Were we on the wrong side in the war in Serbia? I liken it to Mexico saying well there are more Mexicans in California than Americans so it should be part of Mexico. Do you think we wouldnt kick some ass over that? Here is a link explaining it a bit more.
www.srpska-mreza.com/ddj/Kosovo/articles/Binder87NYT.htm (http://www.srpska-mreza.com/ddj/Kosovo/articles/Binder87NYT.htm)

Here's more from a retired Canadian General...

www.cfc.forces.gc.ca/spot...40406.html (http://www.cfc.forces.gc.ca/spotlight/2004/04/06/mackenzie040406.html)

Maybe there's a pretty big 'oops' there to the shame of us all...

have agreed with these statements since it was going on...

this isn't anything new. The problem isn't so much with the ultra-nationalist agenda Milosevic had, but rather his methods, which were considered genocidal. Keep in mind Kosovo had a semi-autonomous relationship with Serbia and Yugoslavia, so it's quite different than California or a normal state or province.

It would probably be more like Puerto Rico or Guam if you have to have an analogy.

We were disucssing this the other day, we're not really on a side here. During the recent riots, we held off Albanians from killing Serbs, and Serbs from Killing Albanians. The biggest problem we have is so many of the Serbs see KFOR (the nato coalition) as being the bad guy because we bombed the bejesus out of Serbia in 99
Something definitely needed to be done about Milosovic because he was driving the Ethnic Albanians out by the thousands, and his troops were murdering, raping, pillaging etc. I don't know the exact number of how many were killed, but it was significant enough for us to launch a war.
Now, some raise question about the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and their role, like the Canadian General linking them to Al Qaida. I seriously have to question that. Same with the riots being "well orchestrated" While I don't want to completely dismiss the idea of terrorist activity being the cause of the riots, because frankly I just don't know. It seems unlikely that it was, and it was swiftly contained and stopped.
Though I think now, we have shifted from an 'anti-serb' stance to an 'anti-violence' one because now we do see it coming from both sides against each other. Thats unfortunately nothing new in this part of the world.
From what I understand though, the idea was to use NATO forces to stablize things so that Kosovo could vote on wether or not to become their own autonomous state, or rejoin Serbia. I don't see that happening any time soon though. But we can hope.

Nice web page Elemak.

'Though I think now, we have shifted from an 'anti-serb' stance to an 'anti-violence' '

- Well I think it's been like that for a long time.
And like you said, there's no "sides" being taken. The UN (mainly British right now) forces in Kosova are merely there to protect the persecuted. Right now that's Serbians being pushed out by Kosova's on a "pay-back" trip.
Some years ago it was to protect Kosovans from Serbs and Milosovic (Longest. Trial. Ever.).

It's another one of those situations I just see happening for a while longer still. But the UN presence is, of course, needed.
I hardly see Kosova rejoining Serbia, at any rate.
Hell, we'll probably be protecting Kosovans again next year.

/Cough mostly British ...

Yep thats why Bondsteel and Montieth are run by who? Oh yeah us dirty yanks....

Though they do run a good portion of the whole deal, I don't know if I would say it's 'mostly' Brits, we have people from all over the fuckin place here. Good showing of pretty much everyone who is involved with Nato.

Funny how the UN supports war when they don't have financial interests in the country being bombed .. /cough

But thats a whole different bucket of worms.

There is no good side to take in the Balcan. Nationalism and extremists are very strong on all sides. Only option to keep peace there for a long time is strongly support non-extremist leaders, while disarming all the militias/KLA. In the past, Miloseic and his regime must have been taken out. Many said before the the present fights that KLA/Alban minority will try to create some conflicts in order to test responses they get from the peacekeepers and western powers. now it is settled, but i think there will be a lots trouble there in the coming years.

AL-Q links to Albanians might be true...as far as true for Germans, Britts, etc. Being a muslim 'country', some cells might be deployed and hided there, just like in the muslim minority in germany and among the refugees in GB.

'/Cough mostly British ...'

- It isn't?
I was to believe the UN had a "schedule" in place and it was our turn to be "the majority" out there, having taken over from Germany.
Either way, 700 Brits have just been deployed out there recently.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Could well be.

I think the brits have a larger part in one of the "parts" of Kosovo, there is 3 or 4, (can't recall off the top of my head)
Multinational brigades, There are a lot of Brits, and a lot of Americans, Greek, French, pretty much everybody with a big army still in Nato has people here, I think the British French and American's Have the largest participation, the 700 British troops was probably the group the sent to help calm the rioting I don't know if they're staying or what.

More to the point, it's spread around pretty equally, I was just giving you shit.

I think in the future though KFOR will be mostly EU members with just a few Americans around as Kosovo is trying to become part of the EU, it's more appropraite that the EU run stuff here. I got a load of photos of the place too if anybody wants any lemme know.

I would love to see some, if you can.
Can you host them somewhere, or send them via Email?

You're currently out there yourself? Or have been?

Currently there, I'm near the south end in MNB (east) wall-locker.com under the photos has a section for it (it's my website) I got a bunch I'm going to put up soon from the Kamenica area.

/sigh
Such a beautiful place.

Thanks mate.