Kosovo Independence. Thoughts?

I disagree with President Bush on this one. I don't see where we ever had a dog in this fight. Clinton was wrong on this also. We should have kept our nose out of it in 1999 and we should keep our nose out of it now. Serbia is in the right and we are in the wrong on this one. I hope that none of our military personnel get caught in the middle of this.

In our Civil War there was danger that England and possibly France would recognize the Confederacy. England, especially, was hurting economically from the interruption of southern cotton for its textile mills. If England had recognized the Confederacy, we would have most likely declared war on England. In fact, President Lincoln had been given authority by Congress to commission privateers to raid English merchant shipping in that event. Many historians actually credit Lincoln's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation as what influenced England not to recognize the Confederacy

Ok, history lesson over. I do not see any justification for our involvement in Kosovo in 1999 nor now. Serbia was not presenting a threat to our access to the Adriatic or Mediterranean seas. Serbia was not presenting a threat to our access to any strategic or economic materials or interests. Again, I don't see where we have a dog in this fight.

Jeff Brigham

"America’s greatest chapter is still to be written, for the best is yet to come." President Ronald Reagan

I don't know

Submitted by Guglielmo on Tue, 02/19/2008 - 8:44am.

we have our nose in Israel, why not everywhere else where a people want to create their own country and protect themselves from genocide.

Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist.! --John Maynard Keynes

Not the same thing. Not even close.

Submitted by Jeff Brigham on Tue, 02/19/2008 - 9:35am.

Not the same thing. Not even close. Israel is an ally nation of the United States. We have provide material and financial assistance to help them defend themselves against armed attacks by external armed forces that have attacked them multiple times.

That is considerably different than an internal province/state/area involved in a civil war. Please read paragraph two of my comment above. Also, remember that neither side in this conflict is/was part of an external threat by the Soviet Union or it's proxies.

Again, this situation of a civil war is not the same situation as our support for Israel. Not even close!

Jeff Brigham

"America’s greatest chapter is still to be written, for the best is yet to come." President Ronald Reagan

Really? I think you are conveniently ignoring historical facts

Submitted by Guglielmo on Tue, 02/19/2008 - 10:04am.

What was the modern State of Israel before it became the modern State of Israel? (That's a rhetorical question, but I'm sure you get my point.) And the international community, which includes the USA, has a profound interest in limiting the possibilities and effects of civil wars, especially in a place as critial as the Balkans. Do you have similar criticisms for George Bush the Senior who gladly welcomed states proclaiming their independence from post-cold war Yugoslavia? Are you not willing to welcome an independent, self-determined, majority Albanian-muslim country that was recently subjected to ethnic cleansing by it's neighbors?

Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist.! --John Maynard Keynes

Rather than lead this thread

Submitted by Jeff Brigham on Tue, 02/19/2008 - 12:04pm.

Rather than lead this thread into the history of Israel and Palestine, I have posted an entry in my own blog. See http://olyblog.net/history-lesson-birth-israel-and-loss-arab-palestinian-state

Providing your statement is accurate; Yes, I would have similar criticisms for George Bush the Senior "who gladly welcomed states proclaiming their independence from post-cold war Yugoslavia".

I do not believe that we should recognize "an independent, self-determined, majority Albanian-muslim country" We should have kept out of it in 1999 and let Serbia and it's province of Kosovo resolve their differences themselves. Even if that meant that they did what we did in our Civil War; Fight it out to the bitter end. We should keep out of it now.

As far as your comment of "recently subjected to ethnic cleansing by it's neighbors"; Civil wars tend to be very especially vicious and dirty. In that region, attacks against civilians of certain ethnic groups has occurred by and against different ethnic groups. Serbs against Albanian and also Albanian against Serbs. And so on, and so on.

Jeff Brigham

"America’s greatest chapter is still to be written, for the best is yet to come." President Ronald Reagan

Like when Bush

Submitted by Guglielmo on Tue, 02/19/2008 - 12:49pm.

recognized the government of Pedro Carmona during the failed coup attempt in Venezuela?

Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist.! --John Maynard Keynes

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