Comments on: The Big Day Looms http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/ Speak Victorian, Think Pagan Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:44:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Michael http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381276 Michael Sat, 15 Dec 2007 00:57:43 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381276 True enough, but how much power do the Kosovars have to actually sway the situation? If Kosovo and Serbia's respective backers sat down and hashed out a compromise THEY think is reasonable, Serbia and Kosovo wouldn't really have much choice but to take it-- not unless they wanted to fight another civil war without the aid of said backers. And it would probably satisfy Russia's demand to play big shot. True enough, but how much power do the Kosovars have to actually sway the situation? If Kosovo and Serbia’s respective backers sat down and hashed out a compromise THEY think is reasonable, Serbia and Kosovo wouldn’t really have much choice but to take it—not unless they wanted to fight another civil war without the aid of said backers. And it would probably satisfy Russia’s demand to play big shot.

]]> By: von Kaufman-Turkestansky http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381271 von Kaufman-Turkestansky Fri, 14 Dec 2007 21:10:45 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381271 It will be interesting to track which countries support a declaration of independence, and which don't. There is some discussion here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10481946&pnum=0 As far as question 1) in the last post goes, I think that it is just evidence of a high-stakes game that is going on, and as for 2) if I am not mistaken, Pristina is against anything short of full independence, judging from what I have read, for example: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hGdqmYfyoazjwhGmgmWdYvfh9feg And this, oddest of all, about Canada's potential response (going back to post #2): http://www.thestar.com/article/284329 It will be interesting to track which countries support a declaration of independence, and which don’t. There is some discussion here:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10481946&pnum=0

As far as question 1) in the last post goes, I think that it is just evidence of a high-stakes game that is going on, and as for 2) if I am not mistaken, Pristina is against anything short of full independence, judging from what I have read, for example:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hGdqmYfyoazjwhGmgmWdYvfh9feg

And this, oddest of all, about Canada’s potential response (going back to post #2):
http://www.thestar.com/article/284329

]]> By: Michael http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381238 Michael Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:10:20 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381238 The questions in my mind about this issue: 1) Does Russia realise that tying Kosovo to Georgia and Moldova's territorial issues gives other countries leave to question why Chechnya can't just up and leave Russia. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. . . 2) Everyone seems to be thinking in terms of status quo vs independence. What makes Kosovo as a Republic in a reformed Yugoslavia alongside Serbia and maybe Vojvodina less realistic than the other two? If established properly, it gives the Kosovo Albanians a greater say in their own affairs without removing the Serbian say altogether. The questions in my mind about this issue:
1) Does Russia realise that tying Kosovo to Georgia and Moldova’s territorial issues gives other countries leave to question why Chechnya can’t just up and leave Russia. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. . .
2) Everyone seems to be thinking in terms of status quo vs independence. What makes Kosovo as a Republic in a reformed Yugoslavia alongside Serbia and maybe Vojvodina less realistic than the other two? If established properly, it gives the Kosovo Albanians a greater say in their own affairs without removing the Serbian say altogether.

]]> By: Mark http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381234 Mark Tue, 11 Dec 2007 19:05:47 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381234 Aztlan is hoping Kosovo sets a precedent, also. What's good for Yugoslavia ought to be good for the US, as well. Oh, the irony. Aztlan is hoping Kosovo sets a precedent, also. What’s good for Yugoslavia ought to be good for the US, as well. Oh, the irony.

]]> By: Arcane http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381229 Arcane Tue, 11 Dec 2007 04:16:01 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381229 Here's a question for you all... I really don't know what to think about independence for Kosovo. On the one hand, I kind of support it, especially in light of the facts of just how pro-American the population is and how they are very interested in offering us basing rights. In the long run, the United States will become increasingly reliant on small nations that we have saved from larger ones in light of world public opinion turning against us. On the other hand, I am persuaded by arguments made by a great many individuals against independence, especially those made by counterterrorist analysts like Yossef Bodansky, and I am disturbed by the fact that so many terrorists have either made a home or operated out of Kosovo. I also wonder what the long term effects of Serbia's aggression against the Kosovars will be; for example, will it lead to increased levels of radical Islamization? If so, that is certainly a negative for us. What do you all think? Here’s a question for you all… I really don’t know what to think about independence for Kosovo. On the one hand, I kind of support it, especially in light of the facts of just how pro-American the population is and how they are very interested in offering us basing rights. In the long run, the United States will become increasingly reliant on small nations that we have saved from larger ones in light of world public opinion turning against us. On the other hand, I am persuaded by arguments made by a great many individuals against independence, especially those made by counterterrorist analysts like Yossef Bodansky, and I am disturbed by the fact that so many terrorists have either made a home or operated out of Kosovo. I also wonder what the long term effects of Serbia’s aggression against the Kosovars will be; for example, will it lead to increased levels of radical Islamization? If so, that is certainly a negative for us.

What do you all think?

]]> By: von Kaufman-Turkestansky http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381226 von Kaufman-Turkestansky Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:08:02 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381226 Is somebody tryin' to get the Canadians on this blog all ornery? YH! Is somebody tryin’ to get the Canadians on this blog all ornery? YH!

]]> By: IJ http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381221 IJ Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:23:47 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381221 The problem of the ownership of territory comes up again and again. Kosovo, the Arctic, Falkland Islands, and Taiwan are just a handful of the hundreds of territorial disputes still to be settled. Until then, the rule is 'might makes right'. Also from <a href="http://cominganarchy.com/2007/08/08/outmaneuvering-russia/" rel="nofollow">the Coming Anarchy archives</a>, a mention from the WSJ: <i>“<b>Power, not international law, will settle the issue.</b> Indeed, international law recognizes this fact by making title dependent on a nation’s ability to exert control over an area. . . That is why Russia is sending ships into the Arctic, and why Canada is saying that it will patrol the Northwest Passage. As long as such expressions of power are credible, other nations, disadvantaged by distance, will generally acquiesce and sovereignty will be extended accordingly. Russia’s expression of power is credible; Canada’s is not. Canada cannot prevent other countries from sending ships up the Northwest Passage, as the U.S. has demonstrated from time to time for just this purpose”.</i> The problem of the ownership of territory comes up again and again. Kosovo, the Arctic, Falkland Islands, and Taiwan are just a handful of the hundreds of territorial disputes still to be settled. Until then, the rule is ‘might makes right’.

Also from the Coming Anarchy archives, a mention from the WSJ:

“Power, not international law, will settle the issue. Indeed, international law recognizes this fact by making title dependent on a nation’s ability to exert control over an area. . . That is why Russia is sending ships into the Arctic, and why Canada is saying that it will patrol the Northwest Passage. As long as such expressions of power are credible, other nations, disadvantaged by distance, will generally acquiesce and sovereignty will be extended accordingly. Russia’s expression of power is credible; Canada’s is not. Canada cannot prevent other countries from sending ships up the Northwest Passage, as the U.S. has demonstrated from time to time for just this purpose”.

]]> By: Lexington Green http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381218 Lexington Green Mon, 10 Dec 2007 03:29:14 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/12/09/the-big-day-looms/#comment-381218 The Chinese are also worried about this precedent-setting example of an organic part of a country being broken off and given its independence despite the larger country's vehement objection, all under the shield of US airpower. That seems to them to be a model for troubling potentialities closer to home. They freaked out over Montenegro for the same reason. The Chinese are also worried about this precedent-setting example of an organic part of a country being broken off and given its independence despite the larger country’s vehement objection, all under the shield of US airpower.

That seems to them to be a model for troubling potentialities closer to home. They freaked out over Montenegro for the same reason.

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