he's going to explain to Biden how after one year he's no less able to bring the Serbs on board his little trainride of multiethnic utopian bliss after repeatedly playing the ethnic card to cover his own political and intellectual shortcomings, how he's no more in control over the north and other enclaves than he was a year ago, and how his efforts at hammering down the "law" over dissneters is no different than Milosevic before 1999.

What we do know is that Hash has been known to make some of the most ridiculous comments when he gets too excited, so with him being in the presence of Biden, I'd say we should expect a few doozies.

Like Biden's visit to Serbia Proper, it's more for a photo op than anything else. He'll probably feel more welcome in Kosovo Province than Serbia Proper, but when all is said and done, nothing will change.

"Naive or not, look at the results of the last 20 years. I would say Kosovars performed far better than Serbs."

If you are referring to crime I totally agree!
This is the only area Albanians are superior to Serbs.

To Otme (#4),

American politicians will say ANYTHING when you pay them enough money (if Serbs had paid him double what the Albanians next to him had paid him he would have said the same about Albanians the next day). He tries to portrait himself as a common Joe, a guy who feels connected to the working class and the oppressed. In reality is is just as rotten as any corrupt politician and I cannot understand why Tadic and co go out of their way to give this guy some kind of welcome he does not deserve one single bit.

"Look who's talking. It's called APPRECIATION! USA bombed you, took away "15% of Serbia" and you are still going nuts over his visit. Imagine if he had helped you
(agim, 18 May 2009 15:01)"

Gong nuts over Biden? You mean he has that many fans in Serbia? Where did you get the info? In fact, I was thinking he had better pray that the Serbians don't hire that Iraqi who threw his shoe at Bush in Baghdad ... I am sure his aim must have improved tremendously since!

"US gives to Albanians an 'independence' in return for a permit to build a XXL size military base on a soil which is not even their property. "




We could care less. Heck, Americans can build an XXXXXXXL base if they want. As long as Kosova is in Albanian hands, which it is, that's all that matters. The more American soldiers and American bases there the better. It simply solidifies the fact that they aren't leaving anytime soon.

Me saying (like Deng Xiaoping): I don't care, what the color of the cat is, if it catches the mouse.

In Serbia (KiM included) there are enough mice to catch, so let's see how good that cat is.

IMO, it's better to deal with an open opponent than with a "friend" like France, Slovenia and such.

And the closest country to Uncle Same regarding values and psychology is... Russia, of course.

No matter what some say who never was in one or the other country. Sorry on that, but regarding this - I am THE authority here. ;)

"...due to meet with U.S. troops stationed at Bondsteel base."

this sentence outlines Bajden visit's real purpose.
What a trade off that is: US gives to Albanians an 'independence' in return for a permit to build a XXL size military base on a soil which is not even their property.

Speaking of a decline of the international law you don't have to go any further than this example; it sums it all up.

Daniel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoZogeRmbjo

'I've never seen such foolishness anywhere in the world, ...'

Americans were grateful to Lafayette personally and to the French as a nation for generations after the French helped us win our independence. I don't know if kids still learn in history classes about Gen. Pershing's exclamation on arriving in France with reinforcements in WWI, "Lafayette, we are here!" But the country at the time, and long afterward, felt that we owed France, and that his statement and the US involvement in the war were appropriate. So I don't consider showing gratitude a sign of foolishness.

What a trade off that is: US gives to Albanians an 'independence' in return for a permit to build a XXL size military base on a soil which is not even their property.
(veki, 18 May 2009 18:44)

What is interesting, Halliburton has the monopoly to provide supplies to Camp Bondsteel.
You would think, it's open to anyone to sell anything. For instance, imagine for a second that we are doing somewhat really good and really useful - can we sell our production to Camp Bondsteel? Of couse, not, it's only Halliburton,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halliburton

who can. No bids, nothing, it's a monopoly.

Here is a 1 billion (or more) question to you: what Halliburton has to do with Clinton and Cheney family business?
Nothing new, VietNam war was family business of .... L. Johnson's wife.

And we talk corruption in East Europe. I think, we should probably give H. Thaci, M. Djukanovic and M. Markovic a break. They are pathetic beginners.

I really HATE to interrupt this latest love fest, excuse the expression. biden was in fact a major proponent of kosovar independence, and a major opponent of serbia's aggression throughout the 90s. that is all true.

so of course the great majority of people in kosovo/a are pleased with his visit, why wouldn't they be?

the absolutely funniest and most bizarre train of argument is the one which stresses to ethnic albanians how much they are being used and dominated by the americans. they know full well that we (among others) have been the liberators, and are honestly grateful. actually i personally have albanian frnds who think otherwise -- ethnicity does not define everything, regardless of what some of you preach, day in and day out.

biden was not and is not a "serb - hater" but he certainly told the ugly truth about serb-promoted atrocities (as have i also tried to do in my own way). no one has claimed that ONLY serbia committed atrocities, but it was the huge majority and state-sponsored. anyway, i'm not arguing it here for the 1,000th time.

so IF you have turned away from the bad old days and policies, and really want to move forward and far, far away from the old horror days, then there is no reason to hate or fear biden.

but if you are still steeped in the bad old ways then of course you will hate biden, it makes sense. go for it, but pls no more rioting, yet again!

i think that the mainstream POV of kosovar albanians is very brave and also pragmatic. thank you for your support and frndship -- still, you should always keep a critical eye, about yr own politicians and ours. i understand why "bushi" got such a warm reception in tirana (don't even start about that watch :-), but while many there were cheering we were cringing a bit since we considered the bush regime one of our greatest opponents.

so it is complicated, and i feel it is a good thing to try to hash these things out, but with a little less passion and a bit more sense.

one world = one humanity

roberto
frisco

"US gives to Albanians an 'independence' in return for a permit to build a XXL size military base on a soil which is not even their property. "

For those of you that are new to this site, or even the "veterans"- the above statement is the MAIN reason why we even have the "Kosovo Issue". Serbs would not have allowed Camp Bondsteel to exist on their sovereign territory like an unwanted and uninvited occupation. And there really is no need for Bondsteel as a defensive base in this part of the world. Bondsteel can, however, become an offensive base for NATO (read US) towards southern Russia and the Caspian Oil fields. But is it worth it now for the US- constantly trying to "make a state" out of Kosovo, creating international legal chaos, itd??? The US thought that Kosovo's UDI would be much simpler to "sell" to other countries, especially when they had alliances with Germany, Britian, France, etc. But the Serbs have been more obstinate than previously thought, so this "experiment" of supporting Kosovo's UDI has turned into an economic and global quagmire, with no relief in sight. With the Western economic "house of cards" crumbling, the Serbs simply need to be vigilent and patient- time is on our side.

'Hashim Thaci says that "Kosovo's institutions will on Thursday organize a magnificent welcome" for U.S. VP Joseph Biden.'

Thaci reminds me of some of the dubious sounding and looking Lebanese warlords from the 1970s and 80s. There was one guy in particular, the insane Saad Haddad who was leader of the Christian SLA militia. A relation of mine who served with the Irish army in UNIFIL would often wake up in the morning and turn on the radio to the sound of Haddad announcing to the world of his glorious presense to the world. When he would go on patrol in the neighbouring village, Haddad would announce over loudspeakers of the latest 'victory' over Hezbollah and extolling the glorious virtues of America and Israel. He would do this every day.

No doubt Biden will get a great welcome in Pristina where the hordes of impoverished and unemployed will line the streets ready to kiss the ground he walks on before he goes onto Camp Bondsteel. The coolies will be grateful to the Master.

Just like our old friend Saad Haddad, Thaci another lapdog will find out one day the tempremental nature of his owner.

'I can listen to an Albanian or an Albanian supporter and even empathize with him because I am a real American. You all cannot because you are Wannabe Americans.'

I think what most Albanian nicknamed persons here are aren't Wannabe Americans but Kosovars who are working hard to develop the freedoms in their country that you and I (no Serbian, no Albanian connection) already enjoy. It takes time - my family has been here since the 1600s and we're still working on improving the system.

Roberto and others, I doubt very much Serbs are hiding from atrocities. They have been facing up to all criminal acts committed. In fact, Serbia has cooperated very well and fully with the ICTY. Only a couple of accused individuals remain at large. That said, what have other countries done? What has Kosovo's Albanian majority done? Every time one of theirs is accused, they claim it's a Serbian lie. Same with the Croats and Bosniaks. So, I ask, who is the one hiding from the ugly truth? Further, by all agreed upon estimates, the so called atrocities of the Serbs, atrocities Biden attempts to like to the Nazis are small in comparison. In Bosnia, somewhere around 100K people were killed, the majority being soldiers on all sides. As for the rest, they are a mix of Serbs, Croats, and Muslims. In Kosovo, the death toll is about 10,000 and again it's a mix of individuals. Nobody of Serbian decent can forget any crime a Serb committed, nor should they excuse any crime a Serb committed, but let's put everything within perspective. During the 1990s the media was making Serbs look like they were the second coming of the Nazis, and the West was blaming Serbia for the breakup of Yugoslavia. Nazis killed over 6 million Jews in highly organized death camps. They also killed even more millions of Russians and the Ustashas in Croatia killed nearly one million people, the vast majority of them being Serbs. So, as someone with a Serbian mother, I have undertaken the task of learning about what happened and the facts are not as the Albanians and Mr. Biden portray them to be. Yes we all know that Serbs in Bosnia did surround Sarajevo. We also know of Srebrenica. However, what nobody cares to report is the horrific crimes against innocent Serbs in Bosnia, or the murders of Serbs in Kosovo. IN fact, as you well know, the murderers of Serbs in Kosovo were released or acquitted, such as the nasty criminal whom bombed the bus but was released. Thus, for Serbs there has been no justice only blame. No wonder they do not trust the West or the Albanians. As I have said over and over again, this will only end (the Kosovo situation) when the two parties sit down at the negotiating table and find an agreed upon solution. You can tell that to all your Albanian friends.

The Fact is that you can tout about independence all you want but the CONFIRMED fact is that KOSMET cannot survive economically, It's what you call a "MONEY PIT". The most it can offer is slave labour and a place to put a offensive military outpost where you can smuggle Heroin from Turkey to western Europe. 2 of the previous items have already been implemented, guess which ones!

Here comes the lap for the lap dogs. You guys are so funny in Kosovo; you'd do anything for an American. Every American should go there because within a couple of days of the visit Kosovo's Albanians will name their children after you and perhaps even a street. I've never seen such foolishness anywhere in the world, except perhaps with some Central American peasants who believe that being American automatically means being wealthy, having two beautiful cars, and all the luxuries one can dream of. The fact is that the US is just like any other country in the world. It's even harder here to be a success than in Kosovo. There, one just sits around drinking coffee all day while the handouts come in. Here, we whether of Albanian or Serbian origin, have to work our butts off to make it. Enjoy Biden's visit. Remember, though, he's also going to Serbia and the US is now very interested in partnership with Serbia. Thank goodness Obama not Clinton won the election!

We will give him the best welcome he has ever experienced. USA is a true friend.

"Naive or not, look at the results of the last 20 years. I would say Kosovars performed far better than Serbs."

If you are referring to crime I totally agree!
This is the only area Albanians are superior to Serbs.

@ Daniel

I would not say Kosovars are as naive as you might think.

Thaci will of course try to use this visit for internal political marketing.

Naive or not, look at the results of the last 20 years. I would say Kosovars performed far better than Serbs.

I agree that some stupid people are over-emotional about USA, but believe me, people who are there to think about the future of Kosovo do completely understand pros and contras, risks and opportunities.

"Here comes the lap for the lap dogs. You guys are so funny in Kosovo; you'd do anything for an American. "

Look who's talking. It's called APPRECIATION! USA bombed you, took away "15% of Serbia" and you are still going nuts over his visit. Imagine if he had helped you

"Look who's talking. It's called APPRECIATION! USA bombed you, took away "15% of Serbia" and you are still going nuts over his visit. Imagine if he had helped you
(agim, 18 May 2009 15:01)"

Gong nuts over Biden? You mean he has that many fans in Serbia? Where did you get the info? In fact, I was thinking he had better pray that the Serbians don't hire that Iraqi who threw his shoe at Bush in Baghdad ... I am sure his aim must have improved tremendously since!

agim,

Serbians are not going nuts about the US VP's visit to Serbia. In fact I think you will see protest when he arrives. No one in the world licks the boot of an American more than an Albanian. And by the way Serbia has not lost 15% of its territory, its currently occupied but not lost, legally speaking anyway. Kosovo is not legally yours, that's a fact sir!

To Otme (#4),

American politicians will say ANYTHING when you pay them enough money (if Serbs had paid him double what the Albanians next to him had paid him he would have said the same about Albanians the next day). He tries to portrait himself as a common Joe, a guy who feels connected to the working class and the oppressed. In reality is is just as rotten as any corrupt politician and I cannot understand why Tadic and co go out of their way to give this guy some kind of welcome he does not deserve one single bit.

Agim, I don't know where you live, but I was born and raised in the US with a Serbian mother. You all can kiss pictures of Clinton all you like, but unless you are born here and have lived the American life, you will NEVER be an American or even understand what it means to be an American. Sorry to disappoint you. Please go ahead and name streets after American pop culture since that's all you have reference to, but that still won't make you American. In America one thing we have is freedom of speech. In Kosovo from what we've already seen, if an Albanian speaks out against one of his leaders, he gets silenced, sometimes violently. In the US, we can say whatever we want so long as it is non-threatening. What a right it is. That's one reason an independent Kosovo could never be like an Independent US. You want your cake and eat it too. In this country you can have your cake but sometimes the frosting is bitter. In the US there are many people whom refuse to accept Kosovo's independence, and not all of them are of Serbian heritage. Yet when they speak out here, people listen. When those individuals however speak out on the international stage, Kosovo's Albanians treat them like they are lying. That's the difference between Kosovo and the US, and that my friend is the difference between you and me. I can listen to an Albanian or an Albanian supporter and even empathize with him because I am a real American. You all cannot because you are Wannabe Americans. That's a big difference.
I voted for Obama despite Biden. He's not a very bright man. His views on Serbia are about as correct as a 3 year old's views on Calculus. I can say that because I live in America. You, on the other hand, if you live in Kosovo or Albania cannot say such things for fear of your safety. America has freedom of speech and you don't. I guess we cannot all be lucky. Oh well

"agim,

Serbians are not going nuts about the US VP's visit to Serbia. In fact I think you will see protest when he arrives. No one in the world licks the boot of an American more than an Albanian. And by the way Serbia has not lost 15% of its territory, its currently occupied but not lost, legally speaking anyway. Kosovo is not legally yours, that's a fact sir!
(Canadian, 18 May 2009 16:00) "

This 'licking' as you call it, resulted in bombs being droped all over Serbia, and Kosovo getting recognised as independent by the most influential countries in the world.

At least we are 'licking' the right boots. The 'licking' of Russian boots by Serbs, hasn't really paid off has it?

""He is acquainted with the issue of our liberation fight, the process of democratic transition and Kosovo's independence, and now with the processes of Kosovo's integration into NATO and the EU. He is a friend and a supporter of Kosovo and we will give him a welcome he deserves," Thaci was quoted as saying."

My goodness, Hash better bring an extra pair of undergarments in case he gets too excited. I have no doubt he'll pull out all the stops for Biden, with drinks, rides, face paints, and maybe even another bear hug for the photographers. But seriously, this is more for Hash's internal political jockeying than anything else. I wonder how he's going to explain to Biden how after one year he's no less able to bring the Serbs on board his little trainride of multiethnic utopian bliss after repeatedly playing the ethnic card to cover his own political and intellectual shortcomings, how he's no more in control over the north and other enclaves than he was a year ago, and how his efforts at hammering down the "law" over dissneters is no different than Milosevic before 1999.

What we do know is that Hash has been known to make some of the most ridiculous comments when he gets too excited, so with him being in the presence of Biden, I'd say we should expect a few doozies.

Like Biden's visit to Serbia Proper, it's more for a photo op than anything else. He'll probably feel more welcome in Kosovo Province than Serbia Proper, but when all is said and done, nothing will change.

"...due to meet with U.S. troops stationed at Bondsteel base."

this sentence outlines Bajden visit's real purpose.
What a trade off that is: US gives to Albanians an 'independence' in return for a permit to build a XXL size military base on a soil which is not even their property.

Speaking of a decline of the international law you don't have to go any further than this example; it sums it all up.

"US gives to Albanians an 'independence' in return for a permit to build a XXL size military base on a soil which is not even their property. "




We could care less. Heck, Americans can build an XXXXXXXL base if they want. As long as Kosova is in Albanian hands, which it is, that's all that matters. The more American soldiers and American bases there the better. It simply solidifies the fact that they aren't leaving anytime soon.

"US gives to Albanians an 'independence' in return for a permit to build a XXL size military base on a soil which is not even their property. "

For those of you that are new to this site, or even the "veterans"- the above statement is the MAIN reason why we even have the "Kosovo Issue". Serbs would not have allowed Camp Bondsteel to exist on their sovereign territory like an unwanted and uninvited occupation. And there really is no need for Bondsteel as a defensive base in this part of the world. Bondsteel can, however, become an offensive base for NATO (read US) towards southern Russia and the Caspian Oil fields. But is it worth it now for the US- constantly trying to "make a state" out of Kosovo, creating international legal chaos, itd??? The US thought that Kosovo's UDI would be much simpler to "sell" to other countries, especially when they had alliances with Germany, Britian, France, etc. But the Serbs have been more obstinate than previously thought, so this "experiment" of supporting Kosovo's UDI has turned into an economic and global quagmire, with no relief in sight. With the Western economic "house of cards" crumbling, the Serbs simply need to be vigilent and patient- time is on our side.

Me saying (like Deng Xiaoping): I don't care, what the color of the cat is, if it catches the mouse.

In Serbia (KiM included) there are enough mice to catch, so let's see how good that cat is.

IMO, it's better to deal with an open opponent than with a "friend" like France, Slovenia and such.

And the closest country to Uncle Same regarding values and psychology is... Russia, of course.

No matter what some say who never was in one or the other country. Sorry on that, but regarding this - I am THE authority here. ;)

Daniel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoZogeRmbjo

Roberto and others, I doubt very much Serbs are hiding from atrocities. They have been facing up to all criminal acts committed. In fact, Serbia has cooperated very well and fully with the ICTY. Only a couple of accused individuals remain at large. That said, what have other countries done? What has Kosovo's Albanian majority done? Every time one of theirs is accused, they claim it's a Serbian lie. Same with the Croats and Bosniaks. So, I ask, who is the one hiding from the ugly truth? Further, by all agreed upon estimates, the so called atrocities of the Serbs, atrocities Biden attempts to like to the Nazis are small in comparison. In Bosnia, somewhere around 100K people were killed, the majority being soldiers on all sides. As for the rest, they are a mix of Serbs, Croats, and Muslims. In Kosovo, the death toll is about 10,000 and again it's a mix of individuals. Nobody of Serbian decent can forget any crime a Serb committed, nor should they excuse any crime a Serb committed, but let's put everything within perspective. During the 1990s the media was making Serbs look like they were the second coming of the Nazis, and the West was blaming Serbia for the breakup of Yugoslavia. Nazis killed over 6 million Jews in highly organized death camps. They also killed even more millions of Russians and the Ustashas in Croatia killed nearly one million people, the vast majority of them being Serbs. So, as someone with a Serbian mother, I have undertaken the task of learning about what happened and the facts are not as the Albanians and Mr. Biden portray them to be. Yes we all know that Serbs in Bosnia did surround Sarajevo. We also know of Srebrenica. However, what nobody cares to report is the horrific crimes against innocent Serbs in Bosnia, or the murders of Serbs in Kosovo. IN fact, as you well know, the murderers of Serbs in Kosovo were released or acquitted, such as the nasty criminal whom bombed the bus but was released. Thus, for Serbs there has been no justice only blame. No wonder they do not trust the West or the Albanians. As I have said over and over again, this will only end (the Kosovo situation) when the two parties sit down at the negotiating table and find an agreed upon solution. You can tell that to all your Albanian friends.

'I've never seen such foolishness anywhere in the world, ...'

Americans were grateful to Lafayette personally and to the French as a nation for generations after the French helped us win our independence. I don't know if kids still learn in history classes about Gen. Pershing's exclamation on arriving in France with reinforcements in WWI, "Lafayette, we are here!" But the country at the time, and long afterward, felt that we owed France, and that his statement and the US involvement in the war were appropriate. So I don't consider showing gratitude a sign of foolishness.

What a trade off that is: US gives to Albanians an 'independence' in return for a permit to build a XXL size military base on a soil which is not even their property.
(veki, 18 May 2009 18:44)

What is interesting, Halliburton has the monopoly to provide supplies to Camp Bondsteel.
You would think, it's open to anyone to sell anything. For instance, imagine for a second that we are doing somewhat really good and really useful - can we sell our production to Camp Bondsteel? Of couse, not, it's only Halliburton,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halliburton

who can. No bids, nothing, it's a monopoly.

Here is a 1 billion (or more) question to you: what Halliburton has to do with Clinton and Cheney family business?
Nothing new, VietNam war was family business of .... L. Johnson's wife.

And we talk corruption in East Europe. I think, we should probably give H. Thaci, M. Djukanovic and M. Markovic a break. They are pathetic beginners.

'Hashim Thaci says that "Kosovo's institutions will on Thursday organize a magnificent welcome" for U.S. VP Joseph Biden.'

Thaci reminds me of some of the dubious sounding and looking Lebanese warlords from the 1970s and 80s. There was one guy in particular, the insane Saad Haddad who was leader of the Christian SLA militia. A relation of mine who served with the Irish army in UNIFIL would often wake up in the morning and turn on the radio to the sound of Haddad announcing to the world of his glorious presense to the world. When he would go on patrol in the neighbouring village, Haddad would announce over loudspeakers of the latest 'victory' over Hezbollah and extolling the glorious virtues of America and Israel. He would do this every day.

No doubt Biden will get a great welcome in Pristina where the hordes of impoverished and unemployed will line the streets ready to kiss the ground he walks on before he goes onto Camp Bondsteel. The coolies will be grateful to the Master.

Just like our old friend Saad Haddad, Thaci another lapdog will find out one day the tempremental nature of his owner.

'I can listen to an Albanian or an Albanian supporter and even empathize with him because I am a real American. You all cannot because you are Wannabe Americans.'

I think what most Albanian nicknamed persons here are aren't Wannabe Americans but Kosovars who are working hard to develop the freedoms in their country that you and I (no Serbian, no Albanian connection) already enjoy. It takes time - my family has been here since the 1600s and we're still working on improving the system.

I really HATE to interrupt this latest love fest, excuse the expression. biden was in fact a major proponent of kosovar independence, and a major opponent of serbia's aggression throughout the 90s. that is all true.

so of course the great majority of people in kosovo/a are pleased with his visit, why wouldn't they be?

the absolutely funniest and most bizarre train of argument is the one which stresses to ethnic albanians how much they are being used and dominated by the americans. they know full well that we (among others) have been the liberators, and are honestly grateful. actually i personally have albanian frnds who think otherwise -- ethnicity does not define everything, regardless of what some of you preach, day in and day out.

biden was not and is not a "serb - hater" but he certainly told the ugly truth about serb-promoted atrocities (as have i also tried to do in my own way). no one has claimed that ONLY serbia committed atrocities, but it was the huge majority and state-sponsored. anyway, i'm not arguing it here for the 1,000th time.

so IF you have turned away from the bad old days and policies, and really want to move forward and far, far away from the old horror days, then there is no reason to hate or fear biden.

but if you are still steeped in the bad old ways then of course you will hate biden, it makes sense. go for it, but pls no more rioting, yet again!

i think that the mainstream POV of kosovar albanians is very brave and also pragmatic. thank you for your support and frndship -- still, you should always keep a critical eye, about yr own politicians and ours. i understand why "bushi" got such a warm reception in tirana (don't even start about that watch :-), but while many there were cheering we were cringing a bit since we considered the bush regime one of our greatest opponents.

so it is complicated, and i feel it is a good thing to try to hash these things out, but with a little less passion and a bit more sense.

one world = one humanity

roberto
frisco

The Fact is that you can tout about independence all you want but the CONFIRMED fact is that KOSMET cannot survive economically, It's what you call a "MONEY PIT". The most it can offer is slave labour and a place to put a offensive military outpost where you can smuggle Heroin from Turkey to western Europe. 2 of the previous items have already been implemented, guess which ones!