There is speculation that for political reasons the US and EU are going to allow the Serbian province of Kosovo to declare independence ...
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| Kosovo Flag |
..... simply because in the last fifty years it has developed a Muslim majority.
As you might guess, the Serbians are not happy, and many of the neighbouring states with Muslim provinces such as Greece, are not too keen either. For a brief modern history of the region go here or for a longer historical view go here. In view of the historical violence that has emanated from this region, I would suggest that the US and NATO should be very careful about creating a 'statelet' on the grounds of an ethnic majority in the region.
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| Ethnic Split Kosovo |
The EU is littered with small regions of ethnically different groups who could justify claims for independence on the same grounds as Kosovo. In particular this precedent could cause all sorts of problems around Europe as Muslims “claim independence” wherever they form a majority.
In the UK, the city of Leicester could be a Muslim majority city by 2050; could they cede from the UK or get autonomy as a sharia city?
The legal precedent would or could be Kosovo, which has never been a sovereign state but because of its religion or ethnicity has now been granted that status. In the US, some states could have Hispanic majorities in 30 yrs e.g. California ….. could they ask for independence from the US?
Will this decision not just encourage ethnic cleansing? Very dangerous ground is being broken here, and I expect it to lead to more violence in the long run.
In the UK, the city of Leicester could be a Muslim majority city by 2050; could they cede from the UK or get autonomy as a sharia city?
The legal precedent would or could be Kosovo, which has never been a sovereign state but because of its religion or ethnicity has now been granted that status. In the US, some states could have Hispanic majorities in 30 yrs e.g. California ….. could they ask for independence from the US?
Will this decision not just encourage ethnic cleansing? Very dangerous ground is being broken here, and I expect it to lead to more violence in the long run.
Update 2022: As predicted way back then, the recognition simply created more animosity between the Serbians and Albanian Muslims who are in the majority in Kosovo. Trouble flares up and tensions rise, and if NATO troops weren't there, then war would break out again. Serbia has the muscle to take over this statelet within weeks if not days.
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Its a sad day for me and my nation because today we lost our lands.
ReplyDeleteWe have been driven out of our homeland by the Turks, and NATO have helped them do it.
One day the muslims will drive you from England, and then you will know sorrow like ours.
One day we will get these lands back ... NATO won't last forever.
Well we are now seeing what military nationalism is really like as Putin's Russia is trying to conquer historical Russia, as Putin sees it. NATO will last a lot longer now, so the Serbian poster will be disappointed.
DeleteThe mystical Russia (with Moscow the third Rome - After Rome and Constantinople) that Putin apparently believes in, actually includes the concept of ruling all of Eurasia including Europe. It is an idea that has been espoused by various "white" Russian philosophers from Russia's "Silver Age" such as Ivan Ilyin (whose body Putin recently had returned from Switzerland where it was buried after he died in exile from the Soviets in 1954), and the current 'political philosopher' Alexander Dugin.
DeleteIts believed that the current attempted annexation of the Ukraine was influenced by this thinking.
But your right, NATO has been considerably strengthened by Russia's recent actions after it had declined, especially during Donald Trumps presidency.
I agree with you ... as my blog pointed out, once the gates are open, you can't say who will enter.
ReplyDeleteThe News from South Ossetia shows what a stupid and dangerous precedent the Kosovo decision was!
In the meantime, you may be right, NATO will be gone inside 50 yrs, and then who will stop Serbia "driving the Turks back"?
Probably no one.