Independence for Kosovo, Yes or No?

[GMantis]

Of course not. Kosovo does not deserve independence. The leadership was deeply involved with the KLA and probably still is. The same goes for the army they are proposing. Based on past precedent, the Serbs will be severely discriminated against and will probably be forced out. This happened when Yugoslavia was still strong (before 1989) and there is nothing to prevent it from happening now. Kosovo Albanians are deeply involved in the drug trade and most of their economy is based on that. If they become independent they'll probably become a mafia haven. And lastly, their independence will create a dangerous precedent, not only on the Balkans, but all over Europe, encouraging other independence movements.

[GMantis]

And lastly, their independence will create a dangerous precedent, not only on the Balkans, but all over Europe, encouraging other independence movements.

Which is exactly why I support it.

I was not quite clear: I meant independence movements in the style of the KLA: terrorism against the state, then when the retaliation comes, cry for help from the international comunity. Of course, this won't affect powerfull or important countries or countries like yours which have no interethnic problems.

[GMantis]

I don't want Serbia to have control of Kosovo, and I don't like the way Russia is interfering with this issue. Why do they care so much? Is it because the Serbs are Slavs like them?

That being said, I support Kosovo being annexed to Albania. Kosovars are Ethnic Albanians. I don't like all these fragmented states in Eastern Europe. It reminds me of Germany from 1815-1871, terribly divided and politically neutered. I like nation states better than every group of 200 people getting their own country, which seems to be the way Europe is heading sometimes.

Yeah, the unification of Germany sure did a lot of good for Europe.

You'd rather have dozens of independent fiefdoms? Thats ridiculous now and it was already outdated in the mid 19th Century. Whether or not German unification led directly to World Wars One and Two is entirely debatable, but can't be proven as a fact.

Actually, most historians would agree that this was one of the main reasons.
Of course, if the unification hadn't occured there might have been a French-British or a Russian British war - or both at the same time.