Kosovo: Souring view of EU mission

It is high time to face reality and stop repeating the lies our leaders have been telling us for more than 18 years about events in the former Yugoslavia. Corporate dominated media faithfully reflect the line put out by corporate-dominated political leaders, those decision makers who build their careers in service to the economic powers. This although economically beneficial at first did make the Western world less safe. Now that there is a crisis it may be a good time to at least stop repeating lies, start telling the true story about the relentless attack on Yugoslavia which will give the citizens an opportunity to exercise some control over their leaders which is long overdue.

Maybe the idea of an independent Kosovo wasn't that good at all...

Anyway: 1244 is still valid. And even the US and EU have to live to it!

That means: Kosovo is part of Serbia.

The US, UK and others never had made the promise of independent to Kosovo. Don't promise what you can't deliver...

1244: learn to live with it!

A sobering account of what a political, economic, and social basket-case Kosovo was, is, and will be. And it's no surprise why Afghanistan and Turkey were so quick to recognize its independence. EULEX is going to have far more on its plate than I believe it bargained for.

This is going to get really ugly. I feel sorry for Eulex police- they have no idea what they are getting themselves into.

"A new Kosovo paramilitary group calling itself the “Army of the Republic of Kosovo” took responsibility for the bombing and claimed that it would continue attacks against EU facilities (and the Serb minority inside Kosovo as well). While on the surface the angst is directed against the apparent EU acquiescence in what Kosovars consider a “made in Serbia” EULEX mandate, the real issue at hand is the narcotics operations that constitute Kosovo’s only true lucrative resource."

Someone unfamiliar with Balkan politics would interpret this as the EU finally realizing what they have gotten themselves into, and who they are dealing with. Someone more knowledgeable would recognize that the EU, Nato, and the US have direct interests in the province. It is naiive to ask why the EU has not listened to the Serbian position for so long when that was irrelevant. This goes to prove that even the west cannot deliver what the Albanians fantasize about, but cannot achieve in reality. This is defacto an entity which cannot survive as a state, everyone knows it except the Albanians themselves. The mantra of Serbian oppression or injustice is starting to ring hollow now. We will see in the years to come that the Serbs were never the enemy, but rather Albanian delusions of grandeur and self-importance. Pride truly comes before the fall, and what a fall it will be.

Adrian,
The article never states that Turkey shares a border with Kosovo. Perhaps you need to be reminded that many trains reach Vienna from countries that do not border Austria. Similarly, *ALL* of the anti-drug agencies in the West know that a substantial proportion of the heroin that reaches Europe passed through Kosovo at some point. The, er... pedigree of the Kosovo leaders is also well known.
-JM

"there is an argument that kosovo should be independent precisely because albanians are blaming serbia for their problems rather than actually trying to deal with them."

malcolm, malcolm, malcolm...

I´d say that sounds more like a cheap try to justify the illegal attempt to grab away serbian territory...than like an real argument.

nevertheless, a it´s a nice try though.

I agree completely, Steve, and this is particularly ironic with the idolising that goes on in Kosovo: streets, children and monuments being named after so-called 'heroes' who loved the worship but really didn't care at all who they were 'saving'.

If they were true humanists they would have stood up and said something while civilians were being maimed and killed for 78 days. You can't differentiate suffering because of someone's blood. Or call human beings 'collateral damage'.

I think that this is an interesting and fairly accurate article, and it has certainly prompted some interesting comments, but I would alter "Independence has been achieved" to "Independence is perceived to have been achieved".

Everyone knows that there is no legality in Kosovo's "independence", and that EULEX is under the umbrella of the UN, Resolution 1244 (guaranteeing Serbia's sovereignty), and the agreed 6 points.

Messrs Ahtisaari, Feith, Kouchner and the other major egos can say what they like. But the letter of the law says otherwise.

I actually feel sorry for the EULEX staff because if they try and do their jobs properly they will have a terrible time. There are some seriously unsavoury characters in the local mafia.

I find it also disturbing that this new group of thugs are threatening to attack Serbian communities. I hope that Nato and the UN actually do their job when it comes to protection.

British and Americans were with Kosovars all the way. Not one step was taken without their consent or advice. Leaving your ally alone now, would be a betreyal.
(ААА, 4 December 2008 05:10)

Did you really think that the US and UK NATO were in love with the Albanians or something? Don't you realize that what happened in 1999 was all about putting Serbia in it's place.

The west couldn't give a hoot in hell about Albanians or Serbs or anyone in the Balkans - all they want is to CONTROL and DOMINATE a once alien part of Europe that sits at the crossroads between EAST and WEST!

WAKE UP!

That means: Kosovo is part of Serbia.
(Ron, 3 December 2008 23:35)
can you please explain how does this article make you come to this conclusion? it simply states that organised crime is a major problem in kosovo and that the most important goal of the eu in kosovo is to fight it because it is a major problem for the eu. they can do that regardless of whether kosovo is independent or not. i do not think they will treat kosovo as a sovereign country anyway, more like a protectorate. they don't treat even much more sovereign countries with much more respect either.

there is an argument that kosovo should be independent precisely because albanians are blaming serbia for their problems rather than actually trying to deal with them. the article mentions this. so, if albanians finally get their independence they could finally start to look at their own society and conclude that most of their problems actually have nothing to do with serbia and finally do something about them. they could. it doesn't mean they will.

(Jovan, 4 December 2008 21:35)
not true at all. i am like eulex, status neutral. i do not oppose independence of kosovo nor do i support it. i do oppose the unilateral declaration of independence but that doesn't mean i disagree with independence of kosovo in principle. in theory serbs and albanians could agree on independence. in theory they could also agree on autonomy. or partition. personally i don't care. and serbia is getting support over this issue mostly for this reason, because many countries oppose unilateralism, especially if it is "co-ordinated" by a "coalition of the willing".

but in the context of what i said in my last comment, serbs also have problems they need to solve and kosovo is a major distraction from them. that's why a solution acceptable to all sides should be preferable. in that way people on all sides could finally start looking at their own problems without blaming the other side for them.

but again that's just theory. some people will always prefer to look the other way which the comment right below yours shows.

(Adrian Gashi, 4 December 2008 22:46)
kosovo is being mentioned as a major hub for smuggling in the western press regularly, so this has nothing to do with "serbian propaganda". long transit routes will need places for refueling, getting some rest or changing means of transport and these places are called transportation hubs. these places play a very important role on a transit route because transit can get entirely interrupted if they are not available. and kosovo plays precisely that role for some criminal activities. and nobody is saying this in order for kosovo to look bad, but because it is a problem and needs to be addressed.

This so called "analysis" is weak because it forgets a very crucial fact of geography: Kosova borders neither Turkey nor Afghanistan. So for the heroin smuggling to reach Kosova from Afghanistan and from there the rest of Europe, it must pass through EU territory, Bulgaria and Greece. Kosova is not any more of a transit point than are these countries, or Macedonia or Serbia for that matter. Any smuggling has to pass those countries first before reaching Kosova. In fact for any smuggler would make much more sense to drive all the way from Bulgaria to Denmark, staying entirely within EU territory and avoiding any border controls, then taking a detour into Kosova.
Were EU objectives in Kosova to deal primarily with heroin smuggling, they can block it much more easily and effectively in their territory than launching such a politically and diplomatically difficult mission as EULEX.

"Perhaps you need to be reminded that many trains reach Vienna from countries that do not border Austria."

Perhaps you need to be reminded too that there is no train that goes from Kosova to Vienna, and even if there was it must ultimately pass through Serbia, no? So Serbia must also be a transit point as much as Kosova, according to your argument.

"The, er... pedigree of the Kosovo leaders is also well known."

Are you suggesting that the Kosova leaders control the whole territory of EU and of all the countries from there all the way to Afghanistan? The pedigree of the Serbian leaders is also well known, as it is the propensity of the Serbian propaganda for manufacturing and perpetuating baseless accusations.

Ron.
British and Americans were with Kosovars all the way. Not one step was taken without their consent or advice. Leaving your ally alone now, would be a betreyal.

""there is an argument that kosovo should be independent precisely because albanians are blaming serbia for their problems rather than actually trying to deal with them."

malcolm, malcolm, malcolm...

I´d say that sounds more like a cheap try to justify the illegal attempt to grab away serbian territory...than like an real argument.

nevertheless, a it´s a nice try though.
(Jovan, 4 December 2008 21:35)"

Once again some other guy wrote a comment using "Jovan" without noticing that there is another Jovan posting here for quite a long time now.

dear Jovan, just in case you read this, please add some letter to your nick, so that we can be distinguished. thanks.

This so called "analysis" is weak because it forgets a very crucial fact of geography: Kosova borders neither Turkey nor Afghanistan. So for the heroin smuggling to reach Kosova from Afghanistan and from there the rest of Europe, it must pass through EU territory, Bulgaria and Greece. Kosova is not any more of a transit point than are these countries, or Macedonia or Serbia for that matter. Any smuggling has to pass those countries first before reaching Kosova. In fact for any smuggler would make much more sense to drive all the way from Bulgaria to Denmark, staying entirely within EU territory and avoiding any border controls, then taking a detour into Kosova.
Were EU objectives in Kosova to deal primarily with heroin smuggling, they can block it much more easily and effectively in their territory than launching such a politically and diplomatically difficult mission as EULEX.

Ron.
British and Americans were with Kosovars all the way. Not one step was taken without their consent or advice. Leaving your ally alone now, would be a betreyal.

"Perhaps you need to be reminded that many trains reach Vienna from countries that do not border Austria."

Perhaps you need to be reminded too that there is no train that goes from Kosova to Vienna, and even if there was it must ultimately pass through Serbia, no? So Serbia must also be a transit point as much as Kosova, according to your argument.

"The, er... pedigree of the Kosovo leaders is also well known."

Are you suggesting that the Kosova leaders control the whole territory of EU and of all the countries from there all the way to Afghanistan? The pedigree of the Serbian leaders is also well known, as it is the propensity of the Serbian propaganda for manufacturing and perpetuating baseless accusations.

That means: Kosovo is part of Serbia.
(Ron, 3 December 2008 23:35)
can you please explain how does this article make you come to this conclusion? it simply states that organised crime is a major problem in kosovo and that the most important goal of the eu in kosovo is to fight it because it is a major problem for the eu. they can do that regardless of whether kosovo is independent or not. i do not think they will treat kosovo as a sovereign country anyway, more like a protectorate. they don't treat even much more sovereign countries with much more respect either.

there is an argument that kosovo should be independent precisely because albanians are blaming serbia for their problems rather than actually trying to deal with them. the article mentions this. so, if albanians finally get their independence they could finally start to look at their own society and conclude that most of their problems actually have nothing to do with serbia and finally do something about them. they could. it doesn't mean they will.

Maybe the idea of an independent Kosovo wasn't that good at all...

Anyway: 1244 is still valid. And even the US and EU have to live to it!

That means: Kosovo is part of Serbia.

The US, UK and others never had made the promise of independent to Kosovo. Don't promise what you can't deliver...

1244: learn to live with it!

(Jovan, 4 December 2008 21:35)
not true at all. i am like eulex, status neutral. i do not oppose independence of kosovo nor do i support it. i do oppose the unilateral declaration of independence but that doesn't mean i disagree with independence of kosovo in principle. in theory serbs and albanians could agree on independence. in theory they could also agree on autonomy. or partition. personally i don't care. and serbia is getting support over this issue mostly for this reason, because many countries oppose unilateralism, especially if it is "co-ordinated" by a "coalition of the willing".

but in the context of what i said in my last comment, serbs also have problems they need to solve and kosovo is a major distraction from them. that's why a solution acceptable to all sides should be preferable. in that way people on all sides could finally start looking at their own problems without blaming the other side for them.

but again that's just theory. some people will always prefer to look the other way which the comment right below yours shows.

(Adrian Gashi, 4 December 2008 22:46)
kosovo is being mentioned as a major hub for smuggling in the western press regularly, so this has nothing to do with "serbian propaganda". long transit routes will need places for refueling, getting some rest or changing means of transport and these places are called transportation hubs. these places play a very important role on a transit route because transit can get entirely interrupted if they are not available. and kosovo plays precisely that role for some criminal activities. and nobody is saying this in order for kosovo to look bad, but because it is a problem and needs to be addressed.

A sobering account of what a political, economic, and social basket-case Kosovo was, is, and will be. And it's no surprise why Afghanistan and Turkey were so quick to recognize its independence. EULEX is going to have far more on its plate than I believe it bargained for.

This is going to get really ugly. I feel sorry for Eulex police- they have no idea what they are getting themselves into.

"there is an argument that kosovo should be independent precisely because albanians are blaming serbia for their problems rather than actually trying to deal with them."

malcolm, malcolm, malcolm...

I´d say that sounds more like a cheap try to justify the illegal attempt to grab away serbian territory...than like an real argument.

nevertheless, a it´s a nice try though.

Adrian,
The article never states that Turkey shares a border with Kosovo. Perhaps you need to be reminded that many trains reach Vienna from countries that do not border Austria. Similarly, *ALL* of the anti-drug agencies in the West know that a substantial proportion of the heroin that reaches Europe passed through Kosovo at some point. The, er... pedigree of the Kosovo leaders is also well known.
-JM

"A new Kosovo paramilitary group calling itself the “Army of the Republic of Kosovo” took responsibility for the bombing and claimed that it would continue attacks against EU facilities (and the Serb minority inside Kosovo as well). While on the surface the angst is directed against the apparent EU acquiescence in what Kosovars consider a “made in Serbia” EULEX mandate, the real issue at hand is the narcotics operations that constitute Kosovo’s only true lucrative resource."

Someone unfamiliar with Balkan politics would interpret this as the EU finally realizing what they have gotten themselves into, and who they are dealing with. Someone more knowledgeable would recognize that the EU, Nato, and the US have direct interests in the province. It is naiive to ask why the EU has not listened to the Serbian position for so long when that was irrelevant. This goes to prove that even the west cannot deliver what the Albanians fantasize about, but cannot achieve in reality. This is defacto an entity which cannot survive as a state, everyone knows it except the Albanians themselves. The mantra of Serbian oppression or injustice is starting to ring hollow now. We will see in the years to come that the Serbs were never the enemy, but rather Albanian delusions of grandeur and self-importance. Pride truly comes before the fall, and what a fall it will be.

British and Americans were with Kosovars all the way. Not one step was taken without their consent or advice. Leaving your ally alone now, would be a betreyal.
(ААА, 4 December 2008 05:10)

Did you really think that the US and UK NATO were in love with the Albanians or something? Don't you realize that what happened in 1999 was all about putting Serbia in it's place.

The west couldn't give a hoot in hell about Albanians or Serbs or anyone in the Balkans - all they want is to CONTROL and DOMINATE a once alien part of Europe that sits at the crossroads between EAST and WEST!

WAKE UP!

I agree completely, Steve, and this is particularly ironic with the idolising that goes on in Kosovo: streets, children and monuments being named after so-called 'heroes' who loved the worship but really didn't care at all who they were 'saving'.

If they were true humanists they would have stood up and said something while civilians were being maimed and killed for 78 days. You can't differentiate suffering because of someone's blood. Or call human beings 'collateral damage'.

I think that this is an interesting and fairly accurate article, and it has certainly prompted some interesting comments, but I would alter "Independence has been achieved" to "Independence is perceived to have been achieved".

Everyone knows that there is no legality in Kosovo's "independence", and that EULEX is under the umbrella of the UN, Resolution 1244 (guaranteeing Serbia's sovereignty), and the agreed 6 points.

Messrs Ahtisaari, Feith, Kouchner and the other major egos can say what they like. But the letter of the law says otherwise.

I actually feel sorry for the EULEX staff because if they try and do their jobs properly they will have a terrible time. There are some seriously unsavoury characters in the local mafia.

I find it also disturbing that this new group of thugs are threatening to attack Serbian communities. I hope that Nato and the UN actually do their job when it comes to protection.

It is high time to face reality and stop repeating the lies our leaders have been telling us for more than 18 years about events in the former Yugoslavia. Corporate dominated media faithfully reflect the line put out by corporate-dominated political leaders, those decision makers who build their careers in service to the economic powers. This although economically beneficial at first did make the Western world less safe. Now that there is a crisis it may be a good time to at least stop repeating lies, start telling the true story about the relentless attack on Yugoslavia which will give the citizens an opportunity to exercise some control over their leaders which is long overdue.

""there is an argument that kosovo should be independent precisely because albanians are blaming serbia for their problems rather than actually trying to deal with them."

malcolm, malcolm, malcolm...

I´d say that sounds more like a cheap try to justify the illegal attempt to grab away serbian territory...than like an real argument.

nevertheless, a it´s a nice try though.
(Jovan, 4 December 2008 21:35)"

Once again some other guy wrote a comment using "Jovan" without noticing that there is another Jovan posting here for quite a long time now.

dear Jovan, just in case you read this, please add some letter to your nick, so that we can be distinguished. thanks.