First Shots Fired in Diplomatic "Battle for Kosovo"

http://www.b92.net/eng/insight/opinions.php?nav_id=40149 ^

[kronos77]

The first salvoes in this tussle have been fired. On March 13, Richard Holbrooke, the US diplomat who secured the Dayton Peace Accords that ended the Bosnian war in 1995, published an opinion piece about Kosovo in the Washington Post.

Holbrooke is now a private citizen but is also known to be close to the US State Department, so his words carry great weight.

He argues that a Russian attempt to veto, water down or delay the Ahtisaari plan would mean that “the fragile peace in Kosovo will evaporate within days, and a new wave of violence - possibly even a new war – will erupt”.

He added, “If Russia blocks the Ahtisaari plan, the chaos that follows will be Moscow’s responsibility and will affect other aspects of Russia's relationship with the West.”

Most significantly, Holbrooke says that if a Security Council resolution on Kosovo fails because of Russia, Kosovo Albanians will declare independence unilaterally and that the US and many Muslim states would probably recognise the new state, although most EU countries would not.

“European security and stability and Russia’s relationship with the West - are on the line,” he said.

Diplomats continue to insist that there is no Plan B if the Ahtisaari plan fails. There is, they say, only a plan for “controlled” independence. The alternative is “uncontrolled” independence because without a resolution, there will be no EU mission or Civilian Representative.

Behind the scenes, some diplomats and others have already begun to mull over what may happen if Plan A fails. However, no one wants to talk about this in public. Nobody - yet - wants to contemplate disaster in Kosovo.

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[kronos77]

[kronos77]

"Kosovo Albanians will declare independence unilaterally and that the US and many Muslim states would probably recognise the new state, although most EU countries would not."

Saddest truth is that Russia is NOT supporting Islamic lunatics in this one, and US does.

[Chi-townChief]

Holbrooke is full of crap - the war ended because of the Croatian/Bosnian miltary offensive that stalemated the Serb Yugos, not because of anything that Holbrooke did.

[353FMG]

"..the US and many Muslim states would probably recognise the new state, although most EU countries would not."


We often malign the EU for being fearful of Islam, but we have nothing to be proud of when dealing with Muslims.

[tired1]

i was on line with some folks over there while we were bombing them. they couldn't understand why we would do this and i had no answer. this was unforgivable on our part!

[JerseyHighlander]

If it gets to the point that kosovars unilaterally declare independence, Holbrooke leaves no ability for Serbia to respond?

I doubt the Serbian political leadership would stand in the way of the Serbian military leadership when the shooting starts.

Serbia this time responds with a much better media campaign showing NATO and Albanian atrocities against Serb civilians, and NATO will lose the ex-Warsaw Bloc NATO countries and the Orthodox countries quickly.

[ma bell]

That had nothing to do with the war being ended. The Bosnian Serb Army counteroffensed and began pushing back the C-M Fed. It was a predetermined DMZ line the Serbs withdrew too then the muslims got too greedy and the Serbs reneged on it. The Croats honored it. Long story and I'm not going to get into it now.

[DTA]

Two days ago there were two separate news briefings in State Deparment. The Europeans know that U.S. arms and trains Albanian terrorists.

Very likely there will be a bloodbath, owing to American alphabet soup agencies and the "Russians are responsible" will not pass even with U.S. European allies.

The Third Rome visiting The First Rome is not incidental.

Even Indonesia, the most populous Islamic country is against U.S. diplomatic support to Islamic terrorists in Kosovo.

With Chicom bases in Cuba, strategic alignment of Russia-India-Iran-China, and U.S. troops in Iraq within the range of Iranian missiles creation of another messy spot was not the brightest thing to do.

By supporting Clinton crime and following Mad Albright's footsteps regarding Serbia's Kosovo Condy has dropped the ball and this ball will turn into an avalanche.

It is so stupid that it is more likely Kosovo mess was deliberatelly created that way to explode on remote control.

[ma bell]

I believe the kosovo policy has spiraled out of our control and can't be corrected. Mainly due to the albanian thugs that are hell bent on doing their own thing, on their own timetable.

Kinda like the unruly overweight bully kid that controls his weak dad...McFly, McFly... You can only hope..but its a foregone conclusion with Kosovo.

[Banat]

Exactly. What Holbrooke is saying, in essence, is - give the Albanians their independence or they'll start a war. This is not an empty threat (similar stuff can be heard coming from the Albanians themselves) but it is foolish to believe that the US is powerless to prevent the Albanians from starting a(nother) war, as Holbrooke would like us to believe.

He'd be singing a different tune if the Serbs were the ones beating the war drums.

[ma bell]

Serbs learned a valuable lesson from the 90s. There are already independants within Kosovo to counter the alb insurgency and negate any suprise attacks.

[Barnsleys Beck]

"Kosovo Albanians will declare independence unilaterally and that the US and many Muslim states would probably recognise the new state, although most EU countries would not."

Probably? That's the best Holbrooke can do?

That's remarkably weak.

It sounds like a last gasp, hail Mary pass.

[Iceman Cometh]

I am in Kosovo now, and while no fan of Holbrooke of 2004, he did a lot to help the Bosniaks and Croatians form a coallition that could cause the stalemate. But, more importantly, there are no islamic muslims here, at least not in the mainstream. The main agitants right now are a movement called Vetevendosje, an anarchist/greater-Albania movement that wants all Serbs out of Kosovo. But it is filled mostly with students, and the Albanian muslims here are very pro-US/West. I patrol daily as an MP here, and deal with the people every day, they rejected Islamicist aid during the war here.

They are a completely different breed, most people here are embracing capitalism, western culture, and reject islamic fundamentalists.

That's not to say if neglected, this region could not become a fundamentalist region, but the muslims here are nothing like in the middle east at all.

[Banat]

Western culture and the values it rests upon and the Code of Lek don't mix well. The Kosovo Albanian is arguably the most backward society in Europe and is fundamentally & profoundly anti-Western in its nature.

Re. rejection of Islamism: facts seem to contradict your statement. The Wahhabis, the most rabid of all the Islamists, have been building mosques left and right throughout Kosovo.

Behind Kosovo's Facade.

[ma bell]

Let me tell you one thing you may not understand of the albanians, they will lie to your face so you hear what you want to hear. They are muslims that may not be like the M.E arabs, but htey are still muslms.

They are criminal by nature and heathenous by upbringing.

I'm also an American soldier that is very knowledgeable on the entire Kosovo and BiH theatre of operations.

[tgambill]

I was in kosovo from 1999 to 2004 working for the OSCE. I am an American, former Marine Officer etc......

These articles, I am quoted in for reference. I only bring this about for reference and credibility.

http://www.antiwar.com/deliso/?articleid=6899


http://www.kosovo.net/news/archive/2005/October_07/4.html

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewSpecialReports.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200509%5CSPE20050927a.html

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/9/27/101219.shtml

http://www.balkanalysis.com/security-intelligence-briefs/06302006-bosnian-investigation-confirms-balkanalysiscom-terror-report/

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1658467/posts

http://www.geopoliticalreview.com/archives/001215kosovo_the_chaotic_and_ignored.php

http://kosovareport.blogspot.com/2006/05/religious-leaders-issue-rare-joint.html

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The point is we lied from day one. I won't even speak about Bosnia and Croatia; that's another of the same story. There are partial truths and exaggerations, all out lies and much political correctness that has resulted in the deaths of several thousand Serbs and hundreds of Albanians since 1999 by the current ruling Albanian groups. Long story short. Thaqi, Haliti, Ramush, Ceku....all are part of the Mafia or associated with the Mafia and.....Islamic Extremists groups directly or indirectly due to business ties. Cohen in the beginning said.....to justify our entrance there.....that; "100,000 Albanians are missing or feared dead due to ethnic cleansing". That was an all out lie....secondly, they changed it to "10,000" then, they only find 2,108 bodies...of which 22 were in a mass grave...the only problem with that group was that they were Serbs.

I documented and tracked Al Haramain, RHIS.....all are linked solidly with Al Qaeda and are in fact blacklisted by the DOS.....Dept of State. I have a photo sneaked to me showing the white RHIS vehicle in Western Kosovo, clearly marked and parked without a care in the world.

The Albanian Mafia rules Kosovo and works with senior staff of the UNMIK. I know this because I also have seen the organizational chart the the UNMIK had from 1999 to 2002, of the albanian Mafia in Kosovo at that time. This included Political leaders........who are Mafia members....part of the KLA which was in reality never disbanded...only the name changed to TMK, KPC, later UCPMB, NLA, LAI, the list goes on and on..and now, the movement VEtevendosje, which I submit is just a carry on of the BK movement [Balle Kombetar]. Look it up...

You will not be told the truth by HQ,concerning the true story. They cannot afford to be "unpolitically correct"...If they were, they would be relieved of the command. The Albanians will not tell you the true story for many reasons. One, some don't even know...they have been lied to by their leaders, the others are also lying, they do like Americans [for now] because they see Klintoon as their liberator..and ticket to the Greater Albania, initially promised by Hitler by the way. I identified 9 rebel groups after 1999 that formed from the "Disbanded KLA", that had specific regions outlining exactly, Greater Albania........that was no coincidence......

We are supporting the ethnic cleansing of innocent Serbs that were there long before Albanians. If this is countered, ask yourself why are the "churches" older than the Mosques or any other religious site.....for starters.

Yes, the Serb paramilitaries came down with a heavy hand....and yes POWs were murdered....what do you do when you are faced with an Islamic Jihad? supported by us....??? We switched places and looked the other way as it continued from 1999 to today.....non-stop....this is true.....Our government lied to us right down to our skivies....If an Albanian were to be a witness against Ramush or any of these folks..HE OR SHE WILL DIE or family members will. They murdered Drini, Zemaj, and many others from the FARK....their own professional soldiers......this is the truth.

islamic fundalmentalist are working through the Islamic charity groups coming and going as they like. Macedonia is today separated like Mitrovica....Albanian Extremist in the West, Macedonians in the East.....

Once, Kosovo gets independent, they will for sure, start rebel activities in Macedonia, south Presevo, and targeting North Mitrovica......This is the short of it..........they are pro-USA as long as we help them get independence. If that didn't happen, as I warned many while I was there, they WILL link with Islamic fundalmentalist against us.

I know for a fact that a suicide bomber had planned an attack in Camp Bondsteel DEFAC in either 2003 or 2004. I personally talked with the polygrapher who gleaned this info from an Albanian in the Brig there.......

I don't blame you,....this is what we are told. You won't see this on a patrol nor when you talk to the Albanians.

yes, you are CORRECT, they do reject the Wahabbi form of Islam. Even the Mafia warned the Islamist in 1999 to 2000 to not start their crap or face death....:)) However, want to do business no problem. In 2000, the Islamist was giving rhetoric in my region...."Run the KFOR out like you did the Serbs"....this didn't go over well with the Albanians who at that time loved Clinton....ugggggg, and Americans..yeeeeeee, and also didn't like the Saudi style of "worship".....So, the Saudis and Iranian groups started paying the poorer Albanians a monthly salary to be "good Muslims".....a nice salary actually. Also, the charity groups would not renoviate or build a hospital, school etc...unless a mosque was built first. All these are facts, denied.....but if they deny it, they either don't know or they [don't care who] are lying...........

don't trust what you hear on the streets...don't trust your eyes.....this is the way of the Balkans.....Talk to the serbs as well. They have been the true victims since 1999,

[tgambill]

Oh by the way.....the downplaying intell or Public affairs, UNMIK etc...does about these groups is all BS....or they are believing their HUMIT and don't know the whole story. I found that each KFOR group in my region....Gnjilane, didn't have proper turnover....each new group actually started learning from scratch....So, the Albanians could make up names of groups and downplay its significance....same ole story.

[tgambill]

Holbrooke is so full of crap he waddles when he walks.

[tgambill]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1801752/posts?page=1#1

[Barnsleys Beck]

"That's not to say if neglected, this region could not become a fundamentalist region"

Ahhhhh! I see

They're peaceful and pro Western but if they don't get lots of hand outs from us they'll blow us up.

Many thanks for the heads up on that