Modern-day “civil” wars reveal that the real struggle lies not in the perpetuation of so-called civilisational clashes but rather in the facade that nationalised constructs, as homogenous entities, have been blessed by those ethnic minorities trapped within boundaries. The reality is that nationalism as an ideology is virulent by its very nature; depending on the vilification of the “other” in order to promote the collective historical amnesia akin to concept of one nation/one state.
Such is with Kosovo — certainly, the country should have received its independence way back when; however, the timing lends itself to a great deal of suspicion. Why, for instance, had Nato and the US occupied Kosovo since 1999, masking the assistance of several oil companies that had conducted regional hydrocarbon explorations?
Why — on the cusp of several US military campaigns propagated as a war against “militant Islam” initiated by the execution and manufacturing of 9/11 as the pretext of the Afghan invasion — did the US establish what is one of the largest military bases in the world, known as Camp Bondsteel, in Kosovo, armed by 7 000 strong special forces and extending to 360 000 square metres?
Why does the establishment of US headquarters at Bondsteel coincide with the five-tiered “Operation Enduring Freedom” military campaigns, executed across 79 countries in total, militarising those regions with vast oil reserves such as Nigeria, the Niger Delta, Sudan and Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan — but especially the Caspian Region, the basin of which holds 39% of the world’s proven oil reserves?
As with Israel, the US appears to have established a military base on a region “holy” to European Muslims — if you are not familiar with the concept or demographics of Islam in Europe, it’s probably because the bulk of Eastern Europe, leading to Asia, the Caspian and Turkey, have not been “officially” acknowledged by Western Europe as a part of the European cultural canvas.
Earlier this year, on January 10, the Swiss-based Manas Petroleum Corporation quietly informed interested parties of large oil and gas reserves in blocks regionally extending from “780 000 acres along the northwest to southeast trending (geological) fold belt of north-western Albania”.
Gustavson Associates Resource Evaluation stated: “The probability of success is relatively high [because] it is in a structurally favourable area [and] proven hydrocarbon source and analogous production exists only 20km to 30km away.”
Kosovo is a region comprised mainly of Albanians; the territory itself historically belongs to those whose ethnicity has given birth to more than two million Albanian Kosovars (92% of population) — with minority Serbs (4%)Turks (1%), Bosniaks and Romanians (2.5%) living on the land.
It seems to me that, once again, the US has taken a course of military unilateralism inextricably tied to energy concerns, for its own vested interests. Caught up in this complicated web are a people that have been fighting for their independence, but who have now been compromised by the shift in policy concerning the nature of Kosovo’s past imprisonment and the open-air prison yet to come. Freedom in this case appears to have come packaged with a price tag that ensures the non-negotiable — indeed, invisible — sale of a far more precious entity: regional, intra-national and continental freedom from US foreign policy, directly implying control over Caspian oil.
This, of course, was the sole reason why the US hastened its occupation of the Middle East, establishing a 25-country presence; why Unocal’s Karzai is now the head of Afghanistan; why Iraq has the largest US embassy on Earth, housing corporations such as Chevron and Halliburton; and why after September 11 — a proven case of controlled demolition — the only companies to shoot up on Wall Street were entities such as Lockheed Martin and Halliburton.
The independence of Kosovo, which was a necessity considering the demographic historicity of the region, evokes sinister intentions of hegemony when we consider the nature of “liberation” — it appears that the US has successfully exported democracy and “freedom” to Kosovars, as it has done to Iraq and Afghanistan. The timing of Kosovo’s independence may well be its Trojan Horse.
This is a very interesting slant on a subject very dear to my heart. There is no doubt in my heart that the Albanian people in Kosovo are being used by the US, for the moment. However, it is Yugoslavia and latterly Serbia that has been paying off Kosovo’s international debt. The factories, companies and mines in Kosovo were state owned and have now been privatised by UNMIK. This is theft on a grand scale and Serbia, being the last succesor state of Yugoslavia has been, yet again, pushed aside while the big boys take the cream.
You say “As with Israel, the US appears to have established a military base on a region “holy” to European Muslims”. On the contrary. Kosovo and Metohija means “church land”. There are thousands of Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries in the region, some dating back to the XIVth century. One hunderd and fifty, as far as I know, have been burned, dynamited and desecrated by the Albanians since NATO occupied Kosovo in 1999.
Yes, with the politics comes the latest in country fashion. It’s the latest in nation hipness. It’s the fashion statement for global mapmakers. It’s the must have of the Eastern European border walks everywhere. Even Paris Hilton thinks it’s hot (okay, I made that one up). Yes, it’s the declaration of independence that all the rage right now. And Kosovo is the hot new independence date. She just declared herself independent and ready for a date with any ideology of her choice. More on this on my blog at http://angryafrican.net/2008/02/17/lets-make-it-global-independence-declaration-day/
Articulate and brillian article, really sheds on why US pushed for independence.Wonder y the papers haven’t mentioned it?
I did not know about the Caspian oil BUT the USA’s open interest is a dead give away that the US is securing something for itself.
Welcome to WWIII and the fight for strategic resources. Japan and Germany lost WWII based on a lack of secure energy supplies. The USA does not want to have the same problem.
Notice how the dollar is weakening and how the US trade deficit is just disappearing – an even bigger ruse, perhaps.
I doubt even if Obama wins that he will change course as they are fighting for survival as a dominant force.
I’m an American. I am not a nationalist. I found your piece to be informative and a bit paranoic.
Obviously you have some serious issues with the US government, which, by the way is fine. I do too. There is no doubt that the US government has behaved brutishly in many places around the world in the name of “National Security”. As you know, historically this isn’t unusual, many countries have. It just happens to be America’s turn.
I and many other American’s hope that in the coming elections here, these policies will be changed for the better.
I do however take offense to your unproven and undocumented assertion that 911 was a “controlled demolition”. Before you make inflamatory statements, be prepared to back them up with concrete evidence. What is your evidence, aside from the normal BS posted on the internet? Hard facts please. If you can’t prove what you assert then you’re nothing more than another kid with a conspiritorial chip on your shoulder.
Suspicious timing indeed and a slap in the face to a fast reforming Serbia. Independence of some description was inevitable in Kosovo after Milosevic but to claim it unilaterally without any regard for Serbian national issues or concessions is perhaps a mistake that will come back to haunt the hasty architects.
We may have words about the historical entitlement of ethnic Albanians to the province though
I don’t believe its that simple and hence some concessions were due. As for holy ground and all that stuff, Kosovo was holy to Orthodox Serbs long before it became holy to Ottoman Turks who invaded and occupied only in 1389 and oppressed them for 500 years all the while applying hefty doses of Islam.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article3037002.ece
Good article by Anthony Lloyd, but FHM, I wonder too why the oil has not been highlighted as the main reason why three UN Sec Members (US,UK,France) pushed for Kosovo independence as a means to serve their own ends…Of course Russia and China wouldn’t, because that implies that their own subjugated nations (Chechnya and Tibet) would stand be encouraged to do the same…
Hi Branka, thanks for the comment and thanks for reading;)
Tibet: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3559355.ece
Branka, what do you think the feelings of the Serb population in Kosovo is right now?
Will they remain in Kosovo? Do you think that Yugoslavia was a better construct than the independence of the various territories?
Hi Angry African, USAFRICOM is something else huh? Policing the continent but since they generally arrest according to racial profiling, guess that means everyone is a criminal now;)
Hi Owen, you’re right, US deficit is rising stratospherically and even US domestic assets are being bought out by foreigners who hold US bonds and currency – guess their governments are getting nervous are the drop in value re: dollar. US soon won’t be American anymore, China and Middle East have purchased massive shares re: real estate and thats the real independence of land, who owns your property, especially in your own backyard.
what oil is in kosova? There are oil and gas reserves in Albania… but energy wise kosova (please correct me here)only has a source of low grade coal. And far from a conspiracy… with the slow economic growth/recovery in albania, the idea of Oil Exploration was probably gleefully accepted to say the least.
there is an albanian macedonian bulgarian pipeline deal..that will bring caspian oil also to EU markets, but that does not involve/require kosova at all…And that was in the works for nearly a decade.
whats interesting is that Russia has inked a deal with serbia for Russian pipelines in serbia, as well as building a massive storage facility in serbia, mind you, all that russian energy is intended for E.U. markets. and russia purchased a controlling interest in serbian national oil…and it seems they did it on the cheap.
Oil goes a long way to explaining russia’s interest in serbia, not US interests.
I think in any case the price is way too high.
“and why after September 11 — a proven case of controlled demolition”
I have heard this theory before – that the US govt did it themselves in order to frame Osama bin Ladin et al. I heard that not one of the hundreds of Jewish people that held jobs in the World Trade Centre turned up for work that day (cos they knew).
sTrue?
six weeks before september 11th larry silverstein leased the twin towers
he was interviewed on PBS: ‘The controller (silverstein)of the destroyed WTC complex, stated plainly in a PBS documentary that he and the FDNY decided jointly to demolish WTC 7 late in the afternoon of 9/11. In the documentary “America Rebuilds”, aired September 2002, Silverstein makes the following statement;
“I remember getting a call from the, er, fire department commander, telling me that they were not sure they were gonna be able to contain the fire, and I said, ‘We’ve had such terrible loss of life, maybe the smartest thing to do is pull it.’ And they made that decision to pull and we watched the building collapse.” [wmv download]
In the same program a cleanup worker referred to the demolition of WTC 6: “… we’re getting ready to pull the building six.’
Controlled demolition was planned..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f4PKWqgUjI
Khadija, you call this “proof”? Silverstein is Jewish. Are you implying (as many others have) that the Jews were behind 911? If so, that is sad.
Perhaps your emotions (and bias’s) have clouded your judgement. No, I am not Jewish.
Sandra, it is estimated that about 400 Jewish people were killed when the towers were attacked.
For Kosovo I think you should also look at the platinum reserves. Second to SA. That is something lockheed needs to survive.
Please do not let the Bush corporate takeover of the U.S. condem those of us fighting them here. 2 elections were stolen by the corporations in order to take over our govt. Our country like yours needs to watch secret banking.
Why would people be pushing for nuclear in SA when your country could go solar with feed in tariffs like germany and japan. The people supporting nuclear have to be getting a payday in an offshore bank.
Solar power can knock out all these corrupt oil people in a heartbeat.
For some reason my post magically disappeared so I’ll try again.
Khadija, your “proof” is highly suspect at best, non-existent at worst. You really should know better.
Are you implying (as many others have) that the Zionist Jews (Silvertein is Jewish) were behind 911? In your world are the Jews the “Other” you write so prolifically about? Speak up and lay it on the line.
Sandra, the best reports that I’ve found estimate that about 400 people of Jewish background were killed in the 911 attacks.
And no, I am not Jewish.
Nope, I am implying that he was the property developer who bought the Twin Towers just six weeks before the attack and that he admitted it was a case of controlled demolition. As can be seen by the manner in which the building slowly collapsed, a very conventional case of demolition.
Then you have no proof for your offensive assertion that the 911 attacks – yes attacks, were a “controlled demolition”.
I suggest you do a bit of research before allowing your emotions to get the better of you. To oppose US corporations, to oppose US foreign policy, especially vis-a-vis the Palestinian issue is one thing, I would probably agree with you on many of those issues. But to throw a Molotov Cocktail and accuse the US of deliberately murdering almost 3000 American citizens while coyly implying that the Zionists plotted the whole thing is beyond the pale. Its just more hate bullshit. Its hard to take anyone who espouses what you seem to be saying seriously.
Ciao
Richard
Did you watch the video? I saw it all on the news at the time it happened. I confess I was toii-toiing with delight that for once the US was taking it up the arse. But I never gave it another thought. I saw the plane hit the building and the building fell down. But if you watch the video you can see it looks exactly like a controlled demolition – not a hap-hazard domino effect.
I don’t think Khadija is implicating the Jews – just that there were definately some powers-that-be that knew what was going to happen and allowed it to happen. I don’t think that being Jewish can put anybody above suspicion.
nothing to do with zionists;) US airspace/atmosphere most controlled in the world. Nothing enters it without NORAD and various other armed air forces responding immediately.The proof is that Silverstein himself stated it to be controlled demolition live on TV;)
Nonetheless, it had nothing to do with him else he would not have stated the evidence so freely, that would be self-sabotage. 9/11 goes down at terrorist event in any case so the case is closed.
Interesting read.. Thanks Khadija
Let me get this right – a guy buys the world trade towers and then demolishes them with everybody inside?? Waaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
You people are nuts.
For starters that makes no economic sense