“Serbia, through proxy Russia, blocks Kosovo settlement“

Mr Polt needs to understand that the status quo that exists today in Kosovo was created by his government. The Serbian foreign minister gave an interview on the CNN BBC segment and compared to Polt Jeremic is a real diplomat. Polt’s comment that the Ahtisaari process “gave plenty of opportunity for both sides to bring their positions to the table” is nonsense since the Albanian side did not negotiate but dictated through the Americans their demand and than left. Yes Mr. Polt the Key issue is always been the “safety and security of Serbs living in Kosovo”. No Mr. Polt the key issue is safety and security of Serbs and all Serbian citizens living in Serbia. Any terrorist action such as that used by the KLA if done in America would have met Waco or the Symbioses Army type response and Polt knows that.

Yes Mr. Polt Serbia wants security but that was destroyed by the NATO dismemberment of a sovereign nation and the Ramboullet DIKTAT all in contravention of Helsinki Final Status on borders and International Law. Mr. Polt your government is the problem because they see treaties unilaterally forgetting that we live in a world of multilateral relations. To now blame Russia for American aggression is hypocrisy. His next answer is even more hypocritical when he responds that the Ahtisaari plan is good even “whether [or not] everyone likes it”. This is a plan dictated from the outside none of us would accept a plan unless we went through a process acceptable to both parties where meaningful mediation, or arbitration, (binding or non binding) took place.


In retrospect, as the Canadian ambassador to Yugoslavia Joe Bissett stated none of this would have taken place if NATO did not dismember Yugoslavia with the help of Croat Diaspora and Muslim Fundamentalism. Bissett was recalled for his attempt to observe international treaties and international Law unlike our Mr. Polt who is the Good Soldier Švejk who wants the plan implemented with or without agreement from Belgrade and Priština. Now we come to a very interesting comment made by Polt America, NATO and some European Union partners agree with this plan. It would have been more honest for Mr. Polt to say we wanted to dismember Yugoslavia and its social system and that is why we destabilized you and supported the elements who terrorized you and when that did not work we bombed you and that did not work but those bad Russians and their International law nonesense is the problem.

B92 poses a question that we have discussed on this forum endlessly, why negotiate when the end is a foregone conclusion guaranteed by USA. Polt now back pedals on this question and rightly so states that this is “for the people in Serbia, the people in Kosovo, the people in Priština, and all the other communities in this country to live with” but how can this be done Mr. Polt when you hold a gun to Serbia’s head by stating negotiate but you better come out with what we want. Eureka, at least we agree on another thing that this was caused by the breakup of Yugoslavia. Mr. Polt be an Emile Zola and accuse the perpetrators of this crime Clinton, Blair, Chirac, Chrétien, Khol and the NATO leaders like Wesley Clark the real war criminals that should be in front of the International Court of Justice.
Polt continues saying we will humor you go ahead an negotiate but in the end we have made sure that we hold all the aces i.e. people we appointed to deal with this issue—Our man Secretary General, appoints our man Ahtisaari to get our result but “Serbia’s Proxy Russia” blocked our plans. Russia knows her history well and if they don’t stop this in the Balkans they will have to stop it in Southern Russia or Siberia. The West has wanted to partition Russia since the Napoleonic Wars and the Russian people know this since they have paid dearly in one war after another hoisted on them by the West.
A great question to Polt followed by B92. Do you mind being called a proxy of the Kosovo Albanians? His answer was simple, we work for American interest and I ask what exactly that interest is? That interest is the American Vision for the 21st century which includes markets, strategic shift to the Balkans, control Central Asian and Middle East energy and military supremacy. Polt again dismisses Russia’s concerns by patronizing the questioner when he states “It is not for Russians, or Europeans or Americans to decide what's good for the Serbian people, the only ones who can do that are you.” So if that is the case Mr. Polt why are you telling Serbia what is best for their country? Then Polt tells us that Europe is waiting for you Serbia, and NATO too and if you are not with us you are with those anti Europeans Russians. Russia whose European territory is larger than Western Europe, the main supplier of energy to Europe who has more at stake in Europe than America is dismissed by Polt as “Russia is an important country” but it is more important for you to join NATO and go to the Middle East and kill people, it is also important for you to join EU so that you are no longer masters in your own home.

Mr. Polt then tells us that he respects Serbia’s decision but we will make sure you don’t achieve it because it is contrary to American interests. If Mr. Polt “the responsibility for Serbia's future lies with Serbia” why are you saying you are doing what is in the interest of America and you are doing this by violating international treaties and law. And the big copout comes when Polt states that he is not responsible for what other administrations did before the one he works for. He dismisses everything which went before and now we have Ahtisaari and that is our vision but he said that “responsibility for Serbia's future lies with Serbia”. What nonsense, since international policy of nations hinge on what went before it is not a yo-yo process that Polt wants us to believe. He tells B92 that Serbia should not hitch her horse to the Russian cart but it is OK for Albanians who live in Serbia to hitch their horse to the American cart.


Polt continues the interview by saying “you can have independence; you can have autonomy, depending on what you can agree on”. How can one have an agreement when one side has been offered independence by the most powerful military in the world and the other offers broad autonomy? Polt if this is the process for the Vienna negotiations you have killed them before they even start. The problem here as I see it is lack of neutrality. I suggest that we have the following members of the United Nations: Spain, Brazil, Nigeria, South Africa, China, Ireland, Turkey, Iran, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia, India and Indonesia act as judges on this issue. Serbia and Kosovo Albanians must accept the decision. If the decision is autonomy than all the minorities in their countries where the Judges come from must get autonomy and if they decide independence all the minorities in these same country get independence.

Mr/ Polt gives the Serbian people advice telling them to have an intellectual confrontation but his country resort to caveman tactics in every international confrontation. Many of you look at Hugo Chavez as some sort of Caveman but you forget his people elect him because he is not selling his country out. If you want to call him a radical so be it. Mexico nationalized its oil industry in 1933 its about time Venezuela did the same. Polt forgets to tell B92 that America’s interest is guaranteed resource base and their military makes sure that it gets it. If the US did not control the Middle East the price of oil would be over $200 dollars a barrel. America cares not about a democratic Albania or Serbia they will make a contract with a Devil as long as he is America’s devil. As he states he wants more American investments in Serbia. Does he care about Kosovo? Not one bit as long as America controls it. Polt loves the “horse and the sparrow theory” when it comes to economic relationships because his country is the horse while the rest of the world are sparrows some bigger than the others.

Throughout the interview Polt has been repeating that Serbia must decide what is best for the country but in the end he states “in the aftermath of Kosovo independence” if the radicals gain power we will use economic blackmail to bring you to heel just like we used the IMF and the World Bank to destabilize your previous country. I have said many times before America wanted to destroy the socialist economic structure of Yugoslavia and that is one reason NATO attacker her. Polt states here “Government should get out of private economy” and the only way forward is Capitalism. Why than Mr. Polt do the democratic socialist countries rank highest in the quality of life of the people? While America lags way behind.

Mr. Polt tells us that Serbs must be sent to the Hague Tribunal. Mr Polt you protect your people from ICJ by making private deals so that your leaders will not face judgment by the international community. This is so hypocritical that I must ask how stupid do you think we are. The War crimes committed by every president since Truman dropped the Atomic bombs makes every other country innocent like a new born baby. From Vietnam, to the Middle East to Central, to South America and Europe your leaders have set the world aflame, consequently, your country sir harbors more war criminals than the rest of the world combined, and you talk about Serbia being “at peace mentally and morally until that obligation has been met”. Is America the only country Sir that can kill with impunity and not be brought to account for their crimes, “I have done what my country sent me here to do” but even though you don’t like what we do it does not mean that we don’t like you. Tell that to Holbrook. If the French ambassador spoke out against the Iraq war at some US university the way Polt did in Serbia on Kosovo US would immediately have him declared persona non grata. This interview confirms several things about the events in the Balkans:
1. NATO was given a reason to remain. USA saved a major economic entity. Every NATO nation must purchase most of its military equipment from USA
2. Move USA bases to Southern Europe
3. Destabilize Yugoslavia in order to partition it for EU control
4. Globalization: gain control of economic enterprises
5. Eliminate public property and eradicate socialism

Thank you again for your double-speak Mr. Polt. On one hand you say that Serbia is free to do whatever is in her best interests, on the other hand you threaten there will be more violence, instability, and no EU membership unless Serbia chooses to allow a 'greater albania' on its soil. Good riddance. With 'friends' like these, who needs enemies?

Thank you Mr.Polt, for your "friendship" towards Serbia.
Now, please, get back to the US or Panama or wherever...
Serbia does know best what is good for Serbia, so those wise ideas are really not needed.

and don´t take it personal, it´s just business as usual in a professional manner.

Peace! You wont be missed.

AHMET ISUFI writes “I always thought that Walter was smarter than that” AHMET I really don’t care if you think that I am smart or not. I know that my information will not make any one of us smarter but it sure will make you AHMET more informed. You see the difference between you and I is in how we see the human race. You see the human race as Albanians and the rest while I see it as a single human family.

Ahmet you and those that support you reject for others what you want for yourself. Tribunal for others special deals for us, we can fight terrorism anywhere in the world you cannot fight it in your own homeland, we reserve the right to use nuclear weapons as a first strike option but others cannot develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, we can place nuclear weapons on the borders of other nations but if it is a war threat if they place them on our borders, we support democracy but we also support dictatorship as long as the dictator cooperates with our economic needs, we sign extradition treaties and we want you to extradite those that we consider criminals but we will not extradite those that you consider criminals, we believe in international law but we break it in order to enforce it The ones close to you AHMET, you and your backers reject out of hand demands of 2 million Serbs in Bosnia and Croatia for independence but recognize it as valid when coming from 2 million Albanians. It's all in our view of the human family AHMET I say one world you say Albanians are “primus inter pares” or first among equals.

I suggested in the above post that the following members of the United Nations sit in judgment on the Kosovo issue; Canada, Spain, Brazil, Nigeria, South Africa, China, Ireland, Turkey, Iran, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia, India, Israel and Indonesia. Serbia and Kosovo Albanians must accept their judgment. If the decision is AUTONOMY for Kosovo than all the minorities from the countries where the judges come from must get autonomy and if they decide INDEPENDENCE all the minorities in these same country get independence. WHAT DO YOU THINK AHMET?

B92 why was the following portion of my last post cut? I can accept a reasoned explanation.
Walter

Now let me answer your question on MONTENEGRO which most Serbs and Albanians regarded as more Serb than Serbia. For Serbs I am sure they felt like Julius Caesar since for them this was the unkindest cut of all the "Et tu Brute” of the NATO Balkan criminal enterprise. Milo Djukanovic got his wish draped in “Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms” and he may “well live to regret it, as flags, marches, and hymns give way to grim realities he can no longer blame on Belgrade.”

Montenegro was not bombed by NATO [ask yourself why] during the criminal enterprise orchestrated against Serbia by JAVIER SOLANA and NATO. Montenegro lived on US aid while Serbia paid its share of foreign and domestic debt. US spent millions helping Djukanovic organize and sell the referendum. The Union (Serbia-Montenegro) was an artificial creation of SOLANA and the Brussels gang or as some call them “the New European Nazis [who] redrew the Balkans maps to match those of 1941”. They are responsible for the Balkan carnage not the Serbs as you claim.

The Brussels set 55% as the magic number for separation and in the end they got 55.5% which Djukanovic who Italy claims has Mafia connections and want him extradited for smuggling and profiteering during the NATO orchestrated campaign to partition Yugoslavia. While people were being killed in the name of American Vision for the 21st century Milo was making money.

How did Milo win the referendum? You must know Milo’s “government-monopolized [the] media, [while at the same time started a] multi-million-euro public works timed for the referendum, shady political deals with ethnic minorities [Croats, Albanians, Muslims], and voter shenanigans to secure that ½ percent margin between victory and defeat.”

AHMET citizens who at one time lived in Montenegrin and now live in other countries were registered to vote. However, 350, 000 Montenegrins who lived in Serbia were denied that same right. Croats when they voted in their referendum had third generation Canadians of Croat descent vote. Any person who is a Canadian citizen should not be allowed to hold dual citizenship and they should be stripped of their Canadian citizenship if they vote in any political election outside of Canada, period. It is just not good enough to be a Canadian one minute and a Croat, Montenegrin, Lebanese, Albanian or Serb the next. As I said before I would prefer a world without borders but since some continue to think in terms of nation states born out of the French Revolution then all nations must abide by “Liberte, equalite, fraternite”. Since we have nations, governed by international law and treaties than Ahmet you and those that support you cannot reject for others what you want for yourself.

So AHMET HOW FAIR WAS IT, and this is a question to you that “people like Began Cekic, [Montenegro Albanian] demolition expert from Brooklyn," who was registered to vote in the referendum was allowed to fly to Montenegro and vote while 350, 000 Montenegrin Serbs in Serbia were not allowed to drive across the border and vote? You see AHMET when you make rules and disregard the law like USA [Polt] does and Milo did on who can vote, who can be rejected, and what ballots count the results are a self fulfilling prophecy.

Djukanovic wants to be the next Njegos but unlike Njegos he “has systematically denied Montenegro's Serb identity, establishing a separate "Academy of sciences," a separate church, a separate language, even inventing a separate history.” all in the name of his personal wealth. The higher you go up in society be it in Montenegro, Kosovo, Tirana, Washington, Ottawa or Belgrade the more corrupt the system, the more they bend the law, the more they fill their own pockets and the more they exploit the working man and women. Ahmet, the reason for this is that they feed you NATIONALISM and DOGMATISM and through that use you against your neighbor. History will see Milo for what he is and mark my word there will never be a statue of him on Mount Lovcen.

You know full well AHMET that the vote to separate Montenegro “was a union of convenience” of Albanians, Muslims, Montenegrins and Croats and just one more nail hammered into the Yugoslav coffin by the coffin builders from Brussels. It did not matter how many coffins NATO made Albanian separatists in the now NATO occupied province of Kosovo cheered every one loudest.
Let me tell you why AHMET cheered then and now crows now? You cheered because you see the Montenegro fix in terms of what suits you not in terms of law and that is expressed where you write “Montenegro was unable to live under the same roof with serbia how in the world would you think Albanians can when we have nothing in comon.”

Walter you possess a brilliant mind and I enjoy reading your insightful comments.Although I am American and love the oppurtunities this country gives to all who work hard and persevere it is undoubtedly true that Canadians possess a much more balanced and unbiased view of the world.I am glad to have persons with minds like yours as neighbors.God bless the United States of America and ditto for our Canadian neighbors.Keep up the good work.

Walter, your post is excellent.
Using Mr. Polt evaluation is not C nor B+. It is A+++++++++++++.

Specialy that part:

"The War crimes committed by every president since Truman dropped the Atomic bombs makes every other country innocent like a new born baby. From Vietnam, to the Middle East to Central, to South America and Europe your leaders have set the world aflame, consequently, your country sir harbors more war criminals than the rest of the world combined, and you talk about Serbia being “at peace mentally and morally until that obligation has been met”."

I always thought that Walter was smarter than that. How can you say that USA is to be blamed for brake up of old Yugoslavia. The people that really caused the brake up are serbs and serbs alone.
Just ask youreslf Walter if verybodyelse was so bad and let say for the sake of argument, but can you tell me why Montenegrians decided to divorce from serbia and they are like brother and sister?
when Montenegro was unable to live under the same roof with serbia how in the world would you think Albanians can when we have nothing in comon.

I think Mr. Polt speaks with a forked tongue. Does the US speak, by proxy, for Israel in the UN Security Council, vetoing 35 draft resolutions (2003) just on Israel alone? As I have said on previous posts, the US would never tolerate 15% of its territory being ripped away by internal or external forces. Mr. Polt gets his paycheck from the US government and is therefore just a mouthpiece for the current hypocritical Bush administration.

DINO writes “Walter, most of your opinion is based on assumptions and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories” Daniel and Dino what I wrote in the above posts about Yugoslavia and the other countries is common knowledge of every Grade 12 World History student in British Columbia (West coast of Canada). It matters not what country you are in freedom of the Media belongs only to those who own it. In Canada it is owned by three or four individuals. We have a national Media outlet called CBC but it reports only what the wire services provide and skews its reports to reflect the views of the government of the day. The wire services are controlled by our friends south of the border. BBC World used to be one of the best media outlets until it became the mouthpiece of the British political establishment. Walter Cronkite who was CBS anchor for some 30 or so tears ended his evening News saying and that is the way it is. When he retired he said that the news was never the way he reported it because it was shaped by the owners. What I write about events in Yugoslavia and the world is not shaped by any Media outlet but the Media shapes the thinking of those who stop learning after they finish grade school. My view is shaped by 45 years of reading and studying History, Geography and Economics and has nothing to do with anger. Canada has been extremely good to me and I am in that one percent that owns 80 percent of world’s wealth, however there are many of my fellow Canadians who live what we consider below the poverty level. In my own town population about 100 thousand twenty five percent of workers earn less than the poverty level. I am angry at those statistics as Canada spends millions to fight wars in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and anywhere where USA decides they need a regime change. My province spends millions on the 2010 Winter Olympics which will benefit the 10 percent that owns ninety percent of this province. I am also angry that common people throughout the world are exploited. How can any of you turn your eyes away from what USA has done to Iraq and you say nothing just because they are on your side? The world that we all share is being polluted and in conflict for the benefit of the one percent who control 80 percent of the world’s wealth. AHMET I think you were sleeping in class when the teacher was talking about the history of the Balkans???

Dino I am not putting words into your mouth since you put them there yourself. You have a modern attitude about marriage as well. I am not sure if you are married or not but marriage is a partnership of equals as it should be with nation states. Just because you have a disagreement with your wife one does not just walk away since the consequences for the family could be horrific and the same is true for nation states.

Common give me a break if USA was not in the Middle East price of oil on the world market would be $200 + a barrel supply and demand Adam Smith and all that boring economic stuff. If USA was not in the Middle East there would not be terrorism as we know it Period. No September 11. Terrorists have one weapon against US military power and that is human terrorist bombs. Sectarian violence is US created. Shia are enemies of US Sunni were not, US divided Iraq into Kurd, Sunni and Shis for control it backfired. Period.

Muslim terrorism in Bosnia came with Isetbegovich and his writings and it intensified due to the war as Jihadists came into the country.. Now it is payback time but some Bosnian Muslims are not to enamored with it.

Yes the terrorists as you call them want the oil for Iraqi people not for Multinational Corporation. In Saudi Arabia US gets the oil and because several families friendly to America own it US gets the money as well from the oil purchases since the families invest it in US real-estate .

If I was living in Cuba or Venezuela I would prefer Castro or Chavez.. Cuba was run by the Mafia from USA, 90% of the people lived like Darfur refugees cutting sugar cane. Havana was prostitution and gambling capital of the Western World. Castro cleaned it up, and Cuba is better off than most central and South American countries even though Cuba has been embargoed by US for the past 50 years as for Chavez whose country floats on oil now the people of Venezuela get benefits from its sale not those who have shares in multinational corporations. If you are going to make comments about these things find out about it first.

Russia in Vietnam—Yes they sold weapons to the North who was fighting a colonial war and exploitation by the French and the Americans. Under the French when the colonial war started people in Vietnam were required to purchase certain amount of Alcohol and if they did not they had to pay a tax instead.. In China when the British ewer ether the Chinese were forced to use opium and by 1949 there was over 100 million drug users in China. Mao got rid of that by getting rid of the dealers just like Castro got rid of the Mafia by sending them back to USA. There is no excuse for not knowing and than commenting.

Here you go gentlemen/women, clear answers from a seasoned diplomat. A rarity, as diplomats try to hide their legs! I was pushed to write from the comments made above. Somebody here does not have an idea what comprises the jurisdiction of the international court of justice, the tribunal for former Yugoslavia, or the international criminal court. Anyhow! Not everybody can be an expert of international law, although recently everybody poses as one. Let me note beforehand that if Serbia was such an international law abiding country it would not have financed and supported so many wars of aggression during the Milosevic years. Its ally, Russia, does not really have a better record with the destruction and loss of human life it has brought in Chechnya. So why this love for international law all of a sudden? International law is not the domain of Serbs, Russians, Albanians, Americans, or whomever; it is a common heritage of mankind. And the right of the people of KosovA to self-determination, as a ius cogens right, is based exactly on international law. So what are you preaching?
What Polt is saying clearly is take fate in your own hands, take cognizance of the situation and circumstances and move forward. That means take care of your own affairs because there are enough people to think for KosovA. Serbia is not losing KosovA for you cannot lose something which you never had in the first place. It's not Americans donating independence, but Kosovar Albanians taking what is theirs. It can be delayed but not for longer that it has been so far. That's what Polt said, but as the saying goes "The bell rings for those that hear". Please take out from your ears the earplugs of isolation and destructionism and try to enjoy the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven.

I have to say walter your post was fantastic and hit the nail firmly on the head on all counts,
When you get down to the bare bones of it, its really all part of the great US hypocrisy.

Walter,

I will tell you why Yugoslavia dissolved. Yugoslav Presidential council had 8 people on it...all republics plus the two provinces. Milosevic stripped autonomy to these provinces and self-installed representatives for the two int he council. with very loyal Montinegro at the time, it gave Milosevic 4 of 8 votes in the council. What part did international community have in this? none.

Walter,

You are cherry picking incidents in the world to prove the point. Fair enough. However if Canada etc as you say do say Kosovo is to be independent, would you REALLY accept it? Would you really accept a Croat deciding fate of serbia and kosovo. I doubt it so it sounds like you are blowing hot air.

Congratulations for picking up errors in US, UK etc policy in the world over last 60 years. Have you considered serbias? or russias? or Irans for that matter.

Russia...countless russian deaths out of poverty while it spends vast amounts of money on nuclear weapons and space.

Iran...its country has been brought to its knees just to prove a point. When you call a full destruction of a nearby country, can you really be trusted to have nuclear weapons.

Serbia....Hiding documents proving Milosevic's direct complication in wars in Croatia and Bosnia...denies everything and cant come to grips with its own mistakes.

South Africa...up until early 90's descriminated and persecuted blacks

China....Tibet, Taiwan...one child policy...enough said.

Indonesia....supports JI radical extremist muslim party.

Some of the others like Ireland I have no idea why you have chosen. Not sure you do either.

My point is have a look at the countries that you want deciding your fate or considered friends. One thing about west is that at least the mistakes are there for everyone to see and will not be persecuted for having an opinion.

Had Serbia listened and showed some respect to its 2 million citizens back in 80/90's we wouldnt be discussing this today. For that it has only itself to blame. Noone else.

Walter, most of your opinion is based on assumptions and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. Had Milosevic not cut autonomy to Vojvodina and Kosovo and through proxy of Montenegro have direct influence of at least 4 out of 8 votes in the Yugoslav Presidential Council, other republics may not have wanted to leave. He then rejected Confederation but wanted centralisation of power in Belgrade with his new found power to basically inflicting policy on other republics without their consent or objection. This power is what other republics have feared since ww1 and that is the real reason for disintegration and that is why republics had alot of support for independence and that is why all republics point finger at Serbia. And that is why Kosovo wanted to separate. And that is the truth. Do not blame others for your own people's actions. Noone asked Milosevic to cut autonomy. Noone forced him to give an order to send troops to croatia, slovenia Bosnia and Kosovo. Noone forced Karadzic and Mladic to march on Srebrenica....noone forced anyone in the war to pull the trigger. These stories of interference by UN, USA etc came out after the war. Serbia chose a path during the disintegration and now that it failed, it wants to potrait itself as the only victims.

As I have said an opinion of one ambassador of a country of no influence in world politics (Canada) does not mean that it is only one to be considered, just because its beneficial to your arguement walter.

As for your comment on influence monopolised media during Montenegro independence, are u telling me that serb media was not monopolised during 80's, and particularly 90's? Was not the serb opinion shaped by Milosevic's one sided state media during this time?

Walter,

Alot of what you say is still things which you cant really back up.

I can understand your point about minorities in countries but you neglect one thing. Serbs still DONT respect Kosovars. Never have never will. Yes there are persecuted minorities in the world, it doesnt mean that we either give them all independecne or none. Kosovo problem is currently on world stage and not one serb has considered economic/political impact of re-integration of Kosovo. Kosovo was raped by Milosevic and maybe its a case of a right place at right time but please, consider the impact of that. Not all world problems can be solved but that doesnt mean we shouldnt solve any just because all cant be solved.

George Galloway was expelled from party because he was destabilising it, but he was still free to form his own opinion. Not sure what McCarthyism has to do with what ur talking about but i dont pretend i know what it is but i do know it was 60 years ago...or so. But my point either way was that in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia (and i have been in all three), to admit to your own country committing a crime leads to isolation by the community and u have to watch what u say. Does that happen in Canada? Certianly doesnt in australia. i didnt explain properly but thats what i was getting at and not talking about persecution by the government.

Thank you for the history lesson about iran and turkey but not sure how u feel they are the best to judge on serbia's future. after all, that was your point. But with south africa again, noone from US forced anyone in South Africa to kill a black man. Support is not the same as forcing and every individual in south africa who killed a black man was not forced to pull the trigger etc. South Africans could have chosen at the time to treat blacks with respect. if the law says u can kill a black man, it doesnt mean you have to does it? But luckily they chose to get away from that.

Listen to yourself: "You are all to blame". you still conveniently forget milosevic's visit to Kosovo? Milosevic's cutting of autonomy. Milosevic's power grab in yugoslav presidential council. do you seriously believe rest of republics should have just accepted that. its what the rest of republics had been fearful since ww1 and its what lead to call for independence. had milosevic agreed with the rest of the republics for confederation, there would not have been a brake up. but he thought sending the army was much more effective. again he chose that. US didnt tell him "hey slobo, send your army in". He didnt have to order an attack and levelling of city of vukovar, did he? Not a single bullet was fired within serbia proper and somehow it was everyone attacking serbia.

I commend you on your knowledge of history but your knowledge of events in yugoslavia are zero. whilst you may have travelled there I lived there during this time and I do remember the change in yugoslavia after milosevic's famous speech in kosovo.

thank you for your information on canadian life. perhaps you should look at why you a very angry fellow because you seem to digress to your current life alot.

Dino read my post #43 “What Would Serbia Sacrifice for Kosovo” to Nick on the issue of Yugoslavia and NATO involvement in its breakup so I will not go into that here. . I have lived in the West almost all my life and I know how my society functions. You are correct that people tend to blame others for their failure in life and you say “US seems an easy scapegoat for everything in the world” This is exactly what US does in order to dominate the world that we live in. We are fighting Communism therefore it is OK for us to kill 2 million Vietnamese. We are fighting terrorism so it is OK to kill two million Iraqis. We need to protect Europe from Iran so we will set up missiles on Russia’s borders. Castro is a threat to US so we will assassinate him and embargo his country for half a century. Chavez is another Hussein so we will assassinate him.

US and US media has not told you that the Vietnam War was an anti colonial war where foreign companies wanted to dominate rubber, rice and future oil production of this region, US and the media does not tell you that it is the US action in Arab nations in order to protect oil that gave birth to terrorists and now they tell us it is sectarian violence that is responsible for the carnage in Iraq. Yes created by US policy of divide and rule just like Yugoslavia. .Chavez is an enemy because he nationalized the oil industry and Castro is an enemy because he is an example to the people of Central America who live in poverty so we in Canada can have cheap coffee, year round vegetables and fruit produced on the most productive land in Central and South America while the people who need that land are impoverished and live on marginal land.

You write “Problem with people who do not come from that part of the world is that they see Croats, Bosnians, serbs etc as the same people. they are not. cultures are different, mentality is different, different history”. You are right to some extent here since cultural influences have left their mark on each group that you mention. Islam, Catholicism and Greek Orthodoxy like most religions are by nature divisive, dogmatic and self serving. Religion has divided the people who for the most part are the same family. Culture also has divided the people. As we move south from Slovenia down through Yugoslavia the bathrooms become filthier and filthier and more holes in the ground rather than cubicles where one can wash their hands , the service poorer, the work ethic leisurely, the swerving more common and so on. The further north and west one traveled in Yugoslavia the more Western the region while further south you went the more Middle Eastern it became. Revenge was the method of dealing with wrongs rather than the law.

In the case of the Balkans I think that history is a race between EDUCATION AND DIASTER. The more educated the people they are more tolerant of differenced because they see in the human race more similarities than differences. My neighbors in Canada come from all parts of the world and my friends are from many different nationalities because most of us in Canada judge others by their character rather than by their ethnicity. You seem to judge others by ethnicity as you write “after many centuries of assuming that everyone can live together they cannot.”. What have you done to change this negative attitude which has brought nothing but misery? If we are not part of the solution than we become part of the problem. Change starts when one person says cooperation is better than competition. We are told constantly to cooperates in everything we do and we have international law and the UN that forces nations to co-operate but the strong always abuse the weak because they don’t want to divide the economic pie evenly so the powerful nations use their military to get most of the pie for the one percent that controls 80 percent of world’s wealth.

Walter
Dead on.

DINO: I picked those countries because they prove my point which you don’t understand. Many of my choices are Muslim that have minorities and others are part of EU with minorities and some like Croatia, Bosnia –Herzegovina and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia have Serb, Muslim and Albanian minorities. Some of these countries that I chose have minorities in countries next door to them like Ireland. I hope you did not think that I chose Ireland because the Leprechauns want independence. If you know anything about Ireland’s history, Eamon De Valera and the IRA, Ireland is an excellent choice. In many of the other countries terrorist cells like the KLA are active. You ask would I accept Canada or Croatia to sit in judgment over Kosovo. Absolutely, as long as what they decide for Kosovo they accept for the French in Canada and the Serbs in Croatia and that goes for all the other countries and their minorities.

DINO writes “look at the countries that you want deciding your fate or considered friends”. Since I am a Canadian many of these countries are Canada’s friends but certainly not Serbia’s. You are naïve by your comment about USA and UK “mistakes are there for everyone to see and will not be persecuted for having an opinion. I have hundreds of examples of university professors and others who lost their jobs because they spoke out. I will give you just one example. George Galloway a Scottish MP was thrown out of the Labour Party by Blair for speaking out. It is obvious that you Dino have not read the Patriot Act nor do you know anything about McCarthyism.

Iran since the fall of the Ottoman Empire has been a colonial possession of Britain and America until Ayatollah Khomeini came to Power. Iraq-Iran war was a result of American, French, British and USSR fear of Muslim Fundamentalism (MF). Ayatollah took control of oil and the present regime started to sell it in other currencies other than US dollars and started to spread MF into the Middle East and the Muslim regions of the Middle East all dictatorships supported by you guessed it the West. USSR, Britain, Franc, USA and USSR armed Iraq and instigated the Iraq-Iran ten year war to stop the spread of MF. US was protecting dictatorships in the Middle East by this war and when Iraq became too powerful, USA used sanctions and started the present war which is directly responsible for the death of 2 million Iraqis.

Dino you claim that Serbia hid documents but you neglect to say that ICJ disagrees with you. As to Russia read my previous posts on this topic and you will be informed that 90% of the wars that Russia was in she was defending herself against others.

Dino writes “South Africa...up until early 90's descriminated and persecuted blacks” but forgets to tell us that this was done with full support of the British and US governments. This was done for self interest Dino because at that time 200 thousand British workers depended on trade with this racist Christian Fundamentalist South African government. USA saw Nelson Mandela the leader of ANC as a communist because ANC had Joe Slovo’s communist party as members. US imported strategic metals like titanium for its missile and space programs from South Africa so they did not care about the Negro people of South Africa. You obviously don’t know anything about American treatment of its own African Americans or you would not make such a silly statement.

I chose China because they have Muslim Fundamentalist terrorists in the Xinjiang Uyghur and Tibet autonomous regions but more importantly Taiwan is a province of China with its own special history vis-a-vis Japan and later USA.

Yes Dino Indonesia has been ruled by the most repressive dictatorship on this planet with full support of yours truly USA and the Western nations. Indonesia like Bosnia and Herzegovina has Muslim Fundamentalist links.

You conveniently forgot Turkey where during WWI and after 2 million Armenians were killed and some half million Greeks as well as thousand expelled. Turkey has also killed over 40 thousand Kurds in the last forty years. Guess what Dino Turkey was supported by Britain since the Crimean Wars 1850’s and USA since WWII and much of the killing that I attribute to the Turks came during this period of British and American support.

Dino concludes by writing “Had Serbia listened and showed some respect to its 2 million citizens back in 80/90's” none of this would have taken place. I think that during the years you mention the country was called Yugoslavia. As a Canadian I remember going to concerts in Canada where all nationalities including Kosovo Albanians had equal representation. Albanians who were escaping from Enver’s regime were welcomed in Serbia and given sanctuary. You may say big deal but we are an economic basket case and Serbia is to blame. You are all to blame because you listened to nationalists who used you to divide you. I remember on several trips to Yugoslavia I was surprised that everyone had several weeks’ holidays, coffee breaks were endless, people traveled and everything was done through nepotism but somehow people educated their children and had a full table of food and I traveled to every part of Yugoslavia including Kosovo. In Canada we work to eat and eat to work and many never take a holiday. Maybe you need to look at China’s one child policy closely –there is a reason for it. Read Thomas Malthus’s essay on the Principle of Population, describing his theory of quantitative development of human populations and that might help you understand Kosovo’s economy and China’s one child policy.

DINO: You are a bit confused with the percentages. One percent of the world’s population owns 80% of the world’s wealth while the other 99% of the world’s population only own 20% of the world’s wealth. If we look at statistics for individual countries these figures would be slightly different. What does this have to do with KOSOVO? Everything! The one percent uses its economic power and Media domination to retain that wealth. The money spent on wars and military production keeps the money coming to those who own the companies. If this money was diverted to collective goods, health, education, environment, clean water, development of underdeveloped areas, and food for millions of hungry people the human race would not be at each other’s throats. Kosovo has nothing to do because Albanians and Serbs are bad people it has everything to do with profit for the one percent. You don’t see this because the one percent that controls information and wealth has the other 99 % squabbling over what is left. They have convinced you that the Serbs are responsible for Albanian poverty and they have convinced the Serbs that the Albanians are responsible for poverty in Serbia. One of the favorite tactics of national governments is to divert people’s attention from the real problem and that is the way they stay in power.

Luciano thank you. My mother was born in Butte Montana and she never gave up her US citizenship so I am I guess half American. I may be a bit harsh concerning America but it is not the people that I am criticizing it is the American government that has lost its direction.

Walter, well I am glad that through all of the books u have read that u see everything as black and white. Sounds like these have convinced u that its always everyone else who is responsible for their own actions/situation.

Whilst I do agree with you with your arguement that money is root of all evil (so to speak), bad things that I may do to another human being is my fault. noone elses. and thats the point im trying to get across. alot of ppl blame other countries for the war that happened but everyone had a choice, sometimes it takes time (in the case of former yugoslavia 5-6 years) to see sense. escuses for going to war didnt magically disappear one day in 1996 to stop the war. Thankfully people saw sense. and that was a choice.

DINO history is not black and white it is somewhere in-between. The more we read the more history becomes somewhere in-between. Like Hegel stated ideas are challenged by other ideas until a new set of accepted ideas emerges and the cycle starts all over again, to this I add his student’s interpretation which is much more logical the economic interpretation of history. History is a struggle between the haves and the have not, between the powerful and the weak, between the worker and the boss, between women and men, and so on. There are many theories on how we interpret history, some examples are, Hegelian Dialectic, life of common people, life of great people, a race between education and disaster and economic determinism. Each one of these plays a role in how history is written and interpreted. I tend to believe that economic determinism is the predominant factor in how and why events evolve. The most important thing about history is asking the right question since it leads to other questions and sometimes answers that we might not like

You are putting words into my mouth. My point was that a yugoslav divorce was best for everyone. thats not a negative attitude. if u have a marriage that the parties dont want to be in, is it a negative thought to want out? No.

As for US, I dont particularly care, think what you like, however noone can tell me that the suicide bomber that killed 35 iraqi children (this has happened on a few occasions) is US's fault. suicide bomber had a option and he chose to kill. so 2 million iraqis that are dead from killing each other is noone else fault but theirs. U cant blame sectarian violence on US because it was a bomb waiting to happen. terrorism was there way before US. You researched history, read up on Muslim extremism. Serbs have been talking about it for decades although their arguement whether its present in Bosnia or Kosovo is another thing.

As for oil, yes US has a nasty policy of oil control but isnt it what terrorists want too. if there wasnt oil, would there be Osama etc? Its about oil on both sides and they all want the control.

Castro and Chavez....I dont know much about that but if they both cared about their people, they would liberise and become more democratic. Its not as though US, UK, EU get oil for free from these countries but thats how its made out for their own purpose. these countries talk about oil as though its holy water. Would you want to live under Chavez or Castro. Id say get these people out, no matter what the motivation. oil or not.



Vietnam...Russia was involved too but noone seems to mention that. Russia good, US bad but both as bad as each other.

Lazer Dino asked these questions in his post and from your comment you need to attend a class or two in history—no offence. On the other hand my comments in most of my other posts are 80% about Balkan history. Well lazer again at least Dino wanted to learn something but maybe I was wrong about you? Lets not try to insult the fact that we might not know something but rather lets try and get some value from each other’s comments. The only way will do that is if we have an open mind. It is easy to accuse me of being opinionated but you never counter this with evidence to the contrary. For everything that I say I provide scholarly evidence that can be measured and verified by other scholarly evidence. Where is your?

Isn't it obvious mr Polt did not fulfil his mission? This interview tells us just that.

Mr Polt says minorities will be protected, really? the serbs in Kosovo cannot go anywhere without protection of Nato soldiers so it is better they are cleansed from the Albanian dominated areas by force, coercion etc, Just like the american red indians no less.

The three major powers in the E.U., the so-called “European Union-Three,” are France, Germany, and Britain. Yet, these three European countries are not alone. America in reality is the European Union’s fourth power, which acts through, or more properly with, Britain. The alliance between Washington and London makes America a de facto power in the European Union. London is also America’s voice in Europe. Several other mechanisms including control of Eastern European E.U. members and NATO also allow America to exert itself in Europe.......In other words, the US is exerting it's will in the Balkans. Can we all agree on that? The Albanians obviously were more willing subjects than the Serbians. This will be a fun ride since Russia got on the train.

Walter, well said and done but I don't think you know the real truth. If you know the answer to this quastion than you will get to the bottom of the truth:' Was there Montenegrian kingdom first or serbian kingdom' , this is your answer and you can do a lot of reaserch and the answer will be that before serbian kindom was Montenegrian kingdom. Sebs came much later from carpathians decendent of russian slavs, so they were migrants to balkans.

Again, I have no idea what you are on about regarding 80% of wealth (although I do know 80% of wealth is owned by 20% of individuals) or how it applies to what we are talking about here. posts about socio-economic status of Canada should perhaps be written on a canadian website.

As for reading history. we have a tendancy to choose history books to read which best reflect our own thinking.

Walter, i agree with most of what u say. I agree with you that its a world of haves and have nots. Some countries have more power than others.

its also filled with people jealous of the people with haves and perception that their own "have not" is someone else fault. People convince that there is an and decide to do horrible things. and then blame someone else!!! noone can kill someone and say "US made me do it". US seems an easy scapegoat for everything in the world. Heck, ill just blame US for me writing this comment!!noone wants to take responsibility for themselves.

In case of Yugoslavia, war didnt have to happen (but my personal opinion is that Milosevic wanted to be the next tito of a new yugoslavia). That aside, I can tell u that most republics never wanted to live together in Yugoslavia. its ironic that you argue that EU etc wanted Yugoslavia apart (and make it sound like it was a bad thing) and yet the big european countries were the ones that created it in first place 100 years ago (give or take)! You forget that Yugoslavia was something artificial! The way I see it, EU, US eventually saw some sense and realised that individual repubublics could not live together. Problem with people who do not come from that part of the world is that they see Croats, Bosnians, serbs etc as the same people. they are not. cultures are different, mentality is different, different history. Differnt way of thinking. Once Kosovo becomes independent there will be peace as everyone can then move on. If it doesnt become that, it will be an issue today, tomorrow and in 100 years. EU, US etc have finally realised this after many centuries of assuming that everyone can live together. they cannot.

Walter,

even though you writte extensively and in long columns, You totally are off the mark and using psudofacts try to "teach" us History of balkans.
Dont get offended.

Mr Polt needs to understand that the status quo that exists today in Kosovo was created by his government. The Serbian foreign minister gave an interview on the CNN BBC segment and compared to Polt Jeremic is a real diplomat. Polt’s comment that the Ahtisaari process “gave plenty of opportunity for both sides to bring their positions to the table” is nonsense since the Albanian side did not negotiate but dictated through the Americans their demand and than left. Yes Mr. Polt the Key issue is always been the “safety and security of Serbs living in Kosovo”. No Mr. Polt the key issue is safety and security of Serbs and all Serbian citizens living in Serbia. Any terrorist action such as that used by the KLA if done in America would have met Waco or the Symbioses Army type response and Polt knows that.

Yes Mr. Polt Serbia wants security but that was destroyed by the NATO dismemberment of a sovereign nation and the Ramboullet DIKTAT all in contravention of Helsinki Final Status on borders and International Law. Mr. Polt your government is the problem because they see treaties unilaterally forgetting that we live in a world of multilateral relations. To now blame Russia for American aggression is hypocrisy. His next answer is even more hypocritical when he responds that the Ahtisaari plan is good even “whether [or not] everyone likes it”. This is a plan dictated from the outside none of us would accept a plan unless we went through a process acceptable to both parties where meaningful mediation, or arbitration, (binding or non binding) took place.


In retrospect, as the Canadian ambassador to Yugoslavia Joe Bissett stated none of this would have taken place if NATO did not dismember Yugoslavia with the help of Croat Diaspora and Muslim Fundamentalism. Bissett was recalled for his attempt to observe international treaties and international Law unlike our Mr. Polt who is the Good Soldier Švejk who wants the plan implemented with or without agreement from Belgrade and Priština. Now we come to a very interesting comment made by Polt America, NATO and some European Union partners agree with this plan. It would have been more honest for Mr. Polt to say we wanted to dismember Yugoslavia and its social system and that is why we destabilized you and supported the elements who terrorized you and when that did not work we bombed you and that did not work but those bad Russians and their International law nonesense is the problem.

B92 poses a question that we have discussed on this forum endlessly, why negotiate when the end is a foregone conclusion guaranteed by USA. Polt now back pedals on this question and rightly so states that this is “for the people in Serbia, the people in Kosovo, the people in Priština, and all the other communities in this country to live with” but how can this be done Mr. Polt when you hold a gun to Serbia’s head by stating negotiate but you better come out with what we want. Eureka, at least we agree on another thing that this was caused by the breakup of Yugoslavia. Mr. Polt be an Emile Zola and accuse the perpetrators of this crime Clinton, Blair, Chirac, Chrétien, Khol and the NATO leaders like Wesley Clark the real war criminals that should be in front of the International Court of Justice.
Polt continues saying we will humor you go ahead an negotiate but in the end we have made sure that we hold all the aces i.e. people we appointed to deal with this issue—Our man Secretary General, appoints our man Ahtisaari to get our result but “Serbia’s Proxy Russia” blocked our plans. Russia knows her history well and if they don’t stop this in the Balkans they will have to stop it in Southern Russia or Siberia. The West has wanted to partition Russia since the Napoleonic Wars and the Russian people know this since they have paid dearly in one war after another hoisted on them by the West.
A great question to Polt followed by B92. Do you mind being called a proxy of the Kosovo Albanians? His answer was simple, we work for American interest and I ask what exactly that interest is? That interest is the American Vision for the 21st century which includes markets, strategic shift to the Balkans, control Central Asian and Middle East energy and military supremacy. Polt again dismisses Russia’s concerns by patronizing the questioner when he states “It is not for Russians, or Europeans or Americans to decide what's good for the Serbian people, the only ones who can do that are you.” So if that is the case Mr. Polt why are you telling Serbia what is best for their country? Then Polt tells us that Europe is waiting for you Serbia, and NATO too and if you are not with us you are with those anti Europeans Russians. Russia whose European territory is larger than Western Europe, the main supplier of energy to Europe who has more at stake in Europe than America is dismissed by Polt as “Russia is an important country” but it is more important for you to join NATO and go to the Middle East and kill people, it is also important for you to join EU so that you are no longer masters in your own home.

Mr. Polt then tells us that he respects Serbia’s decision but we will make sure you don’t achieve it because it is contrary to American interests. If Mr. Polt “the responsibility for Serbia's future lies with Serbia” why are you saying you are doing what is in the interest of America and you are doing this by violating international treaties and law. And the big copout comes when Polt states that he is not responsible for what other administrations did before the one he works for. He dismisses everything which went before and now we have Ahtisaari and that is our vision but he said that “responsibility for Serbia's future lies with Serbia”. What nonsense, since international policy of nations hinge on what went before it is not a yo-yo process that Polt wants us to believe. He tells B92 that Serbia should not hitch her horse to the Russian cart but it is OK for Albanians who live in Serbia to hitch their horse to the American cart.


Polt continues the interview by saying “you can have independence; you can have autonomy, depending on what you can agree on”. How can one have an agreement when one side has been offered independence by the most powerful military in the world and the other offers broad autonomy? Polt if this is the process for the Vienna negotiations you have killed them before they even start. The problem here as I see it is lack of neutrality. I suggest that we have the following members of the United Nations: Spain, Brazil, Nigeria, South Africa, China, Ireland, Turkey, Iran, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia, India and Indonesia act as judges on this issue. Serbia and Kosovo Albanians must accept the decision. If the decision is autonomy than all the minorities in their countries where the Judges come from must get autonomy and if they decide independence all the minorities in these same country get independence.

Mr/ Polt gives the Serbian people advice telling them to have an intellectual confrontation but his country resort to caveman tactics in every international confrontation. Many of you look at Hugo Chavez as some sort of Caveman but you forget his people elect him because he is not selling his country out. If you want to call him a radical so be it. Mexico nationalized its oil industry in 1933 its about time Venezuela did the same. Polt forgets to tell B92 that America’s interest is guaranteed resource base and their military makes sure that it gets it. If the US did not control the Middle East the price of oil would be over $200 dollars a barrel. America cares not about a democratic Albania or Serbia they will make a contract with a Devil as long as he is America’s devil. As he states he wants more American investments in Serbia. Does he care about Kosovo? Not one bit as long as America controls it. Polt loves the “horse and the sparrow theory” when it comes to economic relationships because his country is the horse while the rest of the world are sparrows some bigger than the others.

Throughout the interview Polt has been repeating that Serbia must decide what is best for the country but in the end he states “in the aftermath of Kosovo independence” if the radicals gain power we will use economic blackmail to bring you to heel just like we used the IMF and the World Bank to destabilize your previous country. I have said many times before America wanted to destroy the socialist economic structure of Yugoslavia and that is one reason NATO attacker her. Polt states here “Government should get out of private economy” and the only way forward is Capitalism. Why than Mr. Polt do the democratic socialist countries rank highest in the quality of life of the people? While America lags way behind.

Mr. Polt tells us that Serbs must be sent to the Hague Tribunal. Mr Polt you protect your people from ICJ by making private deals so that your leaders will not face judgment by the international community. This is so hypocritical that I must ask how stupid do you think we are. The War crimes committed by every president since Truman dropped the Atomic bombs makes every other country innocent like a new born baby. From Vietnam, to the Middle East to Central, to South America and Europe your leaders have set the world aflame, consequently, your country sir harbors more war criminals than the rest of the world combined, and you talk about Serbia being “at peace mentally and morally until that obligation has been met”. Is America the only country Sir that can kill with impunity and not be brought to account for their crimes, “I have done what my country sent me here to do” but even though you don’t like what we do it does not mean that we don’t like you. Tell that to Holbrook. If the French ambassador spoke out against the Iraq war at some US university the way Polt did in Serbia on Kosovo US would immediately have him declared persona non grata. This interview confirms several things about the events in the Balkans:
1. NATO was given a reason to remain. USA saved a major economic entity. Every NATO nation must purchase most of its military equipment from USA
2. Move USA bases to Southern Europe
3. Destabilize Yugoslavia in order to partition it for EU control
4. Globalization: gain control of economic enterprises
5. Eliminate public property and eradicate socialism

I always thought that Walter was smarter than that. How can you say that USA is to be blamed for brake up of old Yugoslavia. The people that really caused the brake up are serbs and serbs alone.
Just ask youreslf Walter if verybodyelse was so bad and let say for the sake of argument, but can you tell me why Montenegrians decided to divorce from serbia and they are like brother and sister?
when Montenegro was unable to live under the same roof with serbia how in the world would you think Albanians can when we have nothing in comon.

Thank you Mr.Polt, for your "friendship" towards Serbia.
Now, please, get back to the US or Panama or wherever...
Serbia does know best what is good for Serbia, so those wise ideas are really not needed.

and don´t take it personal, it´s just business as usual in a professional manner.

Peace! You wont be missed.

Here you go gentlemen/women, clear answers from a seasoned diplomat. A rarity, as diplomats try to hide their legs! I was pushed to write from the comments made above. Somebody here does not have an idea what comprises the jurisdiction of the international court of justice, the tribunal for former Yugoslavia, or the international criminal court. Anyhow! Not everybody can be an expert of international law, although recently everybody poses as one. Let me note beforehand that if Serbia was such an international law abiding country it would not have financed and supported so many wars of aggression during the Milosevic years. Its ally, Russia, does not really have a better record with the destruction and loss of human life it has brought in Chechnya. So why this love for international law all of a sudden? International law is not the domain of Serbs, Russians, Albanians, Americans, or whomever; it is a common heritage of mankind. And the right of the people of KosovA to self-determination, as a ius cogens right, is based exactly on international law. So what are you preaching?
What Polt is saying clearly is take fate in your own hands, take cognizance of the situation and circumstances and move forward. That means take care of your own affairs because there are enough people to think for KosovA. Serbia is not losing KosovA for you cannot lose something which you never had in the first place. It's not Americans donating independence, but Kosovar Albanians taking what is theirs. It can be delayed but not for longer that it has been so far. That's what Polt said, but as the saying goes "The bell rings for those that hear". Please take out from your ears the earplugs of isolation and destructionism and try to enjoy the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven.

I have to say walter your post was fantastic and hit the nail firmly on the head on all counts,
When you get down to the bare bones of it, its really all part of the great US hypocrisy.

Walter
Dead on.

B92 why was the following portion of my last post cut? I can accept a reasoned explanation.
Walter

Now let me answer your question on MONTENEGRO which most Serbs and Albanians regarded as more Serb than Serbia. For Serbs I am sure they felt like Julius Caesar since for them this was the unkindest cut of all the "Et tu Brute” of the NATO Balkan criminal enterprise. Milo Djukanovic got his wish draped in “Ingratitude, more strong than traitors' arms” and he may “well live to regret it, as flags, marches, and hymns give way to grim realities he can no longer blame on Belgrade.”

Montenegro was not bombed by NATO [ask yourself why] during the criminal enterprise orchestrated against Serbia by JAVIER SOLANA and NATO. Montenegro lived on US aid while Serbia paid its share of foreign and domestic debt. US spent millions helping Djukanovic organize and sell the referendum. The Union (Serbia-Montenegro) was an artificial creation of SOLANA and the Brussels gang or as some call them “the New European Nazis [who] redrew the Balkans maps to match those of 1941”. They are responsible for the Balkan carnage not the Serbs as you claim.

The Brussels set 55% as the magic number for separation and in the end they got 55.5% which Djukanovic who Italy claims has Mafia connections and want him extradited for smuggling and profiteering during the NATO orchestrated campaign to partition Yugoslavia. While people were being killed in the name of American Vision for the 21st century Milo was making money.

How did Milo win the referendum? You must know Milo’s “government-monopolized [the] media, [while at the same time started a] multi-million-euro public works timed for the referendum, shady political deals with ethnic minorities [Croats, Albanians, Muslims], and voter shenanigans to secure that ½ percent margin between victory and defeat.”

AHMET citizens who at one time lived in Montenegrin and now live in other countries were registered to vote. However, 350, 000 Montenegrins who lived in Serbia were denied that same right. Croats when they voted in their referendum had third generation Canadians of Croat descent vote. Any person who is a Canadian citizen should not be allowed to hold dual citizenship and they should be stripped of their Canadian citizenship if they vote in any political election outside of Canada, period. It is just not good enough to be a Canadian one minute and a Croat, Montenegrin, Lebanese, Albanian or Serb the next. As I said before I would prefer a world without borders but since some continue to think in terms of nation states born out of the French Revolution then all nations must abide by “Liberte, equalite, fraternite”. Since we have nations, governed by international law and treaties than Ahmet you and those that support you cannot reject for others what you want for yourself.

So AHMET HOW FAIR WAS IT, and this is a question to you that “people like Began Cekic, [Montenegro Albanian] demolition expert from Brooklyn," who was registered to vote in the referendum was allowed to fly to Montenegro and vote while 350, 000 Montenegrin Serbs in Serbia were not allowed to drive across the border and vote? You see AHMET when you make rules and disregard the law like USA [Polt] does and Milo did on who can vote, who can be rejected, and what ballots count the results are a self fulfilling prophecy.

Djukanovic wants to be the next Njegos but unlike Njegos he “has systematically denied Montenegro's Serb identity, establishing a separate "Academy of sciences," a separate church, a separate language, even inventing a separate history.” all in the name of his personal wealth. The higher you go up in society be it in Montenegro, Kosovo, Tirana, Washington, Ottawa or Belgrade the more corrupt the system, the more they bend the law, the more they fill their own pockets and the more they exploit the working man and women. Ahmet, the reason for this is that they feed you NATIONALISM and DOGMATISM and through that use you against your neighbor. History will see Milo for what he is and mark my word there will never be a statue of him on Mount Lovcen.

You know full well AHMET that the vote to separate Montenegro “was a union of convenience” of Albanians, Muslims, Montenegrins and Croats and just one more nail hammered into the Yugoslav coffin by the coffin builders from Brussels. It did not matter how many coffins NATO made Albanian separatists in the now NATO occupied province of Kosovo cheered every one loudest.
Let me tell you why AHMET cheered then and now crows now? You cheered because you see the Montenegro fix in terms of what suits you not in terms of law and that is expressed where you write “Montenegro was unable to live under the same roof with serbia how in the world would you think Albanians can when we have nothing in comon.”

DINO: I picked those countries because they prove my point which you don’t understand. Many of my choices are Muslim that have minorities and others are part of EU with minorities and some like Croatia, Bosnia –Herzegovina and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia have Serb, Muslim and Albanian minorities. Some of these countries that I chose have minorities in countries next door to them like Ireland. I hope you did not think that I chose Ireland because the Leprechauns want independence. If you know anything about Ireland’s history, Eamon De Valera and the IRA, Ireland is an excellent choice. In many of the other countries terrorist cells like the KLA are active. You ask would I accept Canada or Croatia to sit in judgment over Kosovo. Absolutely, as long as what they decide for Kosovo they accept for the French in Canada and the Serbs in Croatia and that goes for all the other countries and their minorities.

DINO writes “look at the countries that you want deciding your fate or considered friends”. Since I am a Canadian many of these countries are Canada’s friends but certainly not Serbia’s. You are naïve by your comment about USA and UK “mistakes are there for everyone to see and will not be persecuted for having an opinion. I have hundreds of examples of university professors and others who lost their jobs because they spoke out. I will give you just one example. George Galloway a Scottish MP was thrown out of the Labour Party by Blair for speaking out. It is obvious that you Dino have not read the Patriot Act nor do you know anything about McCarthyism.

Iran since the fall of the Ottoman Empire has been a colonial possession of Britain and America until Ayatollah Khomeini came to Power. Iraq-Iran war was a result of American, French, British and USSR fear of Muslim Fundamentalism (MF). Ayatollah took control of oil and the present regime started to sell it in other currencies other than US dollars and started to spread MF into the Middle East and the Muslim regions of the Middle East all dictatorships supported by you guessed it the West. USSR, Britain, Franc, USA and USSR armed Iraq and instigated the Iraq-Iran ten year war to stop the spread of MF. US was protecting dictatorships in the Middle East by this war and when Iraq became too powerful, USA used sanctions and started the present war which is directly responsible for the death of 2 million Iraqis.

Dino you claim that Serbia hid documents but you neglect to say that ICJ disagrees with you. As to Russia read my previous posts on this topic and you will be informed that 90% of the wars that Russia was in she was defending herself against others.

Dino writes “South Africa...up until early 90's descriminated and persecuted blacks” but forgets to tell us that this was done with full support of the British and US governments. This was done for self interest Dino because at that time 200 thousand British workers depended on trade with this racist Christian Fundamentalist South African government. USA saw Nelson Mandela the leader of ANC as a communist because ANC had Joe Slovo’s communist party as members. US imported strategic metals like titanium for its missile and space programs from South Africa so they did not care about the Negro people of South Africa. You obviously don’t know anything about American treatment of its own African Americans or you would not make such a silly statement.

I chose China because they have Muslim Fundamentalist terrorists in the Xinjiang Uyghur and Tibet autonomous regions but more importantly Taiwan is a province of China with its own special history vis-a-vis Japan and later USA.

Yes Dino Indonesia has been ruled by the most repressive dictatorship on this planet with full support of yours truly USA and the Western nations. Indonesia like Bosnia and Herzegovina has Muslim Fundamentalist links.

You conveniently forgot Turkey where during WWI and after 2 million Armenians were killed and some half million Greeks as well as thousand expelled. Turkey has also killed over 40 thousand Kurds in the last forty years. Guess what Dino Turkey was supported by Britain since the Crimean Wars 1850’s and USA since WWII and much of the killing that I attribute to the Turks came during this period of British and American support.

Dino concludes by writing “Had Serbia listened and showed some respect to its 2 million citizens back in 80/90's” none of this would have taken place. I think that during the years you mention the country was called Yugoslavia. As a Canadian I remember going to concerts in Canada where all nationalities including Kosovo Albanians had equal representation. Albanians who were escaping from Enver’s regime were welcomed in Serbia and given sanctuary. You may say big deal but we are an economic basket case and Serbia is to blame. You are all to blame because you listened to nationalists who used you to divide you. I remember on several trips to Yugoslavia I was surprised that everyone had several weeks’ holidays, coffee breaks were endless, people traveled and everything was done through nepotism but somehow people educated their children and had a full table of food and I traveled to every part of Yugoslavia including Kosovo. In Canada we work to eat and eat to work and many never take a holiday. Maybe you need to look at China’s one child policy closely –there is a reason for it. Read Thomas Malthus’s essay on the Principle of Population, describing his theory of quantitative development of human populations and that might help you understand Kosovo’s economy and China’s one child policy.

DINO writes “Walter, most of your opinion is based on assumptions and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories” Daniel and Dino what I wrote in the above posts about Yugoslavia and the other countries is common knowledge of every Grade 12 World History student in British Columbia (West coast of Canada). It matters not what country you are in freedom of the Media belongs only to those who own it. In Canada it is owned by three or four individuals. We have a national Media outlet called CBC but it reports only what the wire services provide and skews its reports to reflect the views of the government of the day. The wire services are controlled by our friends south of the border. BBC World used to be one of the best media outlets until it became the mouthpiece of the British political establishment. Walter Cronkite who was CBS anchor for some 30 or so tears ended his evening News saying and that is the way it is. When he retired he said that the news was never the way he reported it because it was shaped by the owners. What I write about events in Yugoslavia and the world is not shaped by any Media outlet but the Media shapes the thinking of those who stop learning after they finish grade school. My view is shaped by 45 years of reading and studying History, Geography and Economics and has nothing to do with anger. Canada has been extremely good to me and I am in that one percent that owns 80 percent of world’s wealth, however there are many of my fellow Canadians who live what we consider below the poverty level. In my own town population about 100 thousand twenty five percent of workers earn less than the poverty level. I am angry at those statistics as Canada spends millions to fight wars in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and anywhere where USA decides they need a regime change. My province spends millions on the 2010 Winter Olympics which will benefit the 10 percent that owns ninety percent of this province. I am also angry that common people throughout the world are exploited. How can any of you turn your eyes away from what USA has done to Iraq and you say nothing just because they are on your side? The world that we all share is being polluted and in conflict for the benefit of the one percent who control 80 percent of the world’s wealth. AHMET I think you were sleeping in class when the teacher was talking about the history of the Balkans???

Thank you again for your double-speak Mr. Polt. On one hand you say that Serbia is free to do whatever is in her best interests, on the other hand you threaten there will be more violence, instability, and no EU membership unless Serbia chooses to allow a 'greater albania' on its soil. Good riddance. With 'friends' like these, who needs enemies?

Walter, your post is excellent.
Using Mr. Polt evaluation is not C nor B+. It is A+++++++++++++.

Specialy that part:

"The War crimes committed by every president since Truman dropped the Atomic bombs makes every other country innocent like a new born baby. From Vietnam, to the Middle East to Central, to South America and Europe your leaders have set the world aflame, consequently, your country sir harbors more war criminals than the rest of the world combined, and you talk about Serbia being “at peace mentally and morally until that obligation has been met”."

I think Mr. Polt speaks with a forked tongue. Does the US speak, by proxy, for Israel in the UN Security Council, vetoing 35 draft resolutions (2003) just on Israel alone? As I have said on previous posts, the US would never tolerate 15% of its territory being ripped away by internal or external forces. Mr. Polt gets his paycheck from the US government and is therefore just a mouthpiece for the current hypocritical Bush administration.

AHMET ISUFI writes “I always thought that Walter was smarter than that” AHMET I really don’t care if you think that I am smart or not. I know that my information will not make any one of us smarter but it sure will make you AHMET more informed. You see the difference between you and I is in how we see the human race. You see the human race as Albanians and the rest while I see it as a single human family.

Ahmet you and those that support you reject for others what you want for yourself. Tribunal for others special deals for us, we can fight terrorism anywhere in the world you cannot fight it in your own homeland, we reserve the right to use nuclear weapons as a first strike option but others cannot develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, we can place nuclear weapons on the borders of other nations but if it is a war threat if they place them on our borders, we support democracy but we also support dictatorship as long as the dictator cooperates with our economic needs, we sign extradition treaties and we want you to extradite those that we consider criminals but we will not extradite those that you consider criminals, we believe in international law but we break it in order to enforce it The ones close to you AHMET, you and your backers reject out of hand demands of 2 million Serbs in Bosnia and Croatia for independence but recognize it as valid when coming from 2 million Albanians. It's all in our view of the human family AHMET I say one world you say Albanians are “primus inter pares” or first among equals.

I suggested in the above post that the following members of the United Nations sit in judgment on the Kosovo issue; Canada, Spain, Brazil, Nigeria, South Africa, China, Ireland, Turkey, Iran, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia, India, Israel and Indonesia. Serbia and Kosovo Albanians must accept their judgment. If the decision is AUTONOMY for Kosovo than all the minorities from the countries where the judges come from must get autonomy and if they decide INDEPENDENCE all the minorities in these same country get independence. WHAT DO YOU THINK AHMET?

Walter,

I will tell you why Yugoslavia dissolved. Yugoslav Presidential council had 8 people on it...all republics plus the two provinces. Milosevic stripped autonomy to these provinces and self-installed representatives for the two int he council. with very loyal Montinegro at the time, it gave Milosevic 4 of 8 votes in the council. What part did international community have in this? none.

Walter,

You are cherry picking incidents in the world to prove the point. Fair enough. However if Canada etc as you say do say Kosovo is to be independent, would you REALLY accept it? Would you really accept a Croat deciding fate of serbia and kosovo. I doubt it so it sounds like you are blowing hot air.

Congratulations for picking up errors in US, UK etc policy in the world over last 60 years. Have you considered serbias? or russias? or Irans for that matter.

Russia...countless russian deaths out of poverty while it spends vast amounts of money on nuclear weapons and space.

Iran...its country has been brought to its knees just to prove a point. When you call a full destruction of a nearby country, can you really be trusted to have nuclear weapons.

Serbia....Hiding documents proving Milosevic's direct complication in wars in Croatia and Bosnia...denies everything and cant come to grips with its own mistakes.

South Africa...up until early 90's descriminated and persecuted blacks

China....Tibet, Taiwan...one child policy...enough said.

Indonesia....supports JI radical extremist muslim party.

Some of the others like Ireland I have no idea why you have chosen. Not sure you do either.

My point is have a look at the countries that you want deciding your fate or considered friends. One thing about west is that at least the mistakes are there for everyone to see and will not be persecuted for having an opinion.

Had Serbia listened and showed some respect to its 2 million citizens back in 80/90's we wouldnt be discussing this today. For that it has only itself to blame. Noone else.

Walter, well said and done but I don't think you know the real truth. If you know the answer to this quastion than you will get to the bottom of the truth:' Was there Montenegrian kingdom first or serbian kingdom' , this is your answer and you can do a lot of reaserch and the answer will be that before serbian kindom was Montenegrian kingdom. Sebs came much later from carpathians decendent of russian slavs, so they were migrants to balkans.

Walter, most of your opinion is based on assumptions and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. Had Milosevic not cut autonomy to Vojvodina and Kosovo and through proxy of Montenegro have direct influence of at least 4 out of 8 votes in the Yugoslav Presidential Council, other republics may not have wanted to leave. He then rejected Confederation but wanted centralisation of power in Belgrade with his new found power to basically inflicting policy on other republics without their consent or objection. This power is what other republics have feared since ww1 and that is the real reason for disintegration and that is why republics had alot of support for independence and that is why all republics point finger at Serbia. And that is why Kosovo wanted to separate. And that is the truth. Do not blame others for your own people's actions. Noone asked Milosevic to cut autonomy. Noone forced him to give an order to send troops to croatia, slovenia Bosnia and Kosovo. Noone forced Karadzic and Mladic to march on Srebrenica....noone forced anyone in the war to pull the trigger. These stories of interference by UN, USA etc came out after the war. Serbia chose a path during the disintegration and now that it failed, it wants to potrait itself as the only victims.

As I have said an opinion of one ambassador of a country of no influence in world politics (Canada) does not mean that it is only one to be considered, just because its beneficial to your arguement walter.

As for your comment on influence monopolised media during Montenegro independence, are u telling me that serb media was not monopolised during 80's, and particularly 90's? Was not the serb opinion shaped by Milosevic's one sided state media during this time?

Walter,

Alot of what you say is still things which you cant really back up.

I can understand your point about minorities in countries but you neglect one thing. Serbs still DONT respect Kosovars. Never have never will. Yes there are persecuted minorities in the world, it doesnt mean that we either give them all independecne or none. Kosovo problem is currently on world stage and not one serb has considered economic/political impact of re-integration of Kosovo. Kosovo was raped by Milosevic and maybe its a case of a right place at right time but please, consider the impact of that. Not all world problems can be solved but that doesnt mean we shouldnt solve any just because all cant be solved.

George Galloway was expelled from party because he was destabilising it, but he was still free to form his own opinion. Not sure what McCarthyism has to do with what ur talking about but i dont pretend i know what it is but i do know it was 60 years ago...or so. But my point either way was that in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia (and i have been in all three), to admit to your own country committing a crime leads to isolation by the community and u have to watch what u say. Does that happen in Canada? Certianly doesnt in australia. i didnt explain properly but thats what i was getting at and not talking about persecution by the government.

Thank you for the history lesson about iran and turkey but not sure how u feel they are the best to judge on serbia's future. after all, that was your point. But with south africa again, noone from US forced anyone in South Africa to kill a black man. Support is not the same as forcing and every individual in south africa who killed a black man was not forced to pull the trigger etc. South Africans could have chosen at the time to treat blacks with respect. if the law says u can kill a black man, it doesnt mean you have to does it? But luckily they chose to get away from that.

Listen to yourself: "You are all to blame". you still conveniently forget milosevic's visit to Kosovo? Milosevic's cutting of autonomy. Milosevic's power grab in yugoslav presidential council. do you seriously believe rest of republics should have just accepted that. its what the rest of republics had been fearful since ww1 and its what lead to call for independence. had milosevic agreed with the rest of the republics for confederation, there would not have been a brake up. but he thought sending the army was much more effective. again he chose that. US didnt tell him "hey slobo, send your army in". He didnt have to order an attack and levelling of city of vukovar, did he? Not a single bullet was fired within serbia proper and somehow it was everyone attacking serbia.

I commend you on your knowledge of history but your knowledge of events in yugoslavia are zero. whilst you may have travelled there I lived there during this time and I do remember the change in yugoslavia after milosevic's famous speech in kosovo.

thank you for your information on canadian life. perhaps you should look at why you a very angry fellow because you seem to digress to your current life alot.

Walter you possess a brilliant mind and I enjoy reading your insightful comments.Although I am American and love the oppurtunities this country gives to all who work hard and persevere it is undoubtedly true that Canadians possess a much more balanced and unbiased view of the world.I am glad to have persons with minds like yours as neighbors.God bless the United States of America and ditto for our Canadian neighbors.Keep up the good work.

Again, I have no idea what you are on about regarding 80% of wealth (although I do know 80% of wealth is owned by 20% of individuals) or how it applies to what we are talking about here. posts about socio-economic status of Canada should perhaps be written on a canadian website.

As for reading history. we have a tendancy to choose history books to read which best reflect our own thinking.

DINO: You are a bit confused with the percentages. One percent of the world’s population owns 80% of the world’s wealth while the other 99% of the world’s population only own 20% of the world’s wealth. If we look at statistics for individual countries these figures would be slightly different. What does this have to do with KOSOVO? Everything! The one percent uses its economic power and Media domination to retain that wealth. The money spent on wars and military production keeps the money coming to those who own the companies. If this money was diverted to collective goods, health, education, environment, clean water, development of underdeveloped areas, and food for millions of hungry people the human race would not be at each other’s throats. Kosovo has nothing to do because Albanians and Serbs are bad people it has everything to do with profit for the one percent. You don’t see this because the one percent that controls information and wealth has the other 99 % squabbling over what is left. They have convinced you that the Serbs are responsible for Albanian poverty and they have convinced the Serbs that the Albanians are responsible for poverty in Serbia. One of the favorite tactics of national governments is to divert people’s attention from the real problem and that is the way they stay in power.

Luciano thank you. My mother was born in Butte Montana and she never gave up her US citizenship so I am I guess half American. I may be a bit harsh concerning America but it is not the people that I am criticizing it is the American government that has lost its direction.

Walter, well I am glad that through all of the books u have read that u see everything as black and white. Sounds like these have convinced u that its always everyone else who is responsible for their own actions/situation.

Whilst I do agree with you with your arguement that money is root of all evil (so to speak), bad things that I may do to another human being is my fault. noone elses. and thats the point im trying to get across. alot of ppl blame other countries for the war that happened but everyone had a choice, sometimes it takes time (in the case of former yugoslavia 5-6 years) to see sense. escuses for going to war didnt magically disappear one day in 1996 to stop the war. Thankfully people saw sense. and that was a choice.

DINO history is not black and white it is somewhere in-between. The more we read the more history becomes somewhere in-between. Like Hegel stated ideas are challenged by other ideas until a new set of accepted ideas emerges and the cycle starts all over again, to this I add his student’s interpretation which is much more logical the economic interpretation of history. History is a struggle between the haves and the have not, between the powerful and the weak, between the worker and the boss, between women and men, and so on. There are many theories on how we interpret history, some examples are, Hegelian Dialectic, life of common people, life of great people, a race between education and disaster and economic determinism. Each one of these plays a role in how history is written and interpreted. I tend to believe that economic determinism is the predominant factor in how and why events evolve. The most important thing about history is asking the right question since it leads to other questions and sometimes answers that we might not like

Walter, i agree with most of what u say. I agree with you that its a world of haves and have nots. Some countries have more power than others.

its also filled with people jealous of the people with haves and perception that their own "have not" is someone else fault. People convince that there is an and decide to do horrible things. and then blame someone else!!! noone can kill someone and say "US made me do it". US seems an easy scapegoat for everything in the world. Heck, ill just blame US for me writing this comment!!noone wants to take responsibility for themselves.

In case of Yugoslavia, war didnt have to happen (but my personal opinion is that Milosevic wanted to be the next tito of a new yugoslavia). That aside, I can tell u that most republics never wanted to live together in Yugoslavia. its ironic that you argue that EU etc wanted Yugoslavia apart (and make it sound like it was a bad thing) and yet the big european countries were the ones that created it in first place 100 years ago (give or take)! You forget that Yugoslavia was something artificial! The way I see it, EU, US eventually saw some sense and realised that individual repubublics could not live together. Problem with people who do not come from that part of the world is that they see Croats, Bosnians, serbs etc as the same people. they are not. cultures are different, mentality is different, different history. Differnt way of thinking. Once Kosovo becomes independent there will be peace as everyone can then move on. If it doesnt become that, it will be an issue today, tomorrow and in 100 years. EU, US etc have finally realised this after many centuries of assuming that everyone can live together. they cannot.

Dino read my post #43 “What Would Serbia Sacrifice for Kosovo” to Nick on the issue of Yugoslavia and NATO involvement in its breakup so I will not go into that here. . I have lived in the West almost all my life and I know how my society functions. You are correct that people tend to blame others for their failure in life and you say “US seems an easy scapegoat for everything in the world” This is exactly what US does in order to dominate the world that we live in. We are fighting Communism therefore it is OK for us to kill 2 million Vietnamese. We are fighting terrorism so it is OK to kill two million Iraqis. We need to protect Europe from Iran so we will set up missiles on Russia’s borders. Castro is a threat to US so we will assassinate him and embargo his country for half a century. Chavez is another Hussein so we will assassinate him.

US and US media has not told you that the Vietnam War was an anti colonial war where foreign companies wanted to dominate rubber, rice and future oil production of this region, US and the media does not tell you that it is the US action in Arab nations in order to protect oil that gave birth to terrorists and now they tell us it is sectarian violence that is responsible for the carnage in Iraq. Yes created by US policy of divide and rule just like Yugoslavia. .Chavez is an enemy because he nationalized the oil industry and Castro is an enemy because he is an example to the people of Central America who live in poverty so we in Canada can have cheap coffee, year round vegetables and fruit produced on the most productive land in Central and South America while the people who need that land are impoverished and live on marginal land.

You write “Problem with people who do not come from that part of the world is that they see Croats, Bosnians, serbs etc as the same people. they are not. cultures are different, mentality is different, different history”. You are right to some extent here since cultural influences have left their mark on each group that you mention. Islam, Catholicism and Greek Orthodoxy like most religions are by nature divisive, dogmatic and self serving. Religion has divided the people who for the most part are the same family. Culture also has divided the people. As we move south from Slovenia down through Yugoslavia the bathrooms become filthier and filthier and more holes in the ground rather than cubicles where one can wash their hands , the service poorer, the work ethic leisurely, the swerving more common and so on. The further north and west one traveled in Yugoslavia the more Western the region while further south you went the more Middle Eastern it became. Revenge was the method of dealing with wrongs rather than the law.

In the case of the Balkans I think that history is a race between EDUCATION AND DIASTER. The more educated the people they are more tolerant of differenced because they see in the human race more similarities than differences. My neighbors in Canada come from all parts of the world and my friends are from many different nationalities because most of us in Canada judge others by their character rather than by their ethnicity. You seem to judge others by ethnicity as you write “after many centuries of assuming that everyone can live together they cannot.”. What have you done to change this negative attitude which has brought nothing but misery? If we are not part of the solution than we become part of the problem. Change starts when one person says cooperation is better than competition. We are told constantly to cooperates in everything we do and we have international law and the UN that forces nations to co-operate but the strong always abuse the weak because they don’t want to divide the economic pie evenly so the powerful nations use their military to get most of the pie for the one percent that controls 80 percent of world’s wealth.

You are putting words into my mouth. My point was that a yugoslav divorce was best for everyone. thats not a negative attitude. if u have a marriage that the parties dont want to be in, is it a negative thought to want out? No.

As for US, I dont particularly care, think what you like, however noone can tell me that the suicide bomber that killed 35 iraqi children (this has happened on a few occasions) is US's fault. suicide bomber had a option and he chose to kill. so 2 million iraqis that are dead from killing each other is noone else fault but theirs. U cant blame sectarian violence on US because it was a bomb waiting to happen. terrorism was there way before US. You researched history, read up on Muslim extremism. Serbs have been talking about it for decades although their arguement whether its present in Bosnia or Kosovo is another thing.

As for oil, yes US has a nasty policy of oil control but isnt it what terrorists want too. if there wasnt oil, would there be Osama etc? Its about oil on both sides and they all want the control.

Castro and Chavez....I dont know much about that but if they both cared about their people, they would liberise and become more democratic. Its not as though US, UK, EU get oil for free from these countries but thats how its made out for their own purpose. these countries talk about oil as though its holy water. Would you want to live under Chavez or Castro. Id say get these people out, no matter what the motivation. oil or not.



Vietnam...Russia was involved too but noone seems to mention that. Russia good, US bad but both as bad as each other.

Dino I am not putting words into your mouth since you put them there yourself. You have a modern attitude about marriage as well. I am not sure if you are married or not but marriage is a partnership of equals as it should be with nation states. Just because you have a disagreement with your wife one does not just walk away since the consequences for the family could be horrific and the same is true for nation states.

Common give me a break if USA was not in the Middle East price of oil on the world market would be $200 + a barrel supply and demand Adam Smith and all that boring economic stuff. If USA was not in the Middle East there would not be terrorism as we know it Period. No September 11. Terrorists have one weapon against US military power and that is human terrorist bombs. Sectarian violence is US created. Shia are enemies of US Sunni were not, US divided Iraq into Kurd, Sunni and Shis for control it backfired. Period.

Muslim terrorism in Bosnia came with Isetbegovich and his writings and it intensified due to the war as Jihadists came into the country.. Now it is payback time but some Bosnian Muslims are not to enamored with it.

Yes the terrorists as you call them want the oil for Iraqi people not for Multinational Corporation. In Saudi Arabia US gets the oil and because several families friendly to America own it US gets the money as well from the oil purchases since the families invest it in US real-estate .

If I was living in Cuba or Venezuela I would prefer Castro or Chavez.. Cuba was run by the Mafia from USA, 90% of the people lived like Darfur refugees cutting sugar cane. Havana was prostitution and gambling capital of the Western World. Castro cleaned it up, and Cuba is better off than most central and South American countries even though Cuba has been embargoed by US for the past 50 years as for Chavez whose country floats on oil now the people of Venezuela get benefits from its sale not those who have shares in multinational corporations. If you are going to make comments about these things find out about it first.

Russia in Vietnam—Yes they sold weapons to the North who was fighting a colonial war and exploitation by the French and the Americans. Under the French when the colonial war started people in Vietnam were required to purchase certain amount of Alcohol and if they did not they had to pay a tax instead.. In China when the British ewer ether the Chinese were forced to use opium and by 1949 there was over 100 million drug users in China. Mao got rid of that by getting rid of the dealers just like Castro got rid of the Mafia by sending them back to USA. There is no excuse for not knowing and than commenting.

Walter,

even though you writte extensively and in long columns, You totally are off the mark and using psudofacts try to "teach" us History of balkans.
Dont get offended.

Lazer Dino asked these questions in his post and from your comment you need to attend a class or two in history—no offence. On the other hand my comments in most of my other posts are 80% about Balkan history. Well lazer again at least Dino wanted to learn something but maybe I was wrong about you? Lets not try to insult the fact that we might not know something but rather lets try and get some value from each other’s comments. The only way will do that is if we have an open mind. It is easy to accuse me of being opinionated but you never counter this with evidence to the contrary. For everything that I say I provide scholarly evidence that can be measured and verified by other scholarly evidence. Where is your?

Isn't it obvious mr Polt did not fulfil his mission? This interview tells us just that.

Mr Polt says minorities will be protected, really? the serbs in Kosovo cannot go anywhere without protection of Nato soldiers so it is better they are cleansed from the Albanian dominated areas by force, coercion etc, Just like the american red indians no less.

The three major powers in the E.U., the so-called “European Union-Three,” are France, Germany, and Britain. Yet, these three European countries are not alone. America in reality is the European Union’s fourth power, which acts through, or more properly with, Britain. The alliance between Washington and London makes America a de facto power in the European Union. London is also America’s voice in Europe. Several other mechanisms including control of Eastern European E.U. members and NATO also allow America to exert itself in Europe.......In other words, the US is exerting it's will in the Balkans. Can we all agree on that? The Albanians obviously were more willing subjects than the Serbians. This will be a fun ride since Russia got on the train.