Anger Violence mounting in Kosovo

DuH2 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 01:17 PM

Protests in Belgrade

Quote:

Anger mounts in Serb corner of Kosovo
By Nick Thorpe
BBC News, Mitrovica

The schoolchildren poured out of a narrow alleyway, carrying handmade banners.
"Kosovo is the heart of Serbia," they chanted.

On their way to join the demonstration they posed, giggling, for the world press - then rushed on, like a swirl of snow on a wintry day.

It was cold in northern Mitrovica, and few of the older generations shared the children's excitement.

On the outskirts of the town, hard-faced men and women piled out of school buses, which had ferried them in from outlying villages in this, predominantly Serb, north-western corner of Kosovo.

A stage had been erected in the centre, and Serbian folk music played from loudspeakers, before the speeches started.

Between 6,000 and 8,000 people, according to police estimates, gathered for this first public reaction of the Kosovo Serbs to Sunday's declaration of Kosovo's independence.

Speaker after speaker condemned the declaration, and reaffirmed that Kosovo could never secede from the motherland.

Quote:

"The EU mission is not welcome here... They are intruders, occupiers and abductors of our land," Marko Jaksic, a hardline local Serb leader, told the crowd.

..

Quote:

There have been several grenade attacks on this and other targets in recent nights.

Two grenades thrown at this building so far have failed to explode. Another blew up in the yard of a house 30m (100 feet) away, shattering windows.

And on Sunday night, two UN vehicles, and one belonging to the local court, a branch of the Pristina-based Ministry of Justice, were set on fire in the village of Zubin Potok.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7251895.stm

Quote:

Kosovo Serbs burn border points

Serbs set fire to UN and police vehicles at Jarinje
Kosovo Serbs have set fire to two border crossings to protest against Kosovo's declaration of independence.
The attacks took place at the northern Jarinje and Banja crossings, manned by United Nations and Kosovo police.

In response, Nato-led peacekeepers were deployed at the crossings. There have been no reports of any injuries so far.

...

Quote:

"We confirmed our principled position on the unacceptability of unilateral actions by Pristina declaring its independence," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement, following talks between Mr Lavrov and Ms Rice.

"We underlined the dangerous consequences of such a step, which threatens the destruction of world order and international stability which have developed over decades," the statement said.

....

Quote:

Ambassadors recalled

On Monday, the Serbian parliament passed a resolution condemning Kosovo's declaration of independence.

The resolution also formally annulled the acts of the government in Pristina, saying Belgrade's sovereignty over Kosovo was guaranteed by the UN and international law.

In a separate move, Serbia recalled its ambassadors to the US, France and Turkey because those countries had recognised Kosovo's independence.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7252874.stm

Yeah this is going over real well

.....I think its going to get bad.

Grond · #2 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuH2

Yeah this is going over real well

.....I think its going to get bad.

What about money spent by Western masters on Orange Revolt in Serbia a few years ago ? Flushed down the toilet....

commonsense · #3 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 04:39 PM

I believe this is a bad move by the US. A blatant and great power move for the present, but nonetheless a bad one over time. It will serve to alienate the far east in the future, more so than anything. For example, in the next hypothetical 'world war', would you want some of your prominent allies to be Albania and Kosovo, or Russia?

DuH2 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 05:59 PM

Uhm the US isn't the only player in this. USA didn't decide unilaterally to accept Kosovo becoming independent..much of Europe did as well.

commonsense · #5 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuH2

Uhm the US isn't the only player in this. USA didn't decide unilaterally to accept Kosovo becoming independent..much of Europe did as well.

The question is not which other countries were involved, but as an issue of national integrity in areas where foreign policy should be implemented. This area is separate from the policies of the UN, but our government seems to confuse the two. Let other countries grant them independence, then. The US needs no part in another confrontation, most especially with Russia.

commonsense · #6 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 06:22 PM

http://www.adetocqueville.com/200802...imgs723461.htm

http://www.adetocqueville.com/200802...iliw201535.htm

There was not enough time for the US to consider alternative modes of support or a credible investigative approach on the matter, which means the state department acted purely on sentiment for the new Kosovo there was no 'look before the leap'.

DuH2 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 07:04 PM

Its been 10 years...or least.

Saying there was no look before the leap sounds suspicioully like the same line taken after 12 years with Iraq.

This didn't just happen out of the blue.
..and we can't just spout off hope&change nonsense.. we have to make a decision and stick with it come what may..

The Decision has been made to support Kosovo's Independence....it obviously now a declared fact of life.
We have to deal with our decisions, theirs, and all that will result fom them. But to be wishy washy after making a decision isn't leading its poll taking.

What Russia posturing on the situaion should make clear is that we need to expand our military probably back up to Cold War levels over the next 5-10 years. Or we may be percieved as being so weak that military force by our opponents against our interests isn't a gamble its a winner.

commonsense · #8 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 07:46 PM

Our involvement in the previous vie for Kosovo's independence has little to do with the current one, save our involvement and the other players. In short, the state dept. does not need to act in the interest of economic investment (from previous wars), and should act in the interest of the state and foreign affairs of the current day. A draft could have easily been written agreeing on certain points for Kosovo's independence, after they were recognized by other nations. This would put the US in less of a binding situation if the draft was approved by Russia. But we can't do that cuz' we're America, if you don't like it we'll start a war, right? This is very illogical. All means were not exhausted in finding other ways to declare the sovereignty of Kosovo in a manner which would be acceptable to Russia. The chief problem is there was no "credible investigative approach" - no diplomat sent to assess the situation - the 'look before the leap' I asserted earlier.

This aspect is not comparable to Iraq - first that was a declaration of war, not sovereignty of another nation. Secondly, there was an extensive investigation to determine whether the declaration of war against Iraq was fitting (I remember a 'credible' investigation of WMD's taking place, among others).

Sickntiredofliblies · #9 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 07:57 PM

Given Russia's recent statements and actions, I fail to see how bowing to their wishes would benefit the US.

commonsense · #10 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sickntiredofliblies

Given Russia's recent statements and actions, I fail to see how bowing to their wishes would benefit the US.

It is not a matter of bowing to anyone, it is compromise. Kosovo will be independent with or without US involvement, acording to all other countries which consented. Some sort of document could have been provided by the US and Russia (not a binding document/treaty) which lays out independence of Kosovo based on certain understandings (not agreements), in this way the opposing reaction of Russia toward US could have been reduced. (or take the Japanese approach, and conduct an investigation of the circumstances)

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