Article

2008-02-24 Europe

EU withdraws from Kosovo as Serbia protests

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Posted by Steve White 2008-02-24 14:06|| || Front Page|| [10325 views ] Top

#1 3,000 GIs are operating in Kosovo as part of KFOR. I sure hope the Serbs and the Russians aren't planning on an invasion. This could quickly get out of hand.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2008-02-24 15:27|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2008-02-24 15:27|| Front Page Top

#2 Maybe not today but surely before the summer ends things will get ugly. The Serbs can't help themselves nor can the Kosovars. Russia has no need to invade. A means to limit the impact of concentrated airpower would probably be enough.

Posted by Tkat 2008-02-24 15:55|| 2008-02-24 15:55|| Front Page Top

#3 If this was a Saudi driven independence.. send them the bill.

Posted by 3dc 2008-02-24 17:30|| 2008-02-24 17:30|| Front Page Top

#4 Why in hell do we have any troops in Kosovo? Get them out ASAP and led the infinitely wiser Euros deal with their own problems. They don't need our help and they've told us that many, many times. Ask Chiraq, Schroeder or Malloch-Brown--they'll be happy to tell you again.

And no, I don't give a damn how many Albs or Serbs get wiped in any ensuing fight. The lot of them put together isn't worth the life of one American soldier.

Posted by Jomosing Bluetooth8431 2008-02-24 17:34|| 2008-02-24 17:34|| Front Page Top

#5 a) the enmity stretches back longer than America has been a nation
b) It's in Europes' back yard
c) It has NO national security or economic interest for the US

Get our troops out - let the EU handle it

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-02-24 17:39|| 2008-02-24 17:39|| Front Page Top

#6 I agree with Jomosing Bluetooth8431, and Frank G,My sentiments exactly! It was leaked last year that the Bush Administration was conferring with the Hillary campaign on strategy and coordination in international 'policies', maybe this is still being done with the Obama camp, as well.

Posted by smn 2008-02-24 18:00|| 2008-02-24 18:00|| Front Page Top

#7 I would expect that, like Darfur, Obama would be totally committed to intervention til the first US casualty

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-02-24 18:16|| 2008-02-24 18:16|| Front Page Top

#8 Okay, so here's a reason to stay: currently the Kosovars are (said to be) very pro-U.S. This despite whatever inroads the Wahabis and Deobandis have made the past decade; the Albanians look to us for inspiration.

Now if we walk away from them, they're going to get the idea that their distant Saoodi cousins were right. And the last thing we need is an active terrorist state/statelet in the heart of Y'urp.

I'd stay engaged. I'd also make sure the Kosovars understand that I have my limits, and asking American soldiers to die as a result of their provocations and nose-tweaking of the Serbs is beyond my limits.

Posted by Steve White">Steve White 2008-02-24 19:42|| 2008-02-24 19:42|| Front Page Top

#9 cuz they're so remembering and grateful from our previous intervention, Dr Steve? Get out, let the EUropeans handle it. Or perhaps we need EU intervention in Cuba when the shakedown happens? Spheres of influence and national interest are not just words....

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-02-24 19:51|| 2008-02-24 19:51|| Front Page Top

#10 The Serbians were our buddies in WWII fighting with us against the Nazis and rescuing our pilots. We sure stuck by them.

Albanian amity is not a major national interest worth the life of my son or daughter. Time to leave the Balkans to the EUropeans who are so much better at the kind of Soft Power that will make such a difference there. In fact, time to leave EUrope to the EUropeans.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-02-24 20:26|| 2008-02-24 20:26|| Front Page Top

#11 If you can't explain to America in 3 or 4 concise sentences, why we should go to war then you will not get America behind you. It's that simple

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-02-24 20:38|| 2008-02-24 20:38|| Front Page Top

#12 I was agin our first deployment to the Balkins and everyone thereafter. [two IIRC]
Because the Europeans will never pay the price, step up to the plate, take the heat until they get burned. 3 metaphors in the mix. :)

my other guess is that Russia isn't dying to deploy to the Balkins, but is willing to send weapons and weapon systems and possibily a few advisors.

Posted by RD">RD 2008-02-24 21:11|| 2008-02-24 21:11|| Front Page Top

#13 Remove our troops and redeploy them where it makes a difference like Afghanistan. The Serbs and Kosovars are not worth US blood.

This is like letting California have independence because it's been over run by illegals.

Posted by Sock Puppet of Doom 2008-02-24 21:54|| 2008-02-24 21:54|| Front Page Top

#14 It was leaked last year that President Bush was informing all the serious presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle of his decisions and his reasons therefore. Not just Senator Clinton's campaign.

Posted by trailing wife ">trailing wife 2008-02-24 22:35|| 2008-02-24 22:35|| Front Page Top

#15 The Serbians were our buddies in WWII fighting with us against the Nazis and rescuing our pilots. We sure stuck by them.

Correction, some Serbs. There were Serbs, Croats, Muzzies, Albanians et al on both or working both sides in WWII.

It's a curse on both houses. The Serbs play the victim/frontline fighter card just like Paleos play theirs in the muzzie world against a different kind of perceived 'foreign' enclave.

Let's remember it was Serbian nationalism, the Serbian Blackhand terrorist allied with the Serbian military/intelligence that wacked the Archduke setting into motion a couple world wars of which the results we are still dealing with. Not to mention the tens of millions of lives thrown away in the process.

Neither side are angels.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-02-24 22:56|| 2008-02-24 22:56|| Front Page Top

23:52 smn
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