Originally Posted By FerretAfros While it still hasn't technically recieved statehood from the UN, it sounds like Kosovo is just about as far along in the process of independence as it can be, without being "official" yet. A few years ago, my family hosted a student from Kosovo for the summer, and my mom sent him an email saying that she was listening to their Prime Minister declaring independence. Here is the response he sent back: "Warmest greetings and Thank You! For all the length of these three days in the past, Prishtina was covered in a new blanket of hope and beautifully perceived joy and optimism. For all these years we past, trying to exert our unanimous will for self sustenance, only yesterday, did we finally had the chance to take a decision for our own and struggle to make way for a new country, the 193rd one in the 21st century. Something that characterizes Prishtina these days is the domination of national Albanian flags and US ones, usually tied together, while people wave and cheer speaking out words like "freedom", "Thank You USA", "Well done NATO", "Thank you UK", while we finally could do these things not being harassed or tortured by the Serbian police. Everything was speaking a new language, the language of peace and independence. While all Albanians worldwide cheer, it is really sad that ultra-nationalist groups in Serbia were rioting and demolishing Albanian owned structures, attacking US, UK and Albanian Embassies, burning down EU flags, and fighting with their own Police. Nevertheless, what's done is done, and I am personally glad, proud and humbled to have enjoyed the American life, the one that our people will be eternally grateful, for the ultimate help which was finalized in the acceptance of the Republic of Kosova by US President today, now officially being the first one to show the true support for democracy, humanism and the free will of even such small populations as ourselves. All we hope and desire, is what can we ever do to show our gratitude back and prove to have been a right choice in the way of democracy. I am really happy and lucky to have met people like you! Thank you! Baton" I'm personally really excited that they are finally getting what they've been working toward for all these years. Knowing him, Baton's probably very excited about it too. From the sounds of things, Kosovo asked other countries for recognition as a step toward becoming independent. This seems to be a precedent for going about this process, and it will hopefully pay off, as many of the world leaders have already declared recognition (EU, US, UK). Here's a link to an AP story about it: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2nbb75" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/2nbb75</a>
Originally Posted By dshyates No, I don't see how Bush screwed this one up. I have never said this before, but yeah, George. This is agood thing, yes?
