17 February 2008
Kosovo Strains US-Russian Ties
Posted by Roy Bischoff under: What's News .
Tensions in the Balkans have historically preceded widening armed conflict. We have been taking a look this week at a worsening Russian-U.S. relationship. We hope cool heads prevail in this touchy situation.
By WILLIAM J. KOLE, Associated Press Writer
PRISTINA, Kosovo - American flags flutter almost everywhere in Kosovo, a symbol of how — through successive Democratic and Republican administrations — the U.S. has long been a friend of this nation in the making.
But Washington’s stalwart support of statehood in recent months in the face of fierce resistance from Russia has raised the stakes in its increasingly testy relations with a Kremlin increasingly eager to shore up its influence among its former Soviet vassal states.
By backing Kosovo’s independence outside the U.N. Security Council, the U.S. and its European allies have taken a calculated risk. They are betting that the turbulent Balkans will not plunge into violence.
If it does, the White House will take much of the blame. Reflecting the concern, President Bush said Sunday that the U.S. will work to prevent violence.
“Moscow is convinced that it holds the moral high ground and will live to see yet another Western ‘blunder’ on par with Iraq,” said Oksana Antonenko, a Russia expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank.
“If violence returns to Kosovo, Russia and the West will blame each other, worsening general relations,” Atonenko warned. The world is watching to see whether “Kosovo will be an exception — that independence will bring stability and rule of law, not chaos and insecurity,” she said.
Russia is a traditional ally of Serbia. But that is not the only reason it vehemently opposes Kosovo’s independence. The Kremlin contends it will set a dangerous precedent for secessionist movements across the former Soviet Union, including Chechnya and Georgia.
The confrontation over Kosovo could harden Russia’s resolve on the other disputes that have brought ties to a post-Cold War low. While analysts say Russia is unlikely to restrict energy supplies to the West in response to recognition of the province, ignoring Russia’s concerns could make Moscow less cooperative on crucial issues such as Iran’s nuclear program.
5 Comments so far...
Saddened Says:
17 February 2008 at 11:20 pm.
Roy, do you really think Russia might be the bear that the prophet Daniel talked about? I am feeling nervous about the things I’m reading about a new cold war.
Cavetrollhead Says:
17 February 2008 at 11:36 pm.
When did Roy say that? I would like to hear more about that. I love trying to understand prophecy, but I am afraid I am alway trying and rarely succeeding.
T. Fan Says:
17 February 2008 at 11:45 pm.
Saddened, maybe it would be better to ask someone in your church. Nothing personal against Mormons but there are a lot differences.
Saddened Says:
18 February 2008 at 12:12 am.
Joy had said something about it and was saying she might blog about the prophecies of Daniel. I wish she would. It is the Old Testament so maybe it would be the same for Mormons. They believe in the Bible along with the Book of Mormon and so far I haven’t seen anything strange when she talks about the Bible. It would be nice to think there were some things we had in common. I’m pretty sure my sunday school teachers used to say something about the bear being Russia but I can’t remember for sure. I think I will google it.
Roy Bischoff Says:
18 February 2008 at 9:04 am.
It seems to be the consensus that the Bear is Russia. We might do a blog on this.
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