Kosovo: There Will Be Blood

I am not a Serb. I am not an Albanian. I am an American. I have lived in the homes of Serbs in Bosnia, and Albanians in Kosovo. I can count both as my friends. In April of 2007, I wrote that Kosovo Independence is folly, and by extension, that George Bush and Condoleezza Rice are fools. I stand by that analysis.

Recognition of the Albanian Kosovars' Independence proclamation by the US, UK, France, and Germany, is catastrophic foreign policy. It is the worst foreign policy decision since Munich.

Martin Gilbert and Richard Gott wrote this in their brilliant book, The Appeasers, "They sought to ignore the lessons of the past ... and were prepared to sacrifice common sense for the sake of their desire." This desire to recognize an injustice that never took place will engender grave consequences around the world.

There will be blood. I can easily predict what will happen next and where. The lamentable little wars of independence will sprout like spring poppies on the Kosovo polije.

Yet, there may be a way out of this. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has yet to weigh in on this event. He could declare the proclamation a violation of UN Resolution 1244. And, call an emergency meeting of the Security Council, which in effect, could turn back the clock and bring some sanity to the state of international order.