Posted on 02/22/2008 5:57:24 AM PST by jhpigott
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.
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.
To the contrary, it is up to the moment.
China's demographic decline was only hinted at 10 years ago. The hard numbers today are clear: the ratio of women of childbearing age in China has shifted from 51% of the population to 46% - a ratio historically unprecedented in any population of significant size.
The ratio of under-15s to over-15s in China will drop below 20% in a couple of years - China will have a smaller ratio of children than America.
The ratio of over-65s will soar astronomically over the next decade.
The only reason why the average Chinese today is slightly younger than the average American is because Americans live 6 years longer than Chinese people do.
And while their economy is dependent on exports, they are still a slave nation and in control.
Being a slave nation is not a long-term advantage. I point to the example of the Soviet Union, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, etc.
The rest of the world depends more on Chinese goods to keep them going than China does on exporting them.
Absolutely false.
If the rest of the world collectively decided to pay 1.25% more of its disposable, after-tax income on household goods and appliances in order to avoid Chinese goods, China's economy would collapse and the rest of the world's economy would not be noticeably affected.
Plenty of US retailers have switched to sourcing more expensive German toys and drastically reduced their inventory of Chinese ones. The Chinese toy industry is now experiencing enormous layoffs, while US toy retailers had a solid, if unexciting, holiday season.
The big picture: Exports are almost 25% of the Chinese economy - despite the fact that they have four times as many domestic consumers as the USA.
Exports are only 8% of the US economy - our domestic market on a per-citizen basis is eight times larger than China's, despite China's almost 10$ annualized growth over the past decade.
And China will never grow at that rate in any decade ever again.
while i agree with your assessment and disagree wholeheartedly with the policies of Clinton and Bush on the “Kosovo” matter, the fact remains that Putin/Russia’s options are limited.
Outside of moving around some military hardware, Putin is not in a position to change the equation from a military standpoint. Now, he could apply pressure in several different spots to see if we’ll budge
Why are we backing the people there, who sided with Hitler in WWII?...
You mean Japan.
Oh, but we wouldn’t do anything to stop them.
The Balkans are balkanized. They like to fight each other and kill each other, dork each other, abuse each other and malign each other. To the extent that anyone from the outside get in the middle of their great national pastime, it just delays the game. They want what they get and they will get what they want until there’s not a one left standing. So let them.
So are you against the right of states to withdraw from the Union?
That's exactly where it stands. The upside is it will put marxists' knickers in a twist. One of their icons, bubba, created this mess by supporting the muzzies, but now they see mother russia supporting the Christians. What's a commie to do? Must be so hard to remain idealistic in these realistic times ... it's all just so unfair.
You mean Japan.
The poster means the eastern European Muslims, many of whom went so far as to join the SS.
I’m not saying I agree with Kosovo’s independence. I DON’T CARE. I just wonder why the liberals in Belgrade care. The liberal, socialist in San Fransisco wont care when Mexico declares San Diego as a part of Mexico. The Dhimmis in Detroit wont bat an eye when The Muslims declare Sharia law in Deerborne. What’s different about the Socialist in Belgrade?
I’m not asking rhetorical questions here. I really don’t understand.
Wait until the Mexicans use the same tactic on Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexice.
Do you believe States have the right to withdraw?
Maybe he is forcing Russias hand to fight that particular battle for us.
i guess the thought is we enlist the support of moderate Islamic/Muslim states in return for our recognition of Kosovo.
As you say, irrational, but then again Clinton and Bush weren’t/aren’t always rational
The big question, though, is: Does Bush really care enough about Kosovo to want to get into a fight with Russia over it?
I’m way past the point to think that he is outsmarting anyone.
I can't see it happening.
I can. Russia feels the need to protect its border of influence. NATO has been steadily chipping away at this border in Eastern Europe.
I would not be surprised if Russia called our bluff.
My problem is that I don't understand our policy in Kosovo. Just seems like we are on the wrong side.
Who is to say that they haven't been pre-positioning equipment in Serbia over the last few months/years. All it would then take would be a few commercial flights with lots of fit young men as passengers, who put on uniforms as soon as they arrive
It's a fair point: didn't you guys have a war on that very subject?
Even taking the Confederate view of this - Virginia* didn't have most of its population bussed in from Albania by Hitler, shoving most of the native Virginians out, before it tried to opt out of the Union.
And no 19th century Superpower bombarded Washington for 80+ days because Lincoln had the temerity to fight for the borders of his own country.
The South had a coherent case against the North in the Civil War: whereas the murderous Albanian immigrants (and NATO) have none.
* If it was Virginia that started the secessionist trend. You understand this is not really my subject as a non-US citizen.
You my friend are exactly right. It is a worthless mission to have troops in Kosovo. I have a friend who was stationed in Kosovo and he could not stand nor could he care less about the muslim Albarnians. He stated that he felt nothing but hatred FROM these people and could not believe that the U.S. was siding with a group who can’t stand us. It would be like if we all of a sudden struck up a friendship with Iran. - Ridiculous!
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