Angry Serbs burn border posts in Kosovo

[january]

PRISTINA, Kosovo — Serbs set fire to two United Nations border posts in the north of Kosovo Tuesday, forcing NATO troops to intervene and fanning fears that the Serbian-dominated northern part of the newborn country Kosovo could boil over into violence and lead to Kosovo’s partition. In Jarnije and Banja, some 18 miles north of Mitrovica, police said several hundred Serbian men, some of them wearing ski masks, used plastic explosives and bulldozers to attack the two border checkpoint posts. They vandalized and set fire to passport control booths. No one was injured.
Police said they were stopping buses traveling inside Kosovo and that weapons had been confiscated. “This seems to have been an organized operation,” said Captain Veton Elshani, spokesman for the Kosovo police service. “This is an expected aftershock after independence.”
Local Serbs said the attacks appeared to have been triggered by rumors that Kosovo’s new flag was about to be raised at the posts.
NATO troops later closed down the roads leading to the checkpoints, cutting off the only link between northern Kosovo and Serbia. Police said 700 to 1,000 Serbs had traveled from Serbia to Mitrovica in the north on Tuesday, and NATO troops had closed the roads to prevent more militants from entering and taking up arms.
Fears were growing Tuesday night that Serbia could send police to the north of Kosovo and seek a partition of the territory.
In a sign that Belgrade was seeking to entrench its authority in the north of Kosovo, the Serbian government minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, said that Tuesday’s attacks were “in accordance with the general government policies,” the Associated Press reported.
“Belgrade has the intention to take over the customs in northern Kosovo,” Mr. Samardzic told the private television station B92. He said that the customs points were intended to become part of Kosovo’s state border, “and we are not going to let that happen.”
The Serb-dominated northern part of Kosovo already has parallel institutional structures, and the majority of Serbs there do not recognize the authority of the Kosovo government. Thousands of Serbs chanting “Kosovo is Serbia” marched Tuesday to a bridge dividing them from ethnic Albanians in Mitrovica, long a flashpoint for violence here. The ability of NATO’s 16,000 peacekeepers to maintain peace could help determine whether Kosovo will break apart.
The violence — the worst since Kosovo’s independence was declared on Sunday — came as Javier Solana, the European Union foreign affairs chief, arrived Tuesday in Pristina, Kosovo’s capital. Mr. Solana made the trip to congratulate Kosovo’s ethnic-Albanian leaders on independence and to assure them that the planned European Union police and judicial mission was on track.
Serbia, backed by Moscow, has vehemently refused to recognize the mission, arguing that it is an infringement on its territorial sovereignty.
On Tuesday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had spoken by telephone Monday with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. During the call, the statement said, Mr. Lavrov warned of “dangerous consequences” that “could destroy the principles of world order and the international stability that have been established for decades.”
Belgrade was equally emphatic that it would never recognize Kosovo.
“History will judge those who have chosen to trample the bedrock of the international system and on the principles upon which security and cooperation in Europe have been established,” Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said.



http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/wo...html?ref=world

[tkdgirl]

3...2..1... until Achimanutjob in Iran starts sending weapons and fighters into Kosovo.

Then the UN will issue sanctions, blah blah blah... we'll have another Iraq, this time in Europe.

I say let the EU handle it this time. Enough of the US and nation-building. Take care of America and Americans first.

[Grimmlok]

I say who cares all over the world.

Whatever retards want to wipe each other out, let them. I'm tired of them and their nonsense.

Get along or die at each other's hands. I couldn't give a shit. Grow up.

*Wags all the fingers he has*

[tkdgirl]

I'm actually outraged that no one is paying attention to the events in Sudan. The atrocities happening are almost unspeakable.

[witchcurlgirl]

Europe hasn't had a war since the Balkans had their last in 1999. I guess its time for some slaughter.

[tkdgirl]

With radical Islam taking a strong foothold on England, France , Denmark and the Netherlands, AND the newly independent Kosovo, Europe is a powder keg ready to explode.

[Mariesoleil]

Originally Posted by tkdgirl

With radical Islam taking a strong foothold on England, France , Denmark and the Netherlands, AND the newly independent Kosovo, Europe is a powder keg ready to explode.

The whole world is a power keg waiting to explode. Russia, China, Europe, the Middle East. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I believe that WW III began on September 11th.

[Chilly Willy]

^^ I agree.


Fucking Russians, why don't they keep out of it for once. Is their any violent, corrupt, criminal government on this planet that is not supported by the Russians?

Originally Posted by tkdgirl

I say let the EU handle it this time. Enough of the US and nation-building.

Yes please.

American nation-"building" hasn't been awfully successful lately.

[Mariesoleil]

Originally Posted by Chilly Willy

^^ I agree.


Fucking Russians, why don't they keep out of it for once. Is their any violent, corrupt, criminal government on this planet that is not supported by the Russians?



Yes please.

American nation-"building" hasn't been awfully successful lately.

No probably not but then again they are themselves violent, corrupted and criminal.

[Chilly Willy]

^^ That's what I meant.

[tkdgirl]

Originally Posted by Mariesoleil

The whole world is a power keg waiting to explode. Russia, China, Europe, the Middle East. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I believe that WW III began on September 11th.

WWIII did begin on Sept 11th.

But if you closely examine recent events in Europe, particularly those surrounding radical Islam (the riots in France, the continual push for Sharia Law in England, the growing cultural divide in the Netherlands because of kowtowing to growing radicals within the Muslim community, etc.), Europe has the potential to be far more volatile than anywhere else.

In many ways, its much like what Hitler did... but its far more subtle and done under the context of open immigration. I want to believe that Europeans will wake up and fight against what's happening. Yet, I'm not too positive given the posturing already.

The Middle East is what it is. Countries there have been fighting each other for centuries. Doesn't make it right, but, in some ways, its predictable. But when radical elements introduce themselves into civilized countries, and then demand special privileges and rights 'allegedly' based on their religion- and riot when they don't get it... its going to get ugly.

There are many, many articles out there about the growth of radical Islam in Europe. If you're interested or concerned, some are very good reads.

Interestingly enough, John Rhys-Davies (Gimli in The Lord of the Rings), has had some incredible interviews on the subject. His stories of his father's warning back in the 40s are almost prophetic.

[Mariesoleil]

Originally Posted by Chilly Willy

^^ That's what I meant.

Oups sorry

Originally Posted by tkdgirl

WWIII did begin on Sept 11th.

But if you closely examine recent events in Europe, particularly those surrounding radical Islam (the riots in France, the continual push for Sharia Law in England, the growing cultural divide in the Netherlands because of kowtowing to growing radicals within the Muslim community, etc.), Europe has the potential to be far more volatile than anywhere else.

In many ways, its much like what Hitler did... but its far more subtle and done under the context of open immigration. I want to believe that Europeans will wake up and fight against what's happening. Yet, I'm not too positive given the posturing already.

The Middle East is what it is. Countries there have been fighting each other for centuries. Doesn't make it right, but, in some ways, its predictable. But when radical elements introduce themselves into civilized countries, and then demand special privileges and rights 'allegedly' based on their religion- and riot when they don't get it... its going to get ugly.

There are many, many articles out there about the growth of radical Islam in Europe. If you're interested or concerned, some are very good reads.

Interestingly enough, John Rhys-Davies (Gimli in The Lord of the Rings), has had some incredible interviews on the subject. His stories of his father's warning back in the 40s are almost prophetic.

Interesting, I'd never looked at it from that point of view. Definently something else to be worried about.

[witchcurlgirl]

Originally Posted by tkdgirl

The Middle East is what it is. Countries there have been fighting each other for centuries. Doesn't make it right, but, in some ways, its predictable. But when radical elements introduce themselves into civilized countries, and then demand special privileges and rights 'allegedly' based on their religion- and riot when they don't get it... its going to get ugly.

.

These type of things have been happening in the Balkans forever as well.

It's not like the Muslims just showed up last week and "demanded special priviliges". There have been Muslims in the region since the Ottomans got there in 1355.

[Grimmlok]

Also, there are moderate secular muslim nations.. Turkey for example. Not every muslim country is staffed with complete nutjobs.

it's the nutjobs EVERYWHERE that are the problem. The thing about muslim nutjobs is that unlike their christian counterparts, they actually have the balls to follow through on their craziness. Christian nutjobs just whine and bitch and boycott Disney movies.

[Mariesoleil]

^^ or Harry Potter books.