The Washington Times
Letters to the editor
21 August 2007
Trouble in Kosovo
In support of yesterday's Commentary column by Rep. Dan Burton, Indiana
Republican ("Negotiating for peace in Kosovo") Kosovo today is no more ready
to assume the mantle of statehood than it was when the international
community assumed control of it through NATO and the United Nations. It is a
disaster that predictably will lead to further conflict and will enflame
separatist aspirations globally. Why the United States does not see a
"Greater Albania" project in this entire process is puzzling to many.
If Kosovo achieves independence which would ignore U.N. Resolution 1244, the
basis upon which the Kosovo insurgency was ended no international agreement
will be immune from being "relativized" or ignored. This is a dangerous
precedent. The establishment of a so-called "Kosova" will lead ultimately to
unrest in the Presevo and Bujanovac regions of Serbia, significant portions
of Macedonia and even Montenegro and quite possibly Greece.
The United States should abandon the position of Kosovo's inevitable
independence, as it simply contradicts a position it supported in U.N. Res.
1244 and will lead to further crises.
A train wreck is foreseeably on the horizon unless policy-makers boldy
embrace the approach advocated by Mr. Burton.
LT. COL. STEVEN OLUIC
Assistant professor
U.S. Military Academy
West Point, NY
