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smok22

Listed below are comments made by smok22 between Tuesday, 13th May 2008 and Friday, 16th May 2008.

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A European destiny? 9:01pm on 16 May 2008 @biniol
I understand that lots of comments came your way, so you missed mine. I want to stress, and please prove me wrong, check BBC archives as well, that bombing of Serbia began as a punishment for Serbia's refusal to sign the so-called Rambouillet Peace Plan, which was an ultimatum allowing Kosovo to secede after three years.
To put things in order - bombs fell first, then the terrible exodus (expulsions) took place. Perhaps you could build your argument on facts, not on media spins.
I believe that bombing of Serbia was planned to be a short campaign with the expectation that Milosevic would budge quickly. Instead, he, on the one hand, respected Serbian constitution and defended the country, and on another, started a vicious campaign against his own citizens of Albanian ethnicity.
To give credibility and justify NATO's actions by mixing facts is, as I stated, an insult not only to the Serbs, but to logic. If one thinks that Serbia deserved bombs for not signing Rambouillet ultimatum, then that should be stated. I don't see or hear a single politician or commentator stating that and in 1999 it was an easy thing to say. Ask Mr. Solana.
Cheers
A European destiny? 2:21pm on 16 May 2008 @biniol,
bombing of Serbia was wrong. Conventional truths and wisdoms are by-products of the mass-media world we live in... To remind you, the bombing of Serbia did not begin because of any "crimes" or "victims" but to "implement the peace plan from Rambouillet". Before 30,000 NATO bombs fell on Serbia, the conflict in Kosovo was by all means "a low intensity" conflict between Albanian rebels (who wanted to join Albania) and Serbian gov't forces. If that was Israel (Palestine) or Russia (Chechnya), would they have gotten bombed?
It was only upon failed disciplinary few days of bombing and after Serbian government (repeat: government, on its gov't territory) started a retaliatory campaign against Kosovar Albanians (which certainly was the most shameful and criminal act by Serbia), that NATO and its member-states' media started saying that "the goal of this war is to stop Serbian crimes and bring refugees home". Well, before the bombing, there were several questionable (read: criminal) Serb police actions and virtually no refugees.
I don't want to justify Serbia's actions, but things need to be sorted out.
History is written by the victors (and its media), so I find it indecent to impose these "truths" onto peoples of the Balkans who were on the receiving end of "justices" of all sorts. They ALL, Serbs very much included, have reasons to be angry and disappointed.
The West has major issues trying to justify giving Kosovo independence and, so to speak, "anything goes"... from ethics, morals, to divine justice. Any way you look at it, close to zero law, order or even-handedness.
Back to Eurovision... heard more songs today... Mere ear punishment.
A European destiny? 10:40am on 15 May 2008 Serbia, with its great and hard history and culture, should be a part of Europe, commonly known as "Western Europe". The fact is that average Serbian state of mind is confused for many reasons. The EU with its decisions (Kosovo being the last) has been doing big favors to nationalists, so I am impressed that Tadic actually managed to outright pull 40% of the vote.
On the "brighter" side - Eurosong contest is a great display of kitsch and if my opinion counts - Serbian song "Oro" is terrible and just another yucky ethno-like melody. It may do well because other songs are no better.
I agree with Mr. Mardell - the UK will never win because Eurosong belongs to ex-Soviet and ex-Yugoslav SMS voters... Greetings from Serbia :))
A high price for Serbia's master of spin 08:46am on 13 May 2008 @jon_toronto
In a nutshell, I agree. Serbia should not govern Kosovo. However, awarding such Kosovo with outright independence is a grave mistake. Serbia was willing to give Kosovo 95% of independence, giving it immediately more than it will have for years to come (membership in international organizations but the UN, national sport teams through a membership at the IOC and such). It was a face-saving offer by which Serbia's outside borders.
This way, we have a precedent by all means - one side, which is by no means innocent, gets awarded, while another, a UN member state, gets unilaterally punished. It's a mockery of the international law and an example of American foreign policy madness.

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