POINT OF VIEW

Why Kosovo Wasn’t Worth It

Russia warned that Kosovo's independence would create a dangerous precedent. Georgia shows how it did.

« Return to Article

Discuss

Member Comments

  • Posted By: Berliner @ 09/24/2008 11:35:30 AM

    Finally, only bright future for Kosovo and Metohija is to be part of EU, and the best way for to accomplish this goal is entering EU as part of Serbia which is very close to the candidacy status. This way, both legal and economic problems would be solved.

  • Posted By: Berliner @ 09/24/2008 11:32:52 AM

    First of all, Professor Ruth Wedgwood gave us excellent review of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija.
    Second, Albanian leaders should think of ways to employ the people they lead (unemployment rate is greater than 60%, despite the fact that thousands of people work for UN administration there), not only to put this problem under the carpet of fight for independence.



  • Posted By: jaster777 @ 09/07/2008 9:56:28 AM

    So what this article is saying is that we should let Russia bully us, the west, into allowing atrocities such as those that occured in Kosovo to go ahead without consequence?

  • Posted By: lvos @ 09/06/2008 6:29:25 PM

    Kosovo wasnt worth it because people lost their lives defending the Al Qaeda backed KLA and the Muslims played Iago and idiot Cinton and Bush played Othello and listened to their lives about being killed while it was they who murdered Serb priests and nuns and burned Christian Orthodox Churches while screaming for the US and NATO to bomb Serbia and the morons that we are making decisions behind mahogany desks in Washington -- believed them

  • Posted By: firebreather @ 09/04/2008 8:51:52 AM

    NATO didn't go to war with Serbia, but with the Yugoslav Federation. And Kosovo didn't get independence from Serbia but separated itself from the Yugoslav Federation, just like Montenegro did after the Kosovo war, and like Croatia, Slovenia, FYROM, Bosnia & Herzegovina did before both of them.

    Kosovo's independence has nothing to do with what the article tries to make it have to do with. It's like saying that because Ukraine got independent from the Soviet Union, then Ukraine's independence wasn't worth it, because Russia may use that as a pseudoargument to support its own policies...

    ---
    But legally, Kosovo was not incorporated into the Serbian kingdom in 1912; it remained occupied territory until some time after 1918. Then, finally, it was incorporated, not into a Serbian state, but into a Yugoslav one. And with one big interruption (the second world war) it remained part of some sort of Yugoslav state until June 2006.

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/26/kosovo.serbia
    ---

    ---
    The fact that Kosovo functioned as an independent entity for nearly five decades, half of that time with full self government, challenges the allegation that the Republic of Kosovo had never been a state entity or that it arose out of nothing. Given its former status as one of Yugoslavia's eight self-governing territories, Kosovo is neither politically nor legally comparable to such recent secessionist creations as Republika Srpska in Bosnia-Herzegovina and South Ossetia in Georgia.

    The problem of Kosovo today arose exclusively as a consequence of the political and military aggression waged against it by the Milosevic regime in the late 1980s and early 90s, as part of the latter's general onslaught against the Yugoslav Federation. The refusal of Kosovo's population to accept their country's violent integration into Serbia was a legal and legitimate act, by contrast with Milosevic's aggression which - as is widely recognized - formed merely the initial step in his regime???s destruction of the political equilibrium established in the region by the creation of the Yugoslav federation at the end of World War II, and within that federation of the self-governing entity of Kosovo.

    http://www.newkosovareport.com/200808281169/Views-and-Analysis/Kosovo-s-constitutional-position-in-the-former-Yugoslav-Federation.html
    ---

    Kosovo has been the first (2.89) and the last (2.08) nail in the coffin of the monster creation called Yugoslavia and regarding the article, Russia does what Russia sees fit and Kosovo's case has nothing to do with it.

  • Posted By: Glenno @ 09/02/2008 10:36:18 PM

    US said from the beginning that they would recognise Kosovo no matter what, despite breaking international law. This also gave a good signal to the KLA/albanians that they did not need to make a compromise with the serbs. Who needs diplomatic efforts and international law when US- a global dictatorship can make its iwn rules. Btw how about mentioning the thousands of Serbs that has diapeared after this "intervention", or cant that genocide be used in US favour?

  • Posted By: amanfromgermany @ 09/02/2008 10:12:30 PM

    Talking about Kosovo you forgot to explain what exactly is USA doing in the middle of Europe? I remember when a Serbian student was asking me why US planes were bombing his homeland for 90 days in the middle of Europe and the world ( except for Russia) was silent? Talking about Kosovo you forget to mention that this 'tiny state' appeared only after the U.S. bombing of Serbia, the USA that is very interested in instability in Europe. You forget to mention that it is USA that has been backing and encouraging Georgian political elite and military to showing strength. YOu forget to mention that Srebrenica massacre was possible after the peacekeepers there didnt interefere allowing the tragedy to take place whereas Russian peacekeepers on the border between South Ossetia and Georgia fought back advancing Georgian troops loosing their lives to save civilians. This is a difference between Kosovo and South Ossetia. You forget to mention that US. instructors were training Georgian troops who later on would throw grenades at people hiding from bombings in their basements and deliberately destroying Christian churches knowing that people would go there for safety.etc etc. You seem to lack essential knowledge needed for writing an article on the issue.

  • Posted By: amanfromgermany @ 09/02/2008 9:42:39 PM

    I beg you pardon Sir, but...
    you write : "in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Georgia???supposedly for the protection of separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia"
    In just one sentence you make two mistakes as well as showing your incompetence for the profession of a journalist.
    How can that be?
    You may not be aware but Georgian tanks were shelling artillery at sleeping kids and women in South Ossetia. They started right after Mr. Saakashvili ( a liar and psycho) promised a ceasefire after border clashes. So, it was Georgia's invasion that tried to wipe out the whole city there. The west didnt interfere at all. Dozens of peacekeepers and civilians were slaughtered in few hours after Georgia started their attack. If it was not for Russia the number of dead would be enourmous. Russia has called for the emergency meeting of the Usn Security Council to convene. They did. And in the end they said - It is too late. For ***'s sake it was too late. Then, Sir, you name Abkhazian and South Ossetian - separatists. What exactly do you mean? Are you aware that historically, since the time immorial the Georgians, Abkhazians and ossetians are three very different nations? Abkhazia is not a separatist state bcs. it did not separate from Georgia as it has never been part of Georgia. Dear Sir, I am not sure which school did you go to and whether you have ever read any book about what journalism is, but i strongly recommend that you read up on the subject and verify your facts before you write something. If you only rely on the western media and can't read Russian, go and watch www. rttv.ru this is a news channel in english that could immeasurably widen and deepen your understanding of what is happening in Georgia. Their documentaries are for you.Or travel to South Ossetia and see the war torn city with your own eyes like i did before you dare to write bullshit like you did, Sir.
    p/s/ Seriously, you are a real shame for such a renowned and valued brand like Newsweek.

  • Posted By: amanfromgermany @ 09/02/2008 9:42:27 PM

    I beg you pardon Sir, but...
    you write : "in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Georgia???supposedly for the protection of separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia"
    In just one sentence you make two mistakes as well as showing your incompetence for the profession of a journalist.
    How can that be?
    You may not be aware but Georgian tanks were shelling artillery at sleeping kids and women in South Ossetia. They started right after Mr. Saakashvili ( a liar and psycho) promised a ceasefire after border clashes. So, it was Georgia's invasion that tried to wipe out the whole city there. The west didnt interfere at all. Dozens of peacekeepers and civilians were slaughtered in few hours after Georgia started their attack. If it was not for Russia the number of dead would be enourmous. Russia has called for the emergency meeting of the Usn Security Council to convene. They did. And in the end they said - It is too late. For ***'s sake it was too late. Then, Sir, you name Abkhazian and South Ossetian - separatists. What exactly do you mean? Are you aware that historically, since the time immorial the Georgians, Abkhazians and ossetians are three very different nations? Abkhazia is not a separatist state bcs. it did not separate from Georgia as it has never been part of Georgia. Dear Sir, I am not sure which school did you go to and whether you have ever read any book about what journalism is, but i strongly recommend that you read up on the subject and verify your facts before you write something. If you only rely on the western media and can't read Russian, go and watch www. rttv.ru this is a news channel in english that could immeasurably widen and deepen your understanding of what is happening in Georgia. Their documentaries are for you.Or travel to South Ossetia and see the war torn city with your own eyes like i did before you dare to write bullshit like you did, Sir.
    p/s/ Seriously, you are a real shame for such a renowned and valued brand like Newsweek.

  • Posted By: Glenno @ 09/02/2008 8:28:10 PM

    One day Russia will place nukes on Cuba and in Venezuela and then we can read a similar article: Why building Missile defence system in Poland was not worth it."
    The US government should learn to distinguish between Russian aggression and Russian reaction

Reply

Report Abuse

Enter comments if any for reporting abuse