900+ Years of History is Hard to Let Go

I might not write much more on this subject for a while- there are certainly bigger and more important issues in the world. But nonetheless, the 'nationalist hardliner' Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, in true despotic fashion (sarcasm), dissolved the Serbian government and called for new elections.

The people of Serbia will choose a new government, but have been given a terrible choice. Give up Kosovo, or give up the EU. Literally the choice between their past and their future.

It's akin to asking Muslims to give up Mecca or Medina, Catholics to give up the Vatican, Jews to give up Jerusalem. Okay maybe not give them up, but entrust their most holy places to a state dominated by members of another religion that had a habit of burning and destroying those same holy places, or face a penalty that includes a future of economic isolation.

Well, they should just 'let it go' and embrace the future right?

I believe in self determination of people but I also don't believe that we should break countries down to their smallest demographic bits. And it is traditionally not the way things have been done. Sure empires crumble and new states emerge. And I am totally biased in this situation and would not pretend otherwise.

I love Serbia and the Serbian people, and will never apologize for that. I love their spirit and stubbornness, I love the fact that they will stand up for themselves against overwhelming odds as they have done though the centuries. To the Ottomans, then the Austro-Hungarians, then the Nazis, and now us Americans.

Are we Nazis? No more than we are Turks or Hapsburgs. Are we imposing a new form of imperialism? Absolutely. Traditional divide and conquer has been the hallmark of the disintegration of Yugoslavia, and now Serbia, and if you think it has not been orchestrated by the United States, well, having studied it for the better part of the last 15 years, I would beg to differ.

But that is another story. I found this quote from Kostunica about Kosovo which I think is great. Serbia will now have lections where they will choose candidates that represent the basic choice between Kosovo and the EU, the past and the future. For the sake of the people I care about I hope they choose the EU, but it is a terrible choice and I think many cynics expect they will choose Kosovo, as it would setup more room for conflict and rationale for continued NATO occupation of the Balkans. And those cynics may well be right.

This is from Wikipedia:

On February 21, 2008, Kostunica made an emotional speech in Belgrade following Kosovo's declaration of independence: "“Dear citizens of Serbia, Serbia! What is Kosovo? Where is Kosovo? Whose is Kosovo? Is there anyone among us who is not from Kosovo? Is there anyone among us who thinks that Kosovo does not belong to us? Kosovo – that’s Serbia’s first name. Kosovo belongs to Serbia. Kosovo belongs to the Serbian people. That’s how it has been for ever. That’s how it’s going to be for ever. There is no force, no threat, and no punishment big and hideous enough for any Serb, at any time, to say anything different but, Kosovo is Serbia! Never will anyone hear from us that the Patriarchate of Pec does not belong to us, that Visoki Decani and Gracanica are not ours! That the place where we were born is not ours; we and our state and our church and everything that makes us what we are today! If we as Serbs renounce Serbianhood, our origin, our Kosovo, our ancestors and our history – then, who are we Serbs? What is our name then?"