US Politicans & People Don't Care About Kosovo - At All

Rosemary Bailey Brown RSS / 27.03.2008. u 20:56

I conducted a quick experiment a few days ago. I went to all three of the US presidential candidate's official web sites and searched for any mention of Kosovo or Serbia. Nothing. Next, using their online forms I wrote each a note explaining that I am a blogger covering Serb-American affairs for two blogs and did they have any position on the US recognizing Kosovo's independence that they would like to share with my readers?

Within 24 hours I received form letters, the gist of which was, 'thanks for your interest, but I am too busyto answer your question. Please contribute to my campaign." from the two Democrat candidates (Clinton and Obama). McCain's team didn't send me any email at all, not even a form.

Truthfully, McCain's reaction was the only one that shocked me. (His team should not be breaking email marketing 101 rules.) Fact is, although Kosovo may be the biggest drama of Serbia, it's an unnoticed affair in the American political world. The only US citizens I know who are vaguely aware of the mess are themselves personally linked to Serbia in some way.

No matter how many speeches Serb politicans make on Serbian TV, or how many billboards they erect in Belgrade, nobody I know in the US is listening. If you want powerful people outside your country to care, ranting in your own language to your own countrymen doesn't accomplish diddly.

Notably, at the same time, everyone I know here has heard of the anti-China protests by Tibetans around the world. That's all over the news. Sorry Serbia, you're just not that great at publicizing your situation. Sitting back and expecting Justice to arrive on her white horse to save you someday... yeah, that's the day the Chinese voluntarily leave Tibet too. Sure. It'll happen. On another planet.



Komentari (38)

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SuperLuigi SuperLuigi 21:16 27.03.2008

WFT!

This may come as a surprise to you but, in general... Serbian Politicans & People Don't Care About Kosovo - At All

Cheers,

Luigi
lush lush 21:27 27.03.2008

Hm

how to put this... Fact is we don't care about it either, I mean if someone gave it back now, we wouldn't know what to do with it...It's been like that for decades.
vladimir petrovic vladimir petrovic 21:48 27.03.2008

They don't care but they make us suffer!

Dear Ms Bailey Brown, you are right, the US presidential candidates do not care about the Kosovo problem of Serbia but... Some time ago the NYT published the article of our Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic (as Op-Editorial) who was defending, of course, our official position about Kosovo. I was happy to see that article in the NYT, it doesn't happen often. But I was surprised to see many (rather negative) commentaries of American readers, say the average Americans.
And any comparison with China has no value - China and Serbia couldn't be compared at all. But we do suffer about Kosovo problem and the US is to blame. Good God knows why the Americans do it to us.
P. S. I read with interest your texts. How is your Serbian language going?
Srki Srki 22:34 27.03.2008

Re: They don't care but they make us suffe

vladimir petrovic
Dear Ms Bailey Brown, you are right, the US presidential candidates do not care about the Kosovo problem of Serbia but... Some time ago the NYT published the article of our Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic (as Op-Editorial) who was defending, of course, our official position about Kosovo. I was happy to see that article in the NYT, it doesn't happen often. But I was surprised to see many (rather negative) commentaries of American readers, say the average Americans.
And any comparison with China has no value - China and Serbia couldn't be compared at all. But we do suffer about Kosovo problem and the US is to blame. Good God knows why the Americans do it to us.
P. S. I read with interest your texts. How is your Serbian language going?


Yeah right, and 2 million Albanians that are just a nuisance don't have anything to do with that? Boy, them Americans really hate us!? ;-))))




kuki kuki 23:49 27.03.2008

Simply

No matter how many speeches Serb politicans make on Serbian TV, or how many billboards they erect in Belgrade, nobody I know in the US is listening.

They are sending messages to the right and selected target.

They don't care of US.

Furthermore they even do not care about Serbia/Kosovo.

All they care of, is their wellbeing, power and ћар.

That explains why all efforts are focused only on voters.

twinsflamuri twinsflamuri 00:49 28.03.2008

Kosovo is Sefbia

I love when swimmers have t-shirts written in cyrilic Kosovo is Serbia they do like that message to get to the Serbs hahahaa not the world which has seen what the Serbs are all about...
Serbia lives back in time and they will be left in margins of Europe as always ...Thanks God that Russia is in the same boat to fuel and stir the same emotions which in the end are full of crap...
bgd80 bgd80 06:41 28.03.2008

Re: Kosovo is Sefbia

It is hard to make a leap to the present time when someone keeps messing with the time machine. I couldn't disagree more with your statement regarding Cavic.

There was a precious amount of energy in Serbia back in 2000. that could have carried us over the hump. The West decided that it was more important to press their own agenda than to make Serbia a stable leader in the region. Djindjic needed help badly and all he got was external pressure.

But then I ask: Is it really in US best interest to have a stable Europe? Or does the Marshall Plan still live on (compare the list of countries that received aid to the list of countries that recognized Kosovo)?

The reason no one speaks of Kosovo in the US is that since the NATO bombing US policy is firm and it is a non-issue for the American public. Albanian lobbies are making sure it stays that way. Go to youtube and find a video from their fund raiser where Holbrooke and Clark talk to people that helped arm the KLA. The question I pose to my American friends is: how much for a war? How much in contributions to the US politicians does it take to cause a bombing of a sovereign nation without a UN mandate?
vucko vucko 00:55 28.03.2008

Prescription

No matter how many speeches Serb politicans make on Serbian TV, or how many billboards they erect in Belgrade, nobody I know in the US is listening. If you want powerful people outside your country to care, ranting in your own language to your own countrymen doesn't accomplish diddly.

1 lb. beefsteak, with 1 pt. bitter beer every 6 hours.
1 ten-mile walk every morning.
1 bed at 11 sharp every night.

And don't stuff up your head with too much of Serbian TV.



Nietzsches Aprentice Nietzsches Aprentice 01:24 28.03.2008

...

It has nothing to do with marketing, it's a matter of political significance. China is significant to the United States and is enjoying much more airtime on tv stations. Serbia is not. Plain and simple.
Jamie M. Enright Jamie M. Enright 20:59 30.03.2008

Re: ...

Exactly. While comparisons of the human damages/violations may be doable, Serbia is nowhere to be seen when compared in monetary value to the US.

If the UN and other NGOs did as they claimed, and truly treated all countries as equals and looked solely at the humanitarian aspect, Kosovo (not to mention other areas in the Balkans in the past 15 years) would receive the attention it deserves. Instead, the US only sees $$$ & WMDs when it comes to China, and thus it is the only conflict to appear on its radar.
Nemanja_K Nemanja_K 02:19 28.03.2008

Careless Whispers

Sorry Rosemary no offense but from my experience common Americans don't care about anything at all. Why would they care about Kosovo in particular?

On the other hand it is no secret that Serbian caucus and pro-Serbian members of Senate and Congress are supporting Obama's run for a White House.

@Vladimir Petrovic

I found as well good articles regarding Kosovo independence issue in the "Newsweek" (Michael Freeman) and "Washington Post" (William Pfaff from Intl. Herald Tribune).
vladimir petrovic vladimir petrovic 11:10 28.03.2008

Re: Careless Whispers

To Nemanja K.
Thanks for drawing my attention to the articles of William Pfaff in the IHT (he's a veteran journalist, I liked his quatation of Charles Simic's declaration - that "It's exhausting to be a Serb." ) and of Michael Freedman (it's true, the US and EU imposed the unwanted solution for the Kosovo problem and expected a wide support, but it didn't work up to their expectations so far- though at the end, and unfortunately for us, they will be awesome conquerors. The question of the force!).
Anyway, both articles are very much readable. Thanks again.
oldtajmer oldtajmer 02:37 28.03.2008

Obama

Prior to the Michigan primary, a Serbian organization there (maybe it was SUC, I forgot) sent a letter to Obama asking about his position on Kosovo. He gave a politician's answer (trying not to piss of either side), but at least he replied.

I understand that the McCain campaign doesn't care much since Serbs constitute a significant voting block only in mostly "blue" states.
zeljudina1 zeljudina1 06:11 28.03.2008

My dear,

Why any of US presidential canditates need to have any opinion or plans about Kosovo?

Why US president have any concern about Kosovo?

Kosovo is Serbian land and part of Serbia.

Maybe Serbian president has opinion about Florida or Texas? I don't think so.

Kosovo is not 'Serbian Drama'. US politics about Kosovo are actual 'Serbian Drama'.

Just imagine: tommorow morning in the news you hear about some Mexicans are fighting for independence in Texas. Serbia or any other country make deal with them (they pay very good money) and we send our military force to support them. Day after tommorow morning Texas declares independence and bring inside milions of Mexicans.

Did you get my point?

There is no 'love' between Albanians from Kosovo and American people. Nobody can rule Albanians from Kosovo. After few years Kosovo will be same like Avganistan, or worse, Iraq. Disaster.





metanoia metanoia 09:11 28.03.2008

Closed issue

My personal opinion concerning the subject is rather simple. For USA foreign affairs Kosovo is closed issue. Kosovo is independent country now, thanks to strong support of USA, therefore there is no need for future president to deal again with this subject from any other standpoint than from present one. It is not real to expect that would be any radical turn in USA foreign policy regarding this matter.
Out of Beirut Out of Beirut 10:18 28.03.2008

---

"US Politicans & People Don't Care About Kosovo - At All"

That has been my best guess for many years already, Rosey.

By the way, are you aware of this:

Which nation is number 1 in self-esteem?
Tica Tica 12:13 28.03.2008

At least one of them does...

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=03&dd=04&nav_id=48146

Maybe they just don't care about you.
DavidJ DavidJ 12:35 28.03.2008

Re: At least one of them does...

I am an American connected to Serbia through the student exchange program. I agree that we have had minimal Kosovo coverage in our papers. I usually come to the B92 website for information. But, the NY Times has had some coverage - mainly dealing with how poorly the Bush administration has handled this situation.

David
bugmaker bugmaker 14:39 28.03.2008

to DavidJ

Not everything Bush does is done poorly. I think there was no other option for Kosovo, taking into consideration many circumstances. First of all, US does not really have an ally in Serbia. Serbs kind of hate Americans and I think they will not be able to forgive to them for a long time in future, no matter what kind of political elite will rule Srbia. In general, the foreign politics in US is fully shaped by the administration and I don't think public opinion has much of influence in this process. I don't think a broader coverage would have had any benefit for the Serbs either. Strategically, regardless of Kosovo and regardless of North-Atlantic integrations, Serbia will always be linked a bit too tight to Russia and that is considered a problem in US. Due to aforementioned reasons, Serbia will never experience that warm "embrace" from US particularly. The lost chance was during Djindic's rule. Since then the "embrace" from the west has been substituted with the embrace from the "white bear". That's strategically wrong for Serbia in the long run, because Kosovo is lost anyway.
vladimir petrovic vladimir petrovic 17:50 28.03.2008

Re: to DavidJ

To: Bugmaker
Wrong, totally wrong! Serbs are not AT ALL kind of HATE AMERICANS, if not only after their bombardment in 1999. Before that period there was not one reason for any hostility of Serbs towards Americans. Neither they are inclined to Russians. My God, how naive you are when you state: Serbia will never experience that warm "embrace" from US particularly. We don't need their warm embrace. Neither we need the warm embrace "from the white bear". Why do we have to be embraced by someone in order to survive? Live, and let live. We have to show the necessary respect for the great powers, but not to be in deep love with them. Don't you remember that ex Yugoslavia was for a period of time NON-ALIGNED? I know, the times have changed, but some principles should be respected.
And Kosovo is far from being "lost anyway".
Out of Beirut Out of Beirut 19:27 28.03.2008

to bugmaker

I love it when 'progressive' Serbs defend gwbush's decisions, and I love it when they say "Kosovo is lost" although they will also point out "it has never been ours in the first place."

You give a bad name to the things you declaredly support.
Dawngreeter Dawngreeter 18:12 29.03.2008

Re: to DavidJ

vladimir petrovic
Serbs are not AT ALL kind of HATE AMERICANS, if not only after their bombardment in 1999. Before that period there was not one reason for any hostility of Serbs towards Americans.


Yet I recall living most my life amongst people who have hated the Americans. We clearly live in different countries.
korto malteze korto malteze 14:29 28.03.2008

numbers talk

One should not mix 'care' with 'trade off'. Candidates PRs merely do whatever buys more votes. They reply primarily to well represented target groups, replying to easily spinable questions. In such context of time management, a single blogger /passing the views of US Administration Candidates/ to the readers/ that are mostly Serbian is simply not worth the PRs while. I believe this is the reason for such replies (or a lack of them), not the fact that Serbian issues are not being publicized well. The interest group is too small in numbers.
And yes, it is true - Serbia has the lousiest PR in the world, next to its diplomacy. While the others seeked partners to support their interests and invested in such partnerships in any way possible (legal or illegal), the Serbs cried 'Injustice' and did not seriously try anything else to gain international strategic support,. This has largely worked for the inner politics. And it has very poorly served Serbias international goals. Providing that any of the new era Serbian politicians in power have ever had seriously defined international goals at all.
vladimir petrovic vladimir petrovic 17:58 28.03.2008

Re: numbers talk

To Korto Maltese
Why do you blame Serbian diplomacy? Do you really think a diplomat can sell unworthy things? Diplomacy is reflection of the interior politics of a country. A stable and developed country might have a good diplomacy. A unstable, self-searching and confused country, even if it had Henry Kissinger for its Foreign minister, could not be able to become "a diplomatic power". Do you think, say, Albania today needs only a good foreing minister in order to become an important country in Europe?
Out of Beirut Out of Beirut 19:45 28.03.2008

Re: numbers talk

Candidates PRs merely do whatever buys more votes.


I don't think it can be just that one factor. For example, Obama discusses Congo a good deal. I'm sure most of the black electorate is only reminded of the existence of Congo when he mentions it.
Dejan Jovanović Dejan Jovanović 15:39 28.03.2008

Differences Over Kosovo

Željka Buturović Željka Buturović 22:42 28.03.2008

Re: Differences Over Kosovo

talk about grasping at straws...
Tibor Jóna Tibor Jóna 00:38 29.03.2008

?

and why should they care if u dont mind me asking?

personaly i find westerners interested in balkan and its plenthora of warring tribes plain bizzare!

if i`d be an american i`d enojy the fact that my forefathers built me a stable and a progressive society in which my tallents can be developed to their full extent and spent my time exploring the limit of my tallents.....

and if i would, eventually, develop a sence of global responsability I would rather spend my time caring about real problems and issues - like deforestation in Amazon or population of tropical froggs in Kongo - or, for that matter, I would rather care about people that really want to be helped rather than spending my time on futile causes such as developing any sorth of engaged oppinion on various tribal societies roamin up and about the Balkans histericaly obsessed with going as further in the past as humainly possible and preferably killing/rebaptising/islamizing/albanising/ortodoxising/catholicising - ur pick - everyone different on their way to that past....

i supposed that McCain is a sensible man and the fact that he refused to answer Kosovo related on line questions just points out to the fact that the man is at least sane and realistic with real problems to deal with... and im sure his oppinions on Kosovo are shaped by the same reasons, arguments and values that shape his oppinions on other mafia runed countries or genocidal dictators or those who consequently venerate their politics....

my advice - vote McCain... That man obviously wastes no time on pish posh....
vladimir petrovic vladimir petrovic 08:34 29.03.2008

Re: ?

Dear Tibor
you say: my advice - vote McCain... That man obviously wastes no time on pish posh....

Did anybody ask for your advice?
Anyway, it's a bad advice! No one who's at least reasonable should vote for McCain. Obama is the best.
Tibor Jóna Tibor Jóna 12:47 29.03.2008

Re: ?

vladimir petrovic
Dear Tibor
you say: my advice - vote McCain... That man obviously wastes no time on pish posh....

Did anybody ask for your advice?
Anyway, it's a bad advice! No one who's at least reasonable should vote for McCain. Obama is the best.


a ko je umro i postavio vas za advokata autorke bloga?
ako je nekom i bio upucen savet, sve i da nije trazen, vama vladimiru petrovicu sigurno nije!

a te mantre tipa "obama je najbolji" ... naivno je, pa u to ozbiljno ne veruje ni polovina njegove stranke i pored loseg kvaliteta ostalih kandidata...

man ray loves me man ray loves me 14:55 29.03.2008

Re: ?

my advice - vote McCain...

I was reading and gave a recommendation halfway through only to be startled by this. McCain has qualities for sure, only one thing buggin me about him - Roe vs Wade. Would you ever vote for a guy who believes a woman should not have the right to decide about abortion?
Tibor Jóna Tibor Jóna 17:37 29.03.2008

Re: ?

man ray loves me
my advice - vote McCain...
I was reading and gave a recommendation halfway through only to be startled by this. McCain has qualities for sure, only one thing buggin me about him - Roe vs Wade. Would you ever vote for a guy who believes a woman should not have the right to decide about abortion?


yes, i actually would...

When it comes to abortion I dont support it and i think its plain murder - how ever - the fact that I am not a woman and hence that I will never be in such situation to decide whether to abort or not sorthova kindova set a certain limitations on me - in this case - i might think one way or another about abortion but I am not ready go further and act about it in anyway other than speaking my mind as i think my actions would be at least hypocritical....

as hypocritical as for example women campaigning for compulsory military service...

as an elected official or public office holder i would use every chance to speak my mind about it but i dont think i would ever vote in one way or another in order to legislate the issue... i dont think its any business of a state to deal with the matter in the first place ...

so yes... i`d vote mccain... i mean my all time favourite was Ron Paul... but if i would have to choose between the woman who said "there is no such thing as other peoples children" and the guy who stands behind Roe Vs. Wade.... Roe vs. Wade it would be!




man ray loves me man ray loves me 21:05 29.03.2008

Re: ?

Good point. It's one thing to say 'i think it's wrong and i will never do it' and quite another to say 'i think it's wrong and i think all women should be forbidden from doing it' - which is what McCain is saying.

I, being a woman as well, think it's certainly a sad choice, but not a morally wrong one and every woman should decide for herself. And for me, in terms of voting, it's a deal breaker. And it's a shame, perhaps, because McCain was in support of women's rights up until recently, when the straight talk express was accused of not being republican enough. So he adjusted his views slightly to appeal to the republican base. Good on him, I guess.
Out of Beirut Out of Beirut 08:35 30.03.2008

Re: ?

it's certainly a sad choice, but not a morally wrong one and every woman should decide for herself


In principle, yes, but what a woman decides is influenced by the attitudes, the schooling, and the experiences she's been exposed to. It is often strongly influenced by what random people have said to her during the most stressful time in her life.

So, there is a lot of public responsibility, though I guess it should not include an explicit, orthodox position on the very issue.
vladimir petrovic vladimir petrovic 13:48 30.03.2008

Re: ?

Tibor,
Tell it in Hungarian, so that I can understand what you really mean!
Wim Roffel Wim Roffel 18:46 31.03.2008

Try it the other way

It might also be that these politicians don't want you to know that they have policies that you don't like. It might lead to you advising your readers not to vote for them. So you might try to send them another mail. Something like "I am an Albanian-American and I am very glad that Kosovo is now independent and I would like to hear your opinion towards Kosovo".
Cary Cary 23:15 31.03.2008

Serbia and the United States

I am an American with no ties to the Balkan region, I have grown up here all my life (in California) and have spent a precious 10 days in Slovenija, Hrvatska and Bosna. I care very much about what takes place in the Balkans and try very hard to stay informed about issues in the former Jugoslavia. When I first traveled through the region, I did so alone and with little knowledge of the history and no preconceived notions, therefore my early opinions were shaped by my experiences alone. I actually am in the process now of finding work and an apartment in Sarajevo to live in after I graduate from my university this summer. I am not so naive as to believe that my 10 days spent in Sarajevo give me any kind of true insight into the lives of the Balkan people. What I learned from the people I met on the street, however, (I never visited a museum or tourist site) gave me a belief in, and a passion for the future success of Bosna (although most Bosnians laugh at me when I express this). I know that Bosna is not the topic of this article but I wanted you to understand where I am coming from.

As for the issue of Kosova and US-Serbian relations specifically, I will admit that my first experiences gave me a very poor opinion of Srbija. I was and still am horrified by the events that took place during the 1992-1996 war and while I recognize that crimes were also committed by Bosnian and Croat forces, I cannot believe that they would have taken place had Serbian forces not invaded Bosna and Hrvatska in the first place. As the Kosova story developed however, I read more into Serbian history and the more I read the more I have become torn as to my feelings toward Srbija. Serbians were our allies in two world wars, they rescued over 150 American pilots during WW2 their rebels fought bravely against the same oppression we did. As a Jew with Polish and Ukrainian ancestors, most of whom were murdered by the Nazis, I empathize with the Serbian people for the suffering they endured in the concentration camps. I have heard Serbs refer to Jews in Israel as their brothers and sisters, I don't know if this is a common attitude in Serbia but I hope it is, because it is not a common one. It is for these reasons especially that I cannot understand how Serbia could then turn and allow the crimes committed by many of their soldiers to be committed. It seems to me that they of all people should understand this.

I do not, therefore, understand the American government’s actions with Kosova. There are so many groups in the world demanding independence, and many who seem to deserve it much more. Yes, the Kosovar Albanians had crimes committed against them, but they too have blood on their hands. It seems very similar to Chechnya and no one is calling for the world to recognize Chechnya. I also cannot understand how the US can support Thaci being the former leader of a group that we ourselves called terrorists. I think we have also set up Kosova for failure because it has no economic infrastructure or civil society and I don't see how any of that will develop anytime soon. I cannot say whether the independence of Kosova would have taken place anyway, but I think the US and Russia used Kosova and Srbija for political gain and as fuel for their agendas. With those intentions at heart, I believe no good can come, and I feel sorry for both the Serbian and Kosovar Albanian people who have been denied the right to decide what is TRULY best for them. The Serbian people’s seeming hatred for Bosnian Muslims still hurts me very much and I believe that with the exception of the Arab fighters who came to Bosna during the war, the Muslims of Bosna are an important example for the world showing how moderate and secular Islam should can be practiced. I spoke to many of these people and I truly believe they are just as much Slavs as anyone else, and consider themselves Slavs before Muslims. That is just my plea as an outsider for Balkan unity, I know it seems laughable.

This is my first post and chose my words very carefully because I know that there is much I do not understand, and more that I never can. I am still learning and submit my opinions only as an outside perspective, and I do so with the utmost humbleness. Sorry I wrote so much.
balkanpoet balkanpoet 01:34 01.04.2008

An American Message

Although I appreciate your blogs, I as an American person whom is deeply involved and affected by Serbia and Kosovo, feel a bit put off by this blanket statement you have made about our interests and sensitivity toward the critical situation brewing in the Balkans. While I do agree that most politicians take the back door approach to this matter, those political interests aren't what concerns me. I am more inclined to take a cultural view, vs. a political one and recognize that as much as I care about the future of these regions, this is a European matter much more so than an American issue. Of course we step into situations we have no business involving ourselves in, dictating international decision-making policies for our own strategic purposes for oil and power. In truth we as a global community are all being oppressed by interests far outside of our social and cultural ideals. It takes a whole lot of good to outweigh the bad and there are many of us, such as yourself, working very hard to make the difference.

With Peace and Love from California! Serbia...Keep Rockin the Vote!

Erin

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