No surprise here. The Prime Minister is KLA also. Moderate Kosovo Update: "Kosovo appoints first defense minister," from Xinhua, August 6 (thanks to all who sent this in):
Senior official of the ruling Kosovo Democratic Party Fehmi Mujota confirmed on Tuesday that he has been appointed as Kosovo's first defense minister."I have the confirmation from Prime Minister (Hashim Thaci), I was appointed as a defense minister," Mujota said.
Mujota, 45, is currently serving as a deputy in the Kosovo parliament. He was formerly a member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and later served as mayor of Shtime, a small municipality in the south-east Kosovo. Mujota holds a double citizenship of Kosovo and Sweden....
Here is some background on the KLA. From "Al Qaeda's Balkan Links" by Marcia Christoff Kurop in the Wall Street Journal Europe, November 1, 2001:
[...] Islamist infiltration of the Kosovo Liberation Army advanced, meanwhile. Bin Laden is said to have visited Albania in 1996 and 1997, according to the murder-trial testimony of an Algerian-born French national, Claude Kader, himself an Afghanistan-trained mujahideen fronting at the Albanian-Arab Islamic Bank. He recruited some Albanians to fight with the KLA in Kosovo, according to the Paris-based Observatoire Geopolitique des Drogues.Controversial Relationship
By early 1998 the U.S. had already entered into its controversial relationship with the KLA to help fight off Serbian oppression of that province. While in February the U.S. gave into KLA demands to remove it from the State Department's terrorism list, the gesture amounted to little. That summer the CIA and CIA-modernized Albanian intelligence (SHIK) were engaged in one of the largest seizures of Islamic Jihad cells operating in Kosovo.
Fearing terrorist reprisal from al Qaeda, the U.S. temporarily closed its embassy in Tirana and a trip to Albania by then Defense Secretary William Cohen was canceled out of fear of an assassination attempt. Meanwhile, Albanian separatism in Kosovo and Metohija was formally characterized as a "jihad" in October 1998 at an annual international Islamic conference in Pakistan.
Nonetheless, the 25,000 strong KLA continued to receive official NATO/U.S. arms and training support and, at the talks in Rambouillet, France, then Secretary of State Madeleine Albright shook hands with "freedom fighter" Hashim Thaci, a KLA leader. As this was taking place, Europol (the European Police Organization based in The Hague) was preparing a scathing report on the connection between the KLA and international drug gangs. Even Robert Gelbard, America's special envoy to Bosnia, officially described the KLA as Islamic terrorists.
So now the Islamic terrorist Prime Minister of Kosovo has appointed another Islamic terrorist as Kosovo's Defense Minister. But no worries! They're all moderates now!
Forgive me as this is off topic. Does the war in Georgia have anything to do with Islam? Thank you all in advance for any information-this is one media source I know I can trust.
Welcome to Jihad Base Kosovo.
Hopefully, this will cause further cognitive dissonance with our friends over at LGF and with those who have bought into the myth of Kosovan victimhood and with those who persist in wilfully denying the fundamentally jihadist nature of this ersatz state.
johndoe
Those who oppose Jihad everywhere else except for Serbia are also those who've bought into the myth about the KLA being more about 'Kosovars' and Albanians, than about Jihad. So don't expect them to be more supportive of Serbia against Kosovo than they were against Alia Izetbegovic.
I'm dismayed at the number of 'anti'-Jihadists who think that a jihad (albeit by another name) against Serbia is justified, but those against US, Israel, India, et al are not. At least Jihadwatch gives Serbs a say, which is more than can be said about other sites, such as LGF (I dunno about hotair) I wonder what these 'anti-Jihad allies' of ours think about Macedonians, who too have problems with their 'ethnic Albanians' - are those in power in Skopje also genocidal maniacs?
Serbia should ask Russia to send troops and militarily occupy Srpska, before that terretory becomes another Sarajevo, with all Serbs evicted.
I wonder why this doesn't surprise me at all...
The US and NATO criminals had crucified the Serb Kosovo and replaced with the evil "Kosova": the entity of pure evil run by rabidly racist, sadistic, genocidal Kosovar Albanian KLA terrorists: the biggest child-sex-slave industry lords in Europe, kidnappers, rapists, torturers, mutilators, murderers, organ-harvesters, Christianity-eradicators, the biggest heroin dealers on the European continents.
And these very Western rogue nations are now criticising Russia for not letting them destroy Abkhasian and South Ossetian communities, using Georgia as a vehicle, as they destroyed the Serb community of Kosovo, their Christian shrines, their culture, even their cemeteries.
This kind of pure evil does not go unpunished. To use a Russian saying, 9/11, 3/11 and 7/7 were "only the bloom, the fruits are yet to come".
Ruslan Tokhchukov, EnragedSince1999.
This is my current wish list.
1- That we are so humiliated in Georgia, and weakened that Russia will think it can oppose us in Kosovo.
2-I hope Russia will use all of their European oil revenue to arm Serbia with the best anti-air defences that it can provide.
3- I hope then they arm the Serbs with the best infantry weapons and advisors available.
4- I hope the Serbs and their Russian allies move us out of that nice military base Camp Bondsteel and use it as a platform to retake Kosovo.
5- Then I hope all of the idiots in Washington look at eachother in a sort of dumbfounded quisical way that would properly denote their infinite stupidity.
now, now, now, we all know that the kosovo albanians are moderate if really muslim at all...well sort of muslim...muslim-lite?...except when they are blowing up churches...then they are simply being patriotic....isn't that what their defenders claim????
ethoman: It seems you actually believe that the Russians have the high moral ground over the Americans. Are you for real? Even assuming American support of an independent Kosovo is wrong (and I personally think it is), would you please look at the intentions behind Russian and American actions? America bombed Serbia in 1999 because one European country after another had had enough of eight years of war in former Yugoslavia, had been feckless in solving the damn mess and concluded that only America could put an end to the slaughters all around. America did. Its bombing ended the acute stage of the Yugoslav break-up (everyone with a gripe against America seems to have forgotten this). Then America (and many others) wrongly backed Kosovo independence (in part because Western democracies and their elites refuse to think of Islam as anything other than just another world religion). A mistake to be sure, but not an ill-intentioned one.
BUT, Russian intervention in Georgia has been done for pure power politics. There was ZERO consensus in Europe for Russia to act as it did. Its invasion of Georgia is cynical in the extreme, whereas America's intervention in the Balkans was done with an international consensus now conveniently forgotten. Russia is currently proving the accuracy of a critical assessment of George Kennan, one of the authors of the containment doctrine and an adviser to President Truman, which holds that Russia looks upon its neighbors either as vassals or enemies. Moreover, Russia also doesn't care or really understand the nature of Islamic supremacism. If it did, it wouldn't be supplying Iran or running interference for Hezbollah. In short, Putin and his cronies are at least as short-sighted as any Western equivalent.
Does America make mistakes? Yes, absolutely. But such mistakes are not made to advance American power first and foremost. Russia is directly the opposite in this regard when it acts. And that's because the Russians have no understanding of freedom. None whatsoever. In short, America tries to advance the cause of freedom, even though misdirected at times. Russia, by contrast, NEVER advances freedom for any other people. Meanwhile, Georgians are dying. Wake up.
Wellington,
First of all I understand what you are saying, and I don't think the Russians have the high moral ground, quite to the contraire. Ask yourself what our high moral ground gets us in the fight against the slow Islamization of our societies? In my most humble opinion the Islmaists have checkmated us, by using our morality against us. It is the perfect weapon. They are crafty little parasites aren't they? Oh it is 10 moves out, but it is done. We are nearing, ever so quickly the point where we will have two moves left. Both of which will ruin us, only one leading to survival. Imagine what the average western government will look like 25 years from now as greater Europe has Balkanized, where the Paris of the middle east isn't in Lebanon, but Paris France. Putin will look like a good guy then. In the end it will come down to societies having what they can hold. Period. Then we can pack our pipes full of moral high ground and smoke it. Russians, and eastern Europeans understand that very well, as they have been the bulwark against terrors from the east since all of this started. Giving us in the west our birthright to freedom and liberal democracy. Why shouldn't they behave like Russians then? We have become so apathetic we actually believe that our future generation’s cultural dominance will be given to us by our moral high ground alone. Soon enough we will be just like the Russians or we will be just another part of the Ummah. Can you see another outcome? If so tell me otherwise or ... checkmate. As far as Iran goes that is wonderful brinksmanship huh? Russia cashes in while we are left holding the bag. What a yuk. Russia knows we will never let Iran get Nukes, just like Russia knew those stupid radar jammers would never help Saddam. This is probably revenge for Bush nicknaming Putin "Ostrich Legs". Putin just wants to see Bush have to make hard choices, and how could it possibly get any better than if you can cash in at the same time, as you watch two enemies squirm? As far as Kosovo, and Serbia goes ... all I gotta say is welcome to the future, we better get used to it, because it is coming to a province near you. I am under no illusions that our high moral standards will serve as the end game antidote to our current situation, in fact they have and will continue to serve as a catalyst for further Islamic integration into our societies. I have talked to people about this for years, and years, the apathy I get, and the dull glazed looks, compounded with outright hostility at times has lead me to believe we have been checkmated my friend. It is a done deal. Robert, and others like him have their fingers in the dike, but can they hold back this storm surge against such profound social resistance? Only god knows, but I think it isn't looking good for our hero. I am beyond holding out against a miracle cure, just waiting and watching, which nation will start pulling triggers first.
Forgive me as this is off topic. Does the war in Georgia have anything to do with Islam?
No,all parties tn this war are Christian.
But Beslan,the place where jihadists have taken hostages schoolchildren four gears ago,is in North Ossetia,from the other side of the mountains which belongs to Russia and most of the schoolchidren that were killed were Ossetians.
So,four years ago Northern Ossetians were the target of jihadists and now Southern Osssetians the target of Georgians.In both cases Russians intervened with "disproportionate reaction".
ethoman: Thanks for your response. After I sent mine to you I reread it and, while having no qualms about the content, did think upon a second reading it was a bit too harshly directed at you and so I thank you for that gentlemanly reply of yours.
I also understand where you're coming from. I have long thought that demographic jihad is more menacing and the more effective way that Muslims can slowly take over Western societies. In fact, Islmaic terrorism often times is counter-productive to ultimate Islmaic intentions and arguably benefits the West at times, because if anything is going to wake it up, it will be direct Muslim violence. Islamic terror is tragic but not as lethal to all of society as is slow infiltration by followers of the most menacing death cult of all time.
I would make two other points. One, I'm somewhat more hopeful than you are that Western societies as a whole will awaken and see how invidious the Islamic faith is. Already there are greater percentages of Brits, Dutch, Americans, etc. who have a low opinion of Islam and think it is possessed of fundamental flaws than ever before. Yes, these numbers have to go up, including among the elites who seem to be the most clueless, but I believe they will as Muslims can't help being Muslims, with all the baggage, dangers and annoyances that just being Muslim means to non-Muslims. Second, Russia not only doesn't understand freedom but it has its own Muslim demographic problem big time. I believe right now going on 15% of the entire Russian population is Muslim and this percentage is expected to rise considerably over the next half century. So, perhaps after Putin (a very clever thug in my opinion but a thug nonetheless----once KGB, always KGB) Russians will finally see that America and NATO should not be looked upon as threats but rather as allies. We'll see. I'm not holding my breath, though, because it seems to be in the Russian soul to conclude that all of life is one gigantic con game------the antithesis of the idealistic Anglo-Saxon mindset.
Oh yes, there is one more thing. I hold out some hope that many Muslims in the West will actually begin to see how retrogressive and oppressive Islam is to the mind, body and spirit. In fact, I'm certain this will happen with some young Muslims in Western countries, the ony question is what the percentage will be. Overall, I'm hopefull that the quest for freedom, which is almost innate in every human being, will manifest itself in many instances over the crushing and deadening influences which Islam has on so many of its adherents. Take care.
Wellington, athenian
Here are two exellent articles that clearly define the link between Serbia, Kosovo, Georgia, and Ossetia. Kosovo/Serbia has everything to do with Georgia.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/12/be_wise_on_kosovo.html
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/08/south_ossetia_the_perfect_wron.html
We in the west are crying in our beer over Georgia, but it is our own damn fault. We love to jump on those bad Russians, but the Russians are doing exactly what we should expect them to do in this case, because they told us they would do this. We are being ... in a word stupid. There are too many points to cut and paste from the articles, however these articles are the best comprehensive analysis on the subject I could find. Enjoy.
ethoman: Thank you for those two articles by Phares. I am in full agreement that America and the West made a mistake in supporting independence for Kosovo. I've never maintained otherwise but two wrongs don't make a right. This quid pro quo action by Russia is brutal, far more so than mere recognition of an independent Kovovo, ill-advised as that was (and yes, I'm aware of Albanian violence upon Serbs but it's not nearly at the level that Russians are now perpetrating upon the Georgians).
Also, since Russia doesn't understand freedom, that's why it viewed NATO as threatening. NATO is the greatest military alliance in world history for the protection and promotion of freedom. The Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles, Czechs and many other Eastern European peoples get this but the Russians don't. This is in itself telling. And don't forget that Western leaders like Berlusconi and Bush openly opined that Russia might one day join NATO----still Russia persisted in seeing NATO as an enemy. Again telling. And besides, even if we hadn't recognized an independent Kosovo, Russia would have found other excuses to inimidate its neighbors. Guaranteed. As I wrote in an above post, George Kennan had it correctly when he said that Russia views its neighbors as vassals or enemies. All Kosovo did was give them an easier excuse to continue with the implementation of this worldview.
Phares, a pretty smart guy, does make a mistake when he avers that in the early years under Putin Russia was ready to be more cooperative. I don't agree. Within months of Putin coming to power he was making deals with the Iranians, running interference for North Korea and sending intimidating messages to a country like Poland. Same old same old. Bottom line: America is on the side of freedom, although sometimes misguidedly so. Russia is NEVER on the side of freedom. Russia only cares about Russia. No ideals allowed.