Posted on 02/23/2008 2:00:25 AM PST by kronos77
Russia's ambassador to Nato, Dmitry Rogozin, has warned that Russia could use military force if the Kosovo independence dispute escalates.
"If the EU develops a unified position or if Nato exceeds its mandate set by the UN, then these organisations will be in conflict with the UN," he said.
In that case Russia would "proceed on the basis that in order to be respected we need to use brute force", he said.
Many EU members have recognised Kosovo, but several oppose recognition.
Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, backs Serbia, which has condemned the independence declaration issued by the Kosovo parliament on 17 February.
On Tuesday members of the Serb minority in Kosovo attacked two border posts staffed by UN personnel and Kosovo police.
The violence led the Nato troops in Kosovo - known as K-For - to reinforce the border with Serbia.
Kosovo's majority ethnic Albanians are following a plan drawn up by UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari for "supervised independence", which was rejected by Serbia.
Russian media outcry
The EU will soon deploy 2,000 officials to strengthen law and order in Kosovo, which has a population of about two million. Russia argues that the mission has no legal basis.
There has been a furious reaction in some Russian media to Kosovo's declaration of independence.
A commentary in the Vesti Plus analytical programme, on state-run television, called the assassinated former Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, a Western puppet who had "received a well-deserved bullet".
It said Djindjic had sold national heroes to the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague.
The programme concluded that Serbia - and not only Serbia - must now decide whether to acquiesce in what has happened, or resist.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Russia will not attack anyone, you are right. They don’t have the strength to do so now. Maybe in ten more years in collusion with China maybe. Albania is a pee-on, no need to even consider it as they are essentially a nonplayer. It is the kpc/kla etc...insurgent-style groups that are the main concern for any organized military force for Kosovo.
Divide and rule.
The pre-positioning of equipment is going to be noticed. You forget that Serbia is still under treaty compliance with the Vienna Document. Large consignments of weaponry isn’t going to go unnoticed.
How are they going to get the equipment into Serbia. Flight plans would have to be filed with the details of the cargo and especially with ordnance etc. A bit of a giveaway when large number of transport flight try to cross NATO airspace. NATO simply puts a stop to it by closing the airspace. How are they going to get it across land borders without inspection? It is back to the airspace problem. They require permission and flight plans to go through the airspace are are subsequently hamstrung!
Overland route as the Maks and Greeks will redirect overland and some flight with questionable cargo. Same thing with Podgurica Montenegro and the other ports, Bar etc... This has really shifted many allegiances and thinkings within the govt and private sector of the region. Don't think the Croats will be in collusion with the Bosnian Serbs for some of their own alliance/help also. This does not bode well for the muslim and pro-muslim groups.
Bulgaria has their own muslim problem but are less willing party to be involved. I just feel pity for the albanians when the steamroller comes through when we (USA) go into Iran.
The EU will not have the stomach for a ground war with the Serbian Army to defend Kosovo albanians when the albs are creating havoc throughout europe with their crime groups. I think not.
Kosovo's status is precisely due to Tito's anti-Serbian policies, because he (as a Communist dictator) refused to let Serbs who had been dispossessed return to their own homes in Kosovo after World War II. And then he invited the Albanians in from outside Yugoslavia as a deliberate policy to further dilute the Serbs' position.
So the Serbs who were our most faithful ally in WWII were betrayed by Churchill and Roosevelt (who gave military aid to Tito and refused it to the Serbs), were then oppressed by the Croatian Tito, and are now oppressed by the United States and Britain who refuse to acknowledge their historic mistake.
“Is the state dept so rotten with Clintonistas that they love don’t know how bad they look?”
Not “Clintonistas”, but Arabists.
Clinton did the Saudi’s bidding just like Bush.
It simply isn’t going to happen. The Serbs could never re-arm enough to take Kosovo. Serbia would require airpower over the battlefield. It simply hasn’t got the capabilities to do so. Currently it has 5 MiG-29s left out of a fleet of 16 in 1999.
The then Yugoslav air force suffered considerable losses in 1999. Losses alone in combat declared aircraft amounted to approximately 60 aircraft. Remember that is combat declared! They haven’t replaced them and have no money to do so. In order to take and hold ground they have to have the air assets to protect them. They don’t and could never have enough to match what NATO could bring to the table.
Yugoslav air force Col. Radovan Rakovic after the conflict in 1999.
“All our airports on the ground suffered great damage,” Rakovic said. The Yugoslav air force, he said, lost about 30 percent of its combat equipment and 40 percent of its combat systems.”
“General Pavkovic ... he said the Yugoslav air force, which “suffered considerable losses.”
The US is never going to invade Iran. Forget it.
Let it lie guy and girls. The Russians aren’t going to come to the aid of Serbia. Serbia isn’t going to invade and re-take Kosovo.
In five hundred years from now, the albs will try and lay claim and use this accidental takeover as "proof" they have historical claim which is nonsense.
How long you really think EU and the US will support and prop up this terrorist-laden regime in Pristine? The albs are not very civil and believe in the legal framework of justice. Their human rights record and abuse with corruption will always leave this KLA-govt in turmoil. Hence, needing to be propped up. Won't happen as the albs will definately wear out the patience of their masters. They will bring more corruption to the ranks of the EU administrator. Once the full extent of that is exposed, you really think people will want to spend govt dollars/taxes on those criminals in pristine?
You have to understand how these people think and operate, very very few are tactful enough to realize they "can't do things like that anymore" to lay legitimacy to their puppet-regime.
They will never control Northern Kosovo, the K-Serbs won't let that happen. You really think the Serb K-Mitrovica will give up control of their sector? I doubt it except when the EU uses military force to do so.
The Bush Administration - ONCE AGAIN on the WRONG side of the issue. Following in his idiotic father’s footsteps.
Europe doesn’t need another Islamic enclave in the Balkans.
The Balkan Christians have suffered enough in the past few centuries from radical Islamists stealing their women for their harems and their sons for janissaries.
Payback is indeed a B#^%* and the Muslims deserve EVERYTHING they get - in spades. WE should be there helping GIVE it to them, not aiding these freaks.
“How long you really think EU and the US will support and prop up this terrorist-laden regime in Pristine?”
We support Saudi Arabia and have for decades. We have funded Palestinian terrorists for decades. Don’t hold your breath.
“You are living in a dream world. All Russian vessels leaving the Black Sea are controlled and monitored by Turkey.”
Uh, the Russians aren’t limited to just their Black Sea fleet. They have a Baltic Fleet, a Mediterranean Fleet, an Atlantic Fleet, and a Pacific Fleet. They routinely have ships in the Indian Ocean, as well (not as many today as they had in the 1970s and 1980s, but they are undergoing a rebuilding program now and will soon have a larger presence than they presently have).
The Northern Fleet
The Baltic Fleet
The Pacific Fleet
The Black Sea Fleet
They have no Atlantic Fleet and no Mediterranean Fleet
The assets in the Atlantic on exercise recently came from the Northern Fleet. The assets in the Med recently came from the Northern Fleet and Black Sea Fleet.
Elements of the Black Sea Fleet joined NATO ships in 2006 on anti-terrorism patrols in the Med.
My reply was in ref to the fantasy claim that Russia could invade through Albania. In order to get vessels there the easiest route would be through the Black Sea. They would be hamstrung by Turkey simply closing the route in the event of conflict. Now think about Russia mounting an invasion of Albania from elements of the Northern Fleet for example? A totally ludicrous idea! Think of the timescale or a Russian deployment and think how many assets NATO could pre-position in Albania before the ships arrived. A total fantasy and Russia doesn’t have the naval power to do it.
I think many posters on this forum are finding themselves in the position of, on this single issue, not agreeing with the US but agreeing with Russia.
It is somewhat disconcerting.
Well i put my hatred of wjc second to no one.
He bombed the wrong country!!
Those little drug dealing, terrorists were torturing serbia and serbia wanted it stopped so our former prez unilaterally (no the french don’t count)decides to bomb a christian country and support a muslime one.
Now we have a real mess, not even Dubya can solve this one.
Yup, and Hannibal crossing the Alps was total fantasy, too, I guess. You fall prey to the most dangerous and deadly error of warfare: You underestimate your enemy. The way to win wars is to assume your enemy can accomplish that which you doubt the most, and prepare for that eventuality.
OK I’ll let you live in your dream world. How long before the reality sinks in that Russia isn’t coming to the rescue? How long before posts of “Why has Russia abandoned the Serbs?” “Why doesn’t Russia invade Kosovo?”
Have you tried sending your “Invasion of Albania” to the Russian Ministry of Defense? They’d love it! Wait a minute! Why not minaturise all the thousands of tanks, aircraft, troops and missiles and send them through the oil/gas pipeline?
Grow up, you little twerp.
Come on ought. Couldn’t you think of something more constructive? Be sure and let me know when the Russian invasion fleet assembles off the coast of Albania!
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