"NATO knew Hashim Thaci was criminal"

Man, you Albanian posters make me laugh!

Reading your posts about the well-known criminal Thaci and his involvement in organ trafficking clearly demonstrates your sad transition along the five stages of acceptance.

1) Denial - "No its not true. We're all angels!" Thaci and his clan's activities in heroin smuggling, human trafficking, prostitution are all well known. But somehow you all believe that this 'gem of a man' would balk at organ harvesting?! So naive.

2) Anger - "But the Serbs killed 80 million of us. They are the butchers!" This nonsense is the most fun to read. "Oh woe is us. . ."

3) Bargaining - "I didn't like Thaci anyway." Surprisingly, a few of you actually wrote something to that extent.

To help you a little. . .here's what you can expect to occur next:

4) Depression - With all the new reports being leaked (today's Guardian article), you'll begin to feel sadness and uncertainty. But at least it shows that you'll be coming to terms with reality. . .something that's escaped a few of you for some time now.

5) Acceptance - Guess what? Welcome to reality! Your leaders are criminals, you stole land from a sovereign country using the geopolitical aspirations of the U.S. and your 'state' is mired in absolute dysfunction.

Zivela Srbija!

Obviously they did. KLA was listed as a terrorist organization by the US government. Who paid what money to whom to get them to change their minds in 1999, is only mind-boggling.

So much for not negotiating with terrorists as part of US policy.

"Haliti is also named in the report by Marty, which is understood to have drawn on Nato intelligence assessments along with reports from the FBI and MI5," says the article.
--
My goodness, what's going on here? NATO, the FBI and MI5 are all now part of the anti-independence Serbo-Russian propaganda network? How could have we infiltrated so deeply?

This isn't surprising one bit. NATO has teamed up with criminals of the worst kind. Be it Thaci or General Rashid Dostum (Afghanistan) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasht-i-Leili_massacre , the purpose of the joint criminal enterprise is to achieve the objective of land grabbing.

I am so glad the truth is finally coming out. This is great news for the region, peace and reconciliation.

I really want to find out whar happened to his roomate, Ali Uka who was murdered in his apartment in Tirana. Ali Uka and Hashim Thaci lived together in that apartment and he was found dead in the apartment killed by broken bottle and screwdriver.
Enough is enough, Thaci belong in Dubrava prison.

Ben - the stillborn birth of Kosovo as independent will soon be buried. It has always been built on sand. And NATO also knew that it was ethnic cleansing of Serbs that was occurring. They also knew Albrights wild accusations were a lie. They also knew The KLA were a bunch of criminals. The list goes on.

B92,

You know the reason why the Americans and the liberal Europeans keep beating on us? Its because we Serbs have wussies like your moderators in positions of authority!

Why don't you print my comment. . .it was hilarious! Because I make a little fun of these silly Albanian posters like PRN and kosova-usa?

Yet you always print their nonsensical posts even the ones that glorify the theft of Serbian land and the crimes against our people in Kosmet.

You should be ashamed.

Now be good 'employees' and get Soros some coffee. . .

CRISIS IN THE BALKANS: THE SEPARATISTS
CRISIS IN THE BALKANS: THE SEPARATISTS; Leaders of Kosovo Rebels Tied to Deadly Power Play
By CHRIS HEDGES
Published: June 25, 1999

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The senior commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which signed a disarmament agreement with NATO, carried out assassinations, arrests and purges within their ranks to thwart potential rivals, say current and former commanders in the rebel army and some Western diplomats.

The campaign, in which as many as half a dozen top rebel commanders were shot dead, was directed by Hashim Thaci and two of his lieutenants, Azem Syla and Xhavit Haliti, these officials said. Mr. Thaci denied through a spokesman that he had been responsible for any such killings.

Although the United States has long been wary of the Kosovo Liberation Army, the rebel group has become the main ethnic Albanian power in Kosovo. Rebel commanders supplied NATO with target information during the bombing campaign. Now, after the war, the United States and other NATO powers have effectively made Mr. Thaci and the rebel force partners in rebuilding Kosovo. The agreement NATO signed with Mr. Thaci, for example, envisions turning the rebel group into a civilian police force and leaves open the possibility that the Kosovo Liberation Army could become a provisional army modeled on the United States National Guard.

While none of the rebel officials interviewed saw Mr. Thaci or his aides execute anyone, they recounted -- and in some cases said they had witnessed -- incidents in which Mr. Thaci's rivals had been killed shortly after he or one of his aides had threatened them with death.

Remembering the beginning of fighting more than a year ago, Rifat Haxhijaj, 30, a former lieutenant in the Yugoslav Army who left the rebel movement last September and now lives in Switzerland, said: ''When the war started, everyone wanted to be the chief. For the leadership this was never just a war against Serbs -- it was also a struggle for power.''

Mr. Thaci's representative in Switzerland, Jashae Salihu, denied accounts of assassinations. ''These kind of reports are untrue,'' he said. ''Neither Mr. Thaci nor anyone else from the K.L.A. is involved in this kind of activity. Our goal has been to establish a free Kosovo and nothing more.''

The charges of assassinations and purges were made in interviews with about a dozen former and current Kosovo Liberation Army officials, two of whom said they had witnessed executions of Mr. Thaci's rivals; a former senior diplomat for the Albanian Government; a former police official in the Albanian Government who worked with the rebel group, and several Western diplomats.

"Finger-pointing is what you (Serbs) are good at, isn't it." (FREEDOM)

-- The finger-pointing comes not from Serbia but from NATO. Remember NATO? The organization that in 1999 gave you the condition you believe your username to reflect?

Nemanja,

You are awesome man...props to you. You speak the truth, and soon the world will know the turth. We are organizing, we have money and soon we will sue everyone including B92.

Nemanja if you are interested we should get in contact.

B92 Jesus Christ sees all things...if I was you I would be afraid.

And like you didn't print Nemanja the Serbian hero's comment, you won't print mine.
But we are coming, can you hear the footstops...

Tung
(FREEDOM, 25 January 2011 14:59)
I had no idea that Serbs owned the Guardian.

(Joe A, 25 January 2011 12:46)
That’s right, reports like that do not land on some desk by accident. They were given to the Guardian for a purpose and that’s to discredit the US and EU and their involvement in the entire Kosovo issue and from what I have heard so far it’s done a great job.

(bganon, 25 January 2011 11:36)
Thaci and the Albanians can be brought under control within 24 hours so the idea of a super Kosovo is a deluded one. To support attacks on “certain international targets in Kosovo” would declare him and the Albanians terrorists with the risk of all Europe turning against him and either withdrawing completely from Kosovo and allowing the Serbs to take over or even worse joining Serbs forces in eliminating the threat.
As far as the US is concerned they are in no position to be a threat to anyone. How long do you think NATO would last if push came to shove? 10 seconds? Can you imagine the scenarios where the EU, China, Russia and India side together and left the US in isolation of the Kosovo issue? The US does not take international isolation too well, it needs to be loved and part of the “group”.

The daily further quotes from the NATO documents to describe Haliti as "highly involved in prostitution, weapons and drugs smuggling", who "serves as a political and financial adviser to the prime minister".
B92

I don't know whether to laugh or cry with the above statement.

How could a confirmed pimp and drugs dealer be a political and financial adviser to the primeminister? But then again the likes of Haliti and Thaci are the kind of people that Clinton,Bush and Blair did business with.

We know you knew, now apologise and put it right

They new also about Sadam Husein and what he did to Kurds in Iraq. But they attacked him when he invaded Kuwait. Just show American double standards. Same principles applies here.

NATO, EU, US & the whole wide world knew also that Milosevic and compagnie were/are criminals who commited the most horrible crime during the Balkan war.
(FREEDOM, 25 January 2011 14:59)
--
We also know that Clinton, Blair, Clark, Albright, Tudjman and Izetbegovic were also war criminals involved in the Balkans. There were many of them.

Thaci is a spent rod and will eventually be disposed of. Will he put up a fight? I think he will. The mafia and criminals don't normally lay down their weapons voluntarily. Once Thaci bites the hand that feeds him it will start getting messy.

So the news is that the evident became just evident ...

Slobo was a politician turned criminal and perhaps responsible for way more lives wasted than Thaci will ever be. What's the difference?
(Zoti, 25 January 2011 17:22)

The difference is if you know that somebody is criminal you dont vote for him in elections. But most Albanians voted for him even they knew his criminal past.

Please report something new - we all knew that Thaci "was" a criminal - still is and always will be "the snake".

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

It looks for me that the suspicious activity of Xhavit Haliti and Hashim Thaçi is of more serious nature than parking violation and smuggling an extra pack of cigarettes.

With this Hashim Thaci's days are over!
Lets see how long he will last.

P.S
Serbia should never join This Nato club
Look at them working together with criminals to reach there goal.
And off course the illegal bombing over Serbia and MNE is also a reason to never join.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry with the above statement.

How could a confirmed pimp and drugs dealer be a political and financial adviser to the primeminister? But then again the likes of Haliti and Thaci are the kind of people that Clinton,Bush and Blair did business with.
(Leonidas, 25 January 2011 11:17)

Are you talking as a citizen of the world, or as a Greek....



EU dumped billions in Greece now for more than 3 decades and you are still a deeply corrupted society. Just look at the latest Siemens scandal.
You hosted almost the only terrorist organization in the Balkans November 17th for decades.

And the west still fed you and bails you out. If there is a case study of how to waste money and degenerate investments this is the Greek reality.

How come that exactly "you" today are preaching about the highest standards of justice and progress?

I have stated since the chicken farmer, Sejdiu, resigned, that the so-called Pristina government was toast. They are one by one, either leaving to spend more time with their families (clans), or being fingered as terrorists, vicious criminals, or down right corrupt thieves. The time has finally come for stage 3 of the US State Dept's. vision for KiM.
1. Eliminate Serbian authority
2. Install Albanian criminal puppet leadership
3. Eliminate Albanian criminal puppet leadership
4. Install obedient US boot-licking local representatives
It is all classic, playbook nation-building by the US/with EU accomplices. Turn out the lights, Snake, the party's over.

"NATO knew Hashim Thaci was criminal"

Many Freedom fighters have MAY have had a slight criminal past BUT reformed COMPLETELY when they achieved their aim- FREEDOM. Thaci may have used to contraband cigarettes to collect money for UCK. That make him criminal on one hand a slight criminal BUT more important also LIBERATOR of the OCCUPIED LAND.

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

If by your standards, Thaci is a MINOR criminal, then Al Capone is a good samaritan.

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

WHY DO YOU EVEN POST ONE MUST ASK? Minor criminal past? Really? PRN, Thachi could sell you something unpleasant and you would seem to think it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Regional leader? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Delusional, deranged, or you really don't believe what you are saying just to make us Serbs laugh. If you really think that, then it is quite obvious why there are very few "academics" in North America that are Albanian. You can't distinguish the lines of lunacy and reality... wow... NATO and the EU chose to back him becasue he chose to sell himself out like a women on the street. That's a real leader??? For such a brute culture, I thought you would hold your leaders to higher "mythical" standards, but I guess (well, really didn't have to guess on that) we were wrong...

Why are the Albanians still angry with Serbs so much? Looks like the Serbs are the only real friends the Albanians have in the world. The Serbs are the only ones that kept telling the truth and giving "reports" to the Albanians on daily basis. Especially here on B92.

Come to think of it, the Serbs were providing the same service to the West.

Nothing new. Hasn't it all known before from FBI and BND files?

Scary is that more than 30% of the Kosovo people voted for those persons and their party, again!

B92,

You know the reason why the Americans and the liberal Europeans keep beating on us? Its because we Serbs have wussies like your moderators in positions of authority!

Why don't you print my comment. . .it was hilarious! Because I make a little fun of these silly Albanian posters like PRN and kosova-usa?

Yet you always print their nonsensical posts even the ones that glorify the theft of Serbian land and the crimes against our people in Kosmet.

You should be ashamed.

Now be good 'employees' and get Soros some coffee. . .
(Nemanja, Connecticut, 25 January 2011,
20:43)

And get me a pack of camels and don't forget to call the Connecticut State Troopers and tell them that Nemanja needs a ride home.

NATO often chooses known criminals to rule their puppet regimes. The reason is simple. A criminal is easier to control. If he doesn't do as he is told his crimes will be made public and he is finished.

And get me a pack of camels and don't forget to call the Connecticut State Troopers and tell them that Nemanja needs a ride home.
(joe, 25 January 2011 22:50)

Why would you need camels, Joe - your 1979 Trabcsi broke down and you can't afford the mechanic? This is the fate of almost-American quasi-Hungarians who forgot their mother tongue. They aren't Hungarians anymore - but never will become Americans.

America will stay as their unfulfilled dream even if they live in the middle of it - but at the same time they need to pay a translator to translate the Hungarian passport application for them - am I right, Józsi?

The Guardian article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/24/hashim-thaci-kosovo-organised-crime

Well, well, well...

As the saying goes, "Timing is everything." -- first Marty's report and now "secret" NATO papers?

There seems to be an orchestrated plan by the powers that be...their puppet, "The Snake", has served his purpose.

Nothing new, just an official confirmation from an unofficial knowledge!
Whether the timing was choosen remains to be seen, like Bganon rightly pointed, many scenarios could be envisaged, but more important is that the truth is finally coming out and certainly more will follow. The crap has already hited the fan....

KU, freedom, PRN, watch out guys, if the sand freezes around your heads you will never get it out, so think twice..

Reports like this just don't 'leak' to newspapers like the Guardian. They are 'leaked' on purpose. Everything around Thaci and KLA criminal links that are published these days (including the Marty report) is part of a strategy. They want to get rid of them. The momentum is being build. Rightfully so.

Well if there was ever a final nail in the coffin of Thaci's political carrear this is it. One might say with friends like these, who needs enemies.

We should ask ourselves who leaked this information and why they leaked it now. NATO say they are looking into how this information got into the public sphere, they are not denying the report, nor (from what I've seen so far) do they seem overly angry with this affair.

It may have been decided somewhere in the west that its time to dispense with the services of Thaci.

As far as Kosovo Albanians are concerned Thaci must now go. It is obvious that he is discrediting the independence project, as it is also obvious that these allegations will not go away. These drip, drip reports are severely weakening the Kosovo Albanian position.

As for Thaci himself, what will he do? If the allegations are true - and most people will realise that he is connected with organised crime, then surely we can't expect him to depart without a fight. He might decide to try to take down some political opponents, he might decide to go nationalist / populist and go all out for unifying Kosovo, parts of Macedonia with Albania, he might support attacks on certain international targets in Kosovo.

This is a v difficult situation and to be honest the way it is being handled (no clear defined western policy, EU vs US???) might lead to violence.

Oh the webs we weave.

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

What a joke "unbiased vision" of what??? Minor criminal past??? Are you official of PDK? It just the way how minority (I hope) of albanians think. Does not matter what he did if Albanian cause is fullfilled! Mother Tereza is turning in her grave!

At least Milosevic was not criminal turned politician like Mr. Snake.

I´ve always said it: the K-albanians are being duped. by their " friends ", what is to be noticed.

more to come, I guess.

Nato "knew" .... according to what?


why hello good old serbian propaganda... i seeee you.
(AdamNYC, 26 January 2011 02:21)

Serbs committed Racak.... according to what?

why hello good old albanian propaganda... i seee you

But we are coming, can you hear the footstops...
(Taylor, 25 January 2011, 23:18)

No, but I can see the white and red in your eyes senor, and your wet boots.

I think this news is severl years too late. It is almost (not impossible, but almost) impossible for Serbia to retain all of Kosovo.
I see the beginning of talks soon though and a partition.

NATO, EU, US & the whole wide world knew also that Milosevic and compagnie were/are criminals who commited the most horrible crime during the Balkan war.

Finger-pointing is what you (Serbs) are good at, isn't it.

Tung

"NATO knew Hashim Thaci was criminal"

Many Freedom fighters have MAY have had a slight criminal past BUT reformed COMPLETELY when they achieved their aim- FREEDOM. Thaci may have used to contraband cigarettes to collect money for UCK. That make him criminal on one hand a slight criminal BUT more important also LIBERATOR of the OCCUPIED LAND.

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).

"Well if there was ever a final nail in the coffin of Thaci's political carrear this is it."
(bganon, 25 January 2011 11:36)

By an article on the Guardian? Really? I thought you knew better :). Let's see, what was the final nail on Milosevic's political career? Was it the thousand articles and the *actual* Hague indictment? Nope. It was the Serbian people themselves. So, no the final nail on Thaci's career will come from inside Kosovo or from Thaci himself, if it will ever come. Not from an article on the Guardian. Opinion-making and opinion-herding is fine but you have a loooong way to go. And London is not the place to do that, Pristina is.

And in no place did I say that Thaci and Milosevic are the same. Just trying to make a point. I know that this is a favorite comparison among some of the more "enlightened" of the Serb camp, but it does not hold.

Seems to me this Haliti fellow is more the KLA kingpin than Thaci, who looks more and more like either a sock puppet for the cameras or an errand boy for the grown-ups. Either way, this damning information will only further embarrass the ethnic Albanian government in Kosovo and the Western backers that made the Faustian deal to put them there for their own interests. Not much more to be said that hasn't been said by posters before me, expect that it's interesting Haliti is due to be in Straubourg to contest/block the report. Not a surprise there. If a full inquiry is allowed, it may result in the entire edifice crashing down. As far as I'm concerned, fate can take as many of these KLA "freedom fighters" down as it pleases.

However, intelligence reports also revealed that Sadam had WMDs while it has been found nil up to day.
(ben, 26 January 2011 00:57)

In Iraq case it was different story, they (Bush and Blair) fabricated false evidence of WMD in inteligence reports.

"Kelly told Gilligan of his concerns over the 45-minute claim and allegedly ascribed its inclusion in the dossier to Alastair Campbell, the director of communications for Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Gilligan broadcast his report on 29 May 2003 on the Today programme, in which he said that the 45-minute claim had been placed in the dossier by the government, even though it knew the claim was dubious. In a subsequent article in The Mail on Sunday newspaper, Gilligan directly identified Alastair Campbell as the person responsible. The story caused a political storm, with the government denying any involvement in the intelligence content of the dossier. The government pressed the BBC to reveal the name of the source because it knew that any source who was not a member of the Joint Intelligence Committee would not have known who had a role in the preparation of the dossier."

Same old Alister Cambell, eh?

Ben are you from PDK?

KU not by a report in the Guardian and the BBC and now being re-reported in the world's media - see for yourself.

For sure the media can help to end a man's career, but its the original NATO document(s) and the reasons behind the leak that is the final nail for Thaci.

As for opinion making London is exactly the place to go - that is where Kosovo Albanians had most success in Europe in persuading the UK to support Kosovo Albanians and indepdendece. This was preceeded by negative media reports regarding Serbian leadeers and Serbs generally which itself was preceeded by negative reports from international institutions such as the UN, Council of Europe, European Parliament and so on.

A long way to go in the propoganda war? You might be right, but these things have a habit of taking on a life of their own.

If I truly cared about Kosovo as an Albanian I'd be far more concerend about what is going to happen tomorrow in Pristina than about who is catching up whom in the propoganda war.

Look next door at Albania, things are coming together and they don't bode well. And I'm sure you agree that Albania and Kosovo have more in common than Tunisia and Egypt. In such cases one has to take control, otherwise as I say - events will overrun you and then you won't have much control.

If by your standards, Thaci is a MINOR criminal, then Al Capone is a good samaritan.
(Milan T, 25 January 2011 15:25)

Well, Albanian standards seem to be a bit different. Drug smuggling, human trafficking... all 'minor crime', of course. No wonder that organ harvesting is not considered anything worth to investigate in, neither ;-)

"Many Freedom fighters have MAY have had a slight criminal past BUT reformed COMPLETELY when they achieved their aim- FREEDOM. "
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

In case of Thaci, the 'reform' has been the turn from drug and weapon smuggling and money laundry to corruption, nepotism and election fraud, or what do you mean?

Nato "knew" .... according to what?


why hello good old serbian propaganda... i seeee you.
(AdamNYC)
-
This is a REPORT FROM NATO!! lol.... Next time read the article before you come on the thread to post your emotionally ridiculous comments.

It seems to me that the sordid biography this man is alleged to possess is fairly typical of any Balkan warlord.

What we had in the 90s were warring factions led by criminals on all sides.

If newspapers were to start leaking NATO assessments of the criminality of Milosevic, Karadzic, Mladic, etc, would Serbs regard those leaks as equally credible?

Assuming the information we're getting on him is true, then obviously, Thaci should leave politics and stand trial at once. However, whatever culpability might be attributed to him and his cohorts doesn't automatically render the Serbian side of the conflict squeaky clean. Nor do I think that it drastically alters the landscape of negotiations between Serbs and Albanians. Serbs have always alleged men like Thaci to be criminals, and while we might find that a few more Albanians are inclined to agree these days, I don't think that they would suddenly agree to huge concessions in the upcoming dialogue.

The real question, I think, is to what degree will the international community sympathize with the Serbian position on the basis of, at most, the indictment of a handful of senior Albanian policitians?

I see people are happy in this forum.

Ill tell you that this news will not change anything. Kosova will remain independent and so its people free.

This may damage Thaci and his clan but never Kosova, KLA and its freedom. There is no change on any official statement of any country and that matters more than just unproved news.

Free Kosova Forever

NATO knew that Serbia is the aggressor, that's why they bombed it.

At least Milosevic was not criminal turned politician like Mr. Snake.
(Roman, 25 January 2011 15:23)

Slobo was a politician turned criminal and perhaps responsible for way more lives wasted than Thaci will ever be. What's the difference?

"As for opinion making London is exactly the place to go - that is where Kosovo Albanians had most success in Europe in persuading the UK to support Kosovo Albanians and indepdendece. This was preceeded by negative media reports regarding Serbian leadeers and Serbs generally which itself was preceeded by negative reports from international institutions such as the UN, Council of Europe, European Parliament and so on. "

bganon,
I think we are talking about two different things. I was strictly speaking about the political career of Thaci, not about the independence of Kosovo. That process will not be stopped. Even if Thaci is gone, someone else will succeed with the same policies. Some time ago, you were talking about the policies of Serbia not being tied to names of people, same thing is true for Kosovo (and the UK and the US and Germany and France, etc etc).

Going to the original topic, were these reports leaked on purpose to weaken Thaci? Probably yes and if they correspond to truth I welcome them. But I would not say "the final nail on the coffin". I think a coffin is being built but do not know at what point it is. Thaci will not be removed because people in Kosovo read the news talking about Thaci and reports of KFOR about Thaci. He will be removed because of what people see in the ground in Kosovo the inflation, corruption, economic progress in Kosovo and how his party handles them. You know the usual suspects. Just as the Serbs got rid of Kostunica not because he failed to extradite Mladic and there were reports of how bad the Serbs are and how bad Kostunica is in the western media. I think the majority of voting Serbs could care less about Mladic. Kostunica was removed because of economic progress in Serbia, inflation and corruption etc etc etc, the normal problems of every country and its politicians. That was the sense of my post.

"A long way to go in the propoganda war?"

Nowhere did I talk about propaganda war :). "Long way to go" means you must convince Albanians to get rid of Thaci, in the same sense of all the rest of my post. If you want to call that propaganda war, it's fine with me, but I think you misunderstood me.

Your parallel with Albania does not hold. Even though there are many things in common between Kosovo and Albania, they differ hugely in the behavior of their political elites. Kosovo elite always knew how to cooperate. Maybe because Serbia is still perceived as a threat, who knows. In Albania the political elite is just not right in their heads. Starting with the Prime Minister. I do not think the same would happen in Kosovo, if that is what you mean.

The difference is if you know that somebody is criminal you dont vote for him in elections. But most Albanians voted for him even they knew his criminal past.
(Roman, 26 January 2011)

Then can you please explain to me Roman how this "criminal" of yours got 38.2% of the vote in 2000? And NO most Albanians did not vote for Thaci, only 32% gave him the vote.

So Slobo managed to get 38% of the Serb vote even though he singlehandedly managed to destroy the Serbian state whereas Thaci is getting 32% even though he was the one who declared Kosova's independence.

I can guarantee you if Slobo were to take part in elections in Serbia today he'd have no problem getting at a minimum 30% and could possibly win it all.

So please get off your high horse.

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

If that was the case, then Stalin, Hitler, and Dr Mengele should be canonized

To me Hashim Thaci faces a difficult choice whether to accept the report and surrender to the Western law enforcement, or insist on his innocence, thus closing his domain to any outside interference and turning himself into the leader of a “rogue state”. Accordingly, the West is also facing a difficult problem – whether to persist in its adherence to the “universal principles of human rights” and thus abandon its own minion, or acknowledge that the whole story the creation of Kosovo was from the very beginning based false inputs, and now resembles a hybrid of Somalia and Nazi Germany

Nato "knew" .... according to what?


why hello good old serbian propaganda... i seeee you.

who carries a Czech 9mm pistol!!!
what a news in a balkan world!!

Wow. . .B92. . .I'm surprised! Way to grow that backbone.

Joe,

I would love a ride home from the troopers. Make the call! Oh. . .and tell them to put the sirens on too.

Taylor,

Absolutely, man! There's a whole bunch of us that I'd like to keep in contact with. . .

These are very serious and in my opinion credible accusations.

However, intelligence reports also revealed that Sadam had WMDs while it has been found nil up to day.

Thus, it can be that these reports reveal more the western mistrust on Thaci and why not on all of us Albanians rather than revealing factual reality.

NATO knew that Serbia is the aggressor, that's why they bombed it.

who carries a Czech 9mm pistol!!!
what a news in a balkan world!!

These are very serious and in my opinion credible accusations.

However, intelligence reports also revealed that Sadam had WMDs while it has been found nil up to day.

Thus, it can be that these reports reveal more the western mistrust on Thaci and why not on all of us Albanians rather than revealing factual reality.

Nato "knew" .... according to what?


why hello good old serbian propaganda... i seeee you.
(AdamNYC, 26 January 2011 02:21)

Serbs committed Racak.... according to what?

why hello good old albanian propaganda... i seee you

At least Milosevic was not criminal turned politician like Mr. Snake.
(Roman, 25 January 2011 15:23)

Slobo was a politician turned criminal and perhaps responsible for way more lives wasted than Thaci will ever be. What's the difference?

B92,

You know the reason why the Americans and the liberal Europeans keep beating on us? Its because we Serbs have wussies like your moderators in positions of authority!

Why don't you print my comment. . .it was hilarious! Because I make a little fun of these silly Albanian posters like PRN and kosova-usa?

Yet you always print their nonsensical posts even the ones that glorify the theft of Serbian land and the crimes against our people in Kosmet.

You should be ashamed.

Now be good 'employees' and get Soros some coffee. . .
(Nemanja, Connecticut, 25 January 2011,
20:43)

And get me a pack of camels and don't forget to call the Connecticut State Troopers and tell them that Nemanja needs a ride home.

Ben - the stillborn birth of Kosovo as independent will soon be buried. It has always been built on sand. And NATO also knew that it was ethnic cleansing of Serbs that was occurring. They also knew Albrights wild accusations were a lie. They also knew The KLA were a bunch of criminals. The list goes on.

And get me a pack of camels and don't forget to call the Connecticut State Troopers and tell them that Nemanja needs a ride home.
(joe, 25 January 2011 22:50)

Why would you need camels, Joe - your 1979 Trabcsi broke down and you can't afford the mechanic? This is the fate of almost-American quasi-Hungarians who forgot their mother tongue. They aren't Hungarians anymore - but never will become Americans.

America will stay as their unfulfilled dream even if they live in the middle of it - but at the same time they need to pay a translator to translate the Hungarian passport application for them - am I right, Józsi?

"NATO knew Hashim Thaci was criminal"

Many Freedom fighters have MAY have had a slight criminal past BUT reformed COMPLETELY when they achieved their aim- FREEDOM. Thaci may have used to contraband cigarettes to collect money for UCK. That make him criminal on one hand a slight criminal BUT more important also LIBERATOR of the OCCUPIED LAND.

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).

I don't know whether to laugh or cry with the above statement.

How could a confirmed pimp and drugs dealer be a political and financial adviser to the primeminister? But then again the likes of Haliti and Thaci are the kind of people that Clinton,Bush and Blair did business with.
(Leonidas, 25 January 2011 11:17)

Are you talking as a citizen of the world, or as a Greek....



EU dumped billions in Greece now for more than 3 decades and you are still a deeply corrupted society. Just look at the latest Siemens scandal.
You hosted almost the only terrorist organization in the Balkans November 17th for decades.

And the west still fed you and bails you out. If there is a case study of how to waste money and degenerate investments this is the Greek reality.

How come that exactly "you" today are preaching about the highest standards of justice and progress?

NATO, EU, US & the whole wide world knew also that Milosevic and compagnie were/are criminals who commited the most horrible crime during the Balkan war.

Finger-pointing is what you (Serbs) are good at, isn't it.

Tung

Nato "knew" .... according to what?


why hello good old serbian propaganda... i seeee you.

Nemanja,

You are awesome man...props to you. You speak the truth, and soon the world will know the turth. We are organizing, we have money and soon we will sue everyone including B92.

Nemanja if you are interested we should get in contact.

B92 Jesus Christ sees all things...if I was you I would be afraid.

And like you didn't print Nemanja the Serbian hero's comment, you won't print mine.
But we are coming, can you hear the footstops...

"Well if there was ever a final nail in the coffin of Thaci's political carrear this is it."
(bganon, 25 January 2011 11:36)

By an article on the Guardian? Really? I thought you knew better :). Let's see, what was the final nail on Milosevic's political career? Was it the thousand articles and the *actual* Hague indictment? Nope. It was the Serbian people themselves. So, no the final nail on Thaci's career will come from inside Kosovo or from Thaci himself, if it will ever come. Not from an article on the Guardian. Opinion-making and opinion-herding is fine but you have a loooong way to go. And London is not the place to do that, Pristina is.

And in no place did I say that Thaci and Milosevic are the same. Just trying to make a point. I know that this is a favorite comparison among some of the more "enlightened" of the Serb camp, but it does not hold.

"Haliti is also named in the report by Marty, which is understood to have drawn on Nato intelligence assessments along with reports from the FBI and MI5," says the article.
--
My goodness, what's going on here? NATO, the FBI and MI5 are all now part of the anti-independence Serbo-Russian propaganda network? How could have we infiltrated so deeply?

This isn't surprising one bit. NATO has teamed up with criminals of the worst kind. Be it Thaci or General Rashid Dostum (Afghanistan) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasht-i-Leili_massacre , the purpose of the joint criminal enterprise is to achieve the objective of land grabbing.

I am so glad the truth is finally coming out. This is great news for the region, peace and reconciliation.

So the news is that the evident became just evident ...

Well if there was ever a final nail in the coffin of Thaci's political carrear this is it. One might say with friends like these, who needs enemies.

We should ask ourselves who leaked this information and why they leaked it now. NATO say they are looking into how this information got into the public sphere, they are not denying the report, nor (from what I've seen so far) do they seem overly angry with this affair.

It may have been decided somewhere in the west that its time to dispense with the services of Thaci.

As far as Kosovo Albanians are concerned Thaci must now go. It is obvious that he is discrediting the independence project, as it is also obvious that these allegations will not go away. These drip, drip reports are severely weakening the Kosovo Albanian position.

As for Thaci himself, what will he do? If the allegations are true - and most people will realise that he is connected with organised crime, then surely we can't expect him to depart without a fight. He might decide to try to take down some political opponents, he might decide to go nationalist / populist and go all out for unifying Kosovo, parts of Macedonia with Albania, he might support attacks on certain international targets in Kosovo.

This is a v difficult situation and to be honest the way it is being handled (no clear defined western policy, EU vs US???) might lead to violence.

We know you knew, now apologise and put it right

I think this news is severl years too late. It is almost (not impossible, but almost) impossible for Serbia to retain all of Kosovo.
I see the beginning of talks soon though and a partition.

The daily further quotes from the NATO documents to describe Haliti as "highly involved in prostitution, weapons and drugs smuggling", who "serves as a political and financial adviser to the prime minister".
B92

I don't know whether to laugh or cry with the above statement.

How could a confirmed pimp and drugs dealer be a political and financial adviser to the primeminister? But then again the likes of Haliti and Thaci are the kind of people that Clinton,Bush and Blair did business with.

NATO often chooses known criminals to rule their puppet regimes. The reason is simple. A criminal is easier to control. If he doesn't do as he is told his crimes will be made public and he is finished.

Obviously they did. KLA was listed as a terrorist organization by the US government. Who paid what money to whom to get them to change their minds in 1999, is only mind-boggling.

So much for not negotiating with terrorists as part of US policy.

Nothing new. Hasn't it all known before from FBI and BND files?

Scary is that more than 30% of the Kosovo people voted for those persons and their party, again!

I see people are happy in this forum.

Ill tell you that this news will not change anything. Kosova will remain independent and so its people free.

This may damage Thaci and his clan but never Kosova, KLA and its freedom. There is no change on any official statement of any country and that matters more than just unproved news.

Free Kosova Forever

"NATO knew Hashim Thaci was criminal"

Many Freedom fighters have MAY have had a slight criminal past BUT reformed COMPLETELY when they achieved their aim- FREEDOM. Thaci may have used to contraband cigarettes to collect money for UCK. That make him criminal on one hand a slight criminal BUT more important also LIBERATOR of the OCCUPIED LAND.

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

If by your standards, Thaci is a MINOR criminal, then Al Capone is a good samaritan.

They new also about Sadam Husein and what he did to Kurds in Iraq. But they attacked him when he invaded Kuwait. Just show American double standards. Same principles applies here.

The Guardian article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/24/hashim-thaci-kosovo-organised-crime

Well, well, well...

As the saying goes, "Timing is everything." -- first Marty's report and now "secret" NATO papers?

There seems to be an orchestrated plan by the powers that be...their puppet, "The Snake", has served his purpose.

Oh the webs we weave.

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

What a joke "unbiased vision" of what??? Minor criminal past??? Are you official of PDK? It just the way how minority (I hope) of albanians think. Does not matter what he did if Albanian cause is fullfilled! Mother Tereza is turning in her grave!

At least Milosevic was not criminal turned politician like Mr. Snake.

Nato "knew" .... according to what?


why hello good old serbian propaganda... i seeee you.
(AdamNYC)
-
This is a REPORT FROM NATO!! lol.... Next time read the article before you come on the thread to post your emotionally ridiculous comments.

Reports like this just don't 'leak' to newspapers like the Guardian. They are 'leaked' on purpose. Everything around Thaci and KLA criminal links that are published these days (including the Marty report) is part of a strategy. They want to get rid of them. The momentum is being build. Rightfully so.

B92,

You know the reason why the Americans and the liberal Europeans keep beating on us? Its because we Serbs have wussies like your moderators in positions of authority!

Why don't you print my comment. . .it was hilarious! Because I make a little fun of these silly Albanian posters like PRN and kosova-usa?

Yet you always print their nonsensical posts even the ones that glorify the theft of Serbian land and the crimes against our people in Kosmet.

You should be ashamed.

Now be good 'employees' and get Soros some coffee. . .

The difference is if you know that somebody is criminal you dont vote for him in elections. But most Albanians voted for him even they knew his criminal past.
(Roman, 26 January 2011)

Then can you please explain to me Roman how this "criminal" of yours got 38.2% of the vote in 2000? And NO most Albanians did not vote for Thaci, only 32% gave him the vote.

So Slobo managed to get 38% of the Serb vote even though he singlehandedly managed to destroy the Serbian state whereas Thaci is getting 32% even though he was the one who declared Kosova's independence.

I can guarantee you if Slobo were to take part in elections in Serbia today he'd have no problem getting at a minimum 30% and could possibly win it all.

So please get off your high horse.

Wow. . .B92. . .I'm surprised! Way to grow that backbone.

Joe,

I would love a ride home from the troopers. Make the call! Oh. . .and tell them to put the sirens on too.

Taylor,

Absolutely, man! There's a whole bunch of us that I'd like to keep in contact with. . .

Man, you Albanian posters make me laugh!

Reading your posts about the well-known criminal Thaci and his involvement in organ trafficking clearly demonstrates your sad transition along the five stages of acceptance.

1) Denial - "No its not true. We're all angels!" Thaci and his clan's activities in heroin smuggling, human trafficking, prostitution are all well known. But somehow you all believe that this 'gem of a man' would balk at organ harvesting?! So naive.

2) Anger - "But the Serbs killed 80 million of us. They are the butchers!" This nonsense is the most fun to read. "Oh woe is us. . ."

3) Bargaining - "I didn't like Thaci anyway." Surprisingly, a few of you actually wrote something to that extent.

To help you a little. . .here's what you can expect to occur next:

4) Depression - With all the new reports being leaked (today's Guardian article), you'll begin to feel sadness and uncertainty. But at least it shows that you'll be coming to terms with reality. . .something that's escaped a few of you for some time now.

5) Acceptance - Guess what? Welcome to reality! Your leaders are criminals, you stole land from a sovereign country using the geopolitical aspirations of the U.S. and your 'state' is mired in absolute dysfunction.

Zivela Srbija!

However, intelligence reports also revealed that Sadam had WMDs while it has been found nil up to day.
(ben, 26 January 2011 00:57)

In Iraq case it was different story, they (Bush and Blair) fabricated false evidence of WMD in inteligence reports.

"Kelly told Gilligan of his concerns over the 45-minute claim and allegedly ascribed its inclusion in the dossier to Alastair Campbell, the director of communications for Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Gilligan broadcast his report on 29 May 2003 on the Today programme, in which he said that the 45-minute claim had been placed in the dossier by the government, even though it knew the claim was dubious. In a subsequent article in The Mail on Sunday newspaper, Gilligan directly identified Alastair Campbell as the person responsible. The story caused a political storm, with the government denying any involvement in the intelligence content of the dossier. The government pressed the BBC to reveal the name of the source because it knew that any source who was not a member of the Joint Intelligence Committee would not have known who had a role in the preparation of the dossier."

Same old Alister Cambell, eh?

Ben are you from PDK?

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

If that was the case, then Stalin, Hitler, and Dr Mengele should be canonized

Why are the Albanians still angry with Serbs so much? Looks like the Serbs are the only real friends the Albanians have in the world. The Serbs are the only ones that kept telling the truth and giving "reports" to the Albanians on daily basis. Especially here on B92.

Come to think of it, the Serbs were providing the same service to the West.

It seems to me that the sordid biography this man is alleged to possess is fairly typical of any Balkan warlord.

What we had in the 90s were warring factions led by criminals on all sides.

If newspapers were to start leaking NATO assessments of the criminality of Milosevic, Karadzic, Mladic, etc, would Serbs regard those leaks as equally credible?

Assuming the information we're getting on him is true, then obviously, Thaci should leave politics and stand trial at once. However, whatever culpability might be attributed to him and his cohorts doesn't automatically render the Serbian side of the conflict squeaky clean. Nor do I think that it drastically alters the landscape of negotiations between Serbs and Albanians. Serbs have always alleged men like Thaci to be criminals, and while we might find that a few more Albanians are inclined to agree these days, I don't think that they would suddenly agree to huge concessions in the upcoming dialogue.

The real question, I think, is to what degree will the international community sympathize with the Serbian position on the basis of, at most, the indictment of a handful of senior Albanian policitians?

But we are coming, can you hear the footstops...
(Taylor, 25 January 2011, 23:18)

No, but I can see the white and red in your eyes senor, and your wet boots.

Slobo was a politician turned criminal and perhaps responsible for way more lives wasted than Thaci will ever be. What's the difference?
(Zoti, 25 January 2011 17:22)

The difference is if you know that somebody is criminal you dont vote for him in elections. But most Albanians voted for him even they knew his criminal past.

To me Hashim Thaci faces a difficult choice whether to accept the report and surrender to the Western law enforcement, or insist on his innocence, thus closing his domain to any outside interference and turning himself into the leader of a “rogue state”. Accordingly, the West is also facing a difficult problem – whether to persist in its adherence to the “universal principles of human rights” and thus abandon its own minion, or acknowledge that the whole story the creation of Kosovo was from the very beginning based false inputs, and now resembles a hybrid of Somalia and Nazi Germany

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

WHY DO YOU EVEN POST ONE MUST ASK? Minor criminal past? Really? PRN, Thachi could sell you something unpleasant and you would seem to think it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Regional leader? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Delusional, deranged, or you really don't believe what you are saying just to make us Serbs laugh. If you really think that, then it is quite obvious why there are very few "academics" in North America that are Albanian. You can't distinguish the lines of lunacy and reality... wow... NATO and the EU chose to back him becasue he chose to sell himself out like a women on the street. That's a real leader??? For such a brute culture, I thought you would hold your leaders to higher "mythical" standards, but I guess (well, really didn't have to guess on that) we were wrong...

KU not by a report in the Guardian and the BBC and now being re-reported in the world's media - see for yourself.

For sure the media can help to end a man's career, but its the original NATO document(s) and the reasons behind the leak that is the final nail for Thaci.

As for opinion making London is exactly the place to go - that is where Kosovo Albanians had most success in Europe in persuading the UK to support Kosovo Albanians and indepdendece. This was preceeded by negative media reports regarding Serbian leadeers and Serbs generally which itself was preceeded by negative reports from international institutions such as the UN, Council of Europe, European Parliament and so on.

A long way to go in the propoganda war? You might be right, but these things have a habit of taking on a life of their own.

If I truly cared about Kosovo as an Albanian I'd be far more concerend about what is going to happen tomorrow in Pristina than about who is catching up whom in the propoganda war.

Look next door at Albania, things are coming together and they don't bode well. And I'm sure you agree that Albania and Kosovo have more in common than Tunisia and Egypt. In such cases one has to take control, otherwise as I say - events will overrun you and then you won't have much control.

If by your standards, Thaci is a MINOR criminal, then Al Capone is a good samaritan.
(Milan T, 25 January 2011 15:25)

Well, Albanian standards seem to be a bit different. Drug smuggling, human trafficking... all 'minor crime', of course. No wonder that organ harvesting is not considered anything worth to investigate in, neither ;-)

I have stated since the chicken farmer, Sejdiu, resigned, that the so-called Pristina government was toast. They are one by one, either leaving to spend more time with their families (clans), or being fingered as terrorists, vicious criminals, or down right corrupt thieves. The time has finally come for stage 3 of the US State Dept's. vision for KiM.
1. Eliminate Serbian authority
2. Install Albanian criminal puppet leadership
3. Eliminate Albanian criminal puppet leadership
4. Install obedient US boot-licking local representatives
It is all classic, playbook nation-building by the US/with EU accomplices. Turn out the lights, Snake, the party's over.

"Many Freedom fighters have MAY have had a slight criminal past BUT reformed COMPLETELY when they achieved their aim- FREEDOM. "
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

In case of Thaci, the 'reform' has been the turn from drug and weapon smuggling and money laundry to corruption, nepotism and election fraud, or what do you mean?

Seems to me this Haliti fellow is more the KLA kingpin than Thaci, who looks more and more like either a sock puppet for the cameras or an errand boy for the grown-ups. Either way, this damning information will only further embarrass the ethnic Albanian government in Kosovo and the Western backers that made the Faustian deal to put them there for their own interests. Not much more to be said that hasn't been said by posters before me, expect that it's interesting Haliti is due to be in Straubourg to contest/block the report. Not a surprise there. If a full inquiry is allowed, it may result in the entire edifice crashing down. As far as I'm concerned, fate can take as many of these KLA "freedom fighters" down as it pleases.

"Finger-pointing is what you (Serbs) are good at, isn't it." (FREEDOM)

-- The finger-pointing comes not from Serbia but from NATO. Remember NATO? The organization that in 1999 gave you the condition you believe your username to reflect?

NATO, EU, US & the whole wide world knew also that Milosevic and compagnie were/are criminals who commited the most horrible crime during the Balkan war.
(FREEDOM, 25 January 2011 14:59)
--
We also know that Clinton, Blair, Clark, Albright, Tudjman and Izetbegovic were also war criminals involved in the Balkans. There were many of them.

Thaci is a spent rod and will eventually be disposed of. Will he put up a fight? I think he will. The mafia and criminals don't normally lay down their weapons voluntarily. Once Thaci bites the hand that feeds him it will start getting messy.

I think at the end of the day such MINOR criminal past does NOT deter him to become a good and credible leader. Now, he could easily be chosen a Balkan leader (if such post existed) for his unbiased vision for the entire region. This is now proved even by those support him, NATO, (USA and EU leaders).
(PRN, 25 January 2011 14:48)

It looks for me that the suspicious activity of Xhavit Haliti and Hashim Thaçi is of more serious nature than parking violation and smuggling an extra pack of cigarettes.

I really want to find out whar happened to his roomate, Ali Uka who was murdered in his apartment in Tirana. Ali Uka and Hashim Thaci lived together in that apartment and he was found dead in the apartment killed by broken bottle and screwdriver.
Enough is enough, Thaci belong in Dubrava prison.

Tung
(FREEDOM, 25 January 2011 14:59)
I had no idea that Serbs owned the Guardian.

(Joe A, 25 January 2011 12:46)
That’s right, reports like that do not land on some desk by accident. They were given to the Guardian for a purpose and that’s to discredit the US and EU and their involvement in the entire Kosovo issue and from what I have heard so far it’s done a great job.

(bganon, 25 January 2011 11:36)
Thaci and the Albanians can be brought under control within 24 hours so the idea of a super Kosovo is a deluded one. To support attacks on “certain international targets in Kosovo” would declare him and the Albanians terrorists with the risk of all Europe turning against him and either withdrawing completely from Kosovo and allowing the Serbs to take over or even worse joining Serbs forces in eliminating the threat.
As far as the US is concerned they are in no position to be a threat to anyone. How long do you think NATO would last if push came to shove? 10 seconds? Can you imagine the scenarios where the EU, China, Russia and India side together and left the US in isolation of the Kosovo issue? The US does not take international isolation too well, it needs to be loved and part of the “group”.

With this Hashim Thaci's days are over!
Lets see how long he will last.

P.S
Serbia should never join This Nato club
Look at them working together with criminals to reach there goal.
And off course the illegal bombing over Serbia and MNE is also a reason to never join.

CRISIS IN THE BALKANS: THE SEPARATISTS
CRISIS IN THE BALKANS: THE SEPARATISTS; Leaders of Kosovo Rebels Tied to Deadly Power Play
By CHRIS HEDGES
Published: June 25, 1999

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The senior commanders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which signed a disarmament agreement with NATO, carried out assassinations, arrests and purges within their ranks to thwart potential rivals, say current and former commanders in the rebel army and some Western diplomats.

The campaign, in which as many as half a dozen top rebel commanders were shot dead, was directed by Hashim Thaci and two of his lieutenants, Azem Syla and Xhavit Haliti, these officials said. Mr. Thaci denied through a spokesman that he had been responsible for any such killings.

Although the United States has long been wary of the Kosovo Liberation Army, the rebel group has become the main ethnic Albanian power in Kosovo. Rebel commanders supplied NATO with target information during the bombing campaign. Now, after the war, the United States and other NATO powers have effectively made Mr. Thaci and the rebel force partners in rebuilding Kosovo. The agreement NATO signed with Mr. Thaci, for example, envisions turning the rebel group into a civilian police force and leaves open the possibility that the Kosovo Liberation Army could become a provisional army modeled on the United States National Guard.

While none of the rebel officials interviewed saw Mr. Thaci or his aides execute anyone, they recounted -- and in some cases said they had witnessed -- incidents in which Mr. Thaci's rivals had been killed shortly after he or one of his aides had threatened them with death.

Remembering the beginning of fighting more than a year ago, Rifat Haxhijaj, 30, a former lieutenant in the Yugoslav Army who left the rebel movement last September and now lives in Switzerland, said: ''When the war started, everyone wanted to be the chief. For the leadership this was never just a war against Serbs -- it was also a struggle for power.''

Mr. Thaci's representative in Switzerland, Jashae Salihu, denied accounts of assassinations. ''These kind of reports are untrue,'' he said. ''Neither Mr. Thaci nor anyone else from the K.L.A. is involved in this kind of activity. Our goal has been to establish a free Kosovo and nothing more.''

The charges of assassinations and purges were made in interviews with about a dozen former and current Kosovo Liberation Army officials, two of whom said they had witnessed executions of Mr. Thaci's rivals; a former senior diplomat for the Albanian Government; a former police official in the Albanian Government who worked with the rebel group, and several Western diplomats.

Nothing new, just an official confirmation from an unofficial knowledge!
Whether the timing was choosen remains to be seen, like Bganon rightly pointed, many scenarios could be envisaged, but more important is that the truth is finally coming out and certainly more will follow. The crap has already hited the fan....

KU, freedom, PRN, watch out guys, if the sand freezes around your heads you will never get it out, so think twice..

I´ve always said it: the K-albanians are being duped. by their " friends ", what is to be noticed.

more to come, I guess.

Please report something new - we all knew that Thaci "was" a criminal - still is and always will be "the snake".

"As for opinion making London is exactly the place to go - that is where Kosovo Albanians had most success in Europe in persuading the UK to support Kosovo Albanians and indepdendece. This was preceeded by negative media reports regarding Serbian leadeers and Serbs generally which itself was preceeded by negative reports from international institutions such as the UN, Council of Europe, European Parliament and so on. "

bganon,
I think we are talking about two different things. I was strictly speaking about the political career of Thaci, not about the independence of Kosovo. That process will not be stopped. Even if Thaci is gone, someone else will succeed with the same policies. Some time ago, you were talking about the policies of Serbia not being tied to names of people, same thing is true for Kosovo (and the UK and the US and Germany and France, etc etc).

Going to the original topic, were these reports leaked on purpose to weaken Thaci? Probably yes and if they correspond to truth I welcome them. But I would not say "the final nail on the coffin". I think a coffin is being built but do not know at what point it is. Thaci will not be removed because people in Kosovo read the news talking about Thaci and reports of KFOR about Thaci. He will be removed because of what people see in the ground in Kosovo the inflation, corruption, economic progress in Kosovo and how his party handles them. You know the usual suspects. Just as the Serbs got rid of Kostunica not because he failed to extradite Mladic and there were reports of how bad the Serbs are and how bad Kostunica is in the western media. I think the majority of voting Serbs could care less about Mladic. Kostunica was removed because of economic progress in Serbia, inflation and corruption etc etc etc, the normal problems of every country and its politicians. That was the sense of my post.

"A long way to go in the propoganda war?"

Nowhere did I talk about propaganda war :). "Long way to go" means you must convince Albanians to get rid of Thaci, in the same sense of all the rest of my post. If you want to call that propaganda war, it's fine with me, but I think you misunderstood me.

Your parallel with Albania does not hold. Even though there are many things in common between Kosovo and Albania, they differ hugely in the behavior of their political elites. Kosovo elite always knew how to cooperate. Maybe because Serbia is still perceived as a threat, who knows. In Albania the political elite is just not right in their heads. Starting with the Prime Minister. I do not think the same would happen in Kosovo, if that is what you mean.