Albania to send more soldiers to Iraq

arabtimesonline.com ^ | 26th Feb 2005 | (Reuters)

[M. Espinola]

IRANA (Reuters) - Albania will increase the number of its soldiers in Iraq to 120 from the current 70, a government spokesman said on Friday.

The decision takes effect in April, when soldiers currently serving a six-month stint under U.S. command return home.

Albania has been a staunch supporter of the United States since Washington led a NATO bombing campaign against Serb troops accused of killing and expelling ethnic Albanian civilians in Kosovo.

Albanian public opinion supports its contribution to the U.S.-led force in Iraq, where two Albanian-born U.S. Marines have been killed.

(File photo) Two Albanians in traditional dress flank an Albanian military officer and a U.S. non-commissioned officer who are carrying their respective national flags. [State Dept. photo by Robert Manga, U.S. Embassy Tirana, April 14th, 2003]

photo/graphic added

[1FASTGLOCK45]

Thank you Albania. Maybe France (insert other anti american countries here) can learn something...

[M. Espinola]

I not sure if anything will wake up the French government.

[paudio]

Albania is predominantly Muslim, and they're planning to have a great Albania that will include Kosovo... With the decision of Kosovo is coming, I can see why they try to win influence...

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

Prime Minister Fatos Nano (January 29, 2003): We wish that we be worthy to the United States through all ways and are ready to join the coalition, like your friends and allies.

Albanian Defense Minister Pandeli Majko (June 10, 2003) (With regard to the Albanian participation in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere): The United States of America stood on the side of the Albanians in 1999 when it was a matter of the existence of our nation. I hope this proves to the American taxpayers that they have not spent their money in vain to help this nation. Our gratitude will be long-term.

Ambassador Satos Tarisa (April 2004): We're the most pro-U.S. nation in Europe, and we're in Iraq for the long haul.

[Lukasz]

Eastern European ping list

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FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list ping list.

[Lukasz]

Albania is predominantly Muslim, and they're planning to have a great Albania that will include Kosovo... With the decision of Kosovo is coming, I can see why they try to win influence...

Albania itself (at least after Enver Hoxsa death ) never supported idea of the Greater Albania. Rather Albanians from Kosovo and Macedonia did it. Actually they think more about independence for Kosovo.

[1FASTGLOCK45]

Now, that's an original picture! A true worm :)

[anonymoussierra]

Very Good Albania very good Thank you

[PhilDragoo]

President George W. Bush talks with leaders of the Adriatic Charter Countries
following a photo opportunity at the NATO Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, June 29,
2004. From left are President Alfred Moisiu of Albania, President Branko
Crvenkovski of Macedonia and President Stjepan Mesic of Croatia.

[mark502inf]

Posted on Tue, Dec. 07, 2004

Albania honors emigrant killed in Iraq as U.S. Marine

Associated Press

TIRANA, Albania - President Alfred Moisiu on Tuesday awarded a medal of honor to an emigrant who died fighting as a U.S. Marine in Iraq.

Cpl. Gentian Marku, of Warren, Mich., was killed in Fallujah on Nov. 25. He emigrated to the United States at age 14.

Moisiu awarded Marku, 22, with the Golden Medal of Eagle for the "sublime sacrifice in the fight against terrorism, for the protection of the values of democracy, peace and freedom, by glorifying the honor of his nation."

On Friday, Prime Minister Fatos Nano declared Marku an Albanian martyr.

Marku's body was expected to arrive in Albania Tuesday evening for burial at his native village of Piraj, 42 miles north of the capital, Tirana, accompanied by Marines who were to hand him over to the Albanian troops.

A short military ceremony was to be held at Mother Teresa International Airport attended by Albanian Defense Minister Pandeli Majko and the U.S. Ambassador to Tirana Marcie B. Ries.

Marku was the second Albanian emigrant killed fighting with U.S. troops in Iraq. Pfc. Ervin Dervishi, 21, of Fort Worth, Texas, died Jan. 24 after attackers in Baji fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the vehicle in which he was riding.

Albania, a small, predominantly Muslim country, backed the U.S.-led campaign and has sent 71 of its own troops to Iraq. Three Albanian soldiers were wounded in July when their car ran over a mine in Mosul.

Marine Lance Corporal Marku's casket is covered by American and Albanian flags before a joint memorial ceremony conducted by Marines and the Albanian Army in Marku's native village in Albania.

[mark502inf]

Albanian public opinion supports its contribution to the U.S.-led force in Iraq, where two Albanian-born U.S. Marines have been killed

One Marine. The other was U.S. Army PFC Ervin Dervishi--one of the soldiers in the unit that captured Saddam Hussein.

[M. Espinola]

Thank you for posting the news item, coupled with the photo.

Marine Lance Corporal Gentian Marku is indeed a hero to America as well as his native Albania.

[M. Espinola]

Little Albania suffered so greatly under the Nazis and communists, maybe that's why they understand and value freedom.

[M. Espinola]

The underlining history in Albania & the southern Balkans extends back to the late 1300's.

Solutions need to be developed.

The situation is very similar to the Kurdish people's dilemma being geographically spread across national boundaries.

Areas in red indicate Kurdish population concentration

[M. Espinola]

Hats off to little Albania. Albanian Defense Minister Pandeli Majko is a 'real' ally in the counter-terrorist war.

France are you watching all this?

[pythagorean]

As joyfully reported by islamonline: 'Albanians to Have First Islamic University'.

"Al-Azhar University , the Federation of the Islamic Organizations in Europe , and Turkish institutions have tried in vain to make the dream come true."

Thanks to the green light now given by the Albanian government, their dream will soon come true!

[mark502inf]

Hey, Pythag, not sure of the relevance of your post to the fact that Albania is a solid ally of ours in Afghanistan & Iraq, but it appears you are trying to make some point about the Islamic character of Albania. So let's take a look at what your link actually says. Here are some excerpts:

"The idea of building an Islamic university in the country was first raised by Prime Minister Fatos Nano..." Fatos Nano, the Prime Minister, is Orthodox Christian. He joins another Christian--President Alfred Moisiu, a Catholic--as the two most important leaders in Albania.

Sheikdom Chairman Selim Muca has stressed to Nano the importance of establishing an Islamic university in the country so that young Albanian Muslims would not have to travel abroad and be influenced by other dogmas and ideologies. The Albanians do not want their Muslims to be radicalized.

Observers believe that the government has turned crimson after the opening of the Catholic University , while Muslims, who make up the majority (around 75 percent) of the 3.5 million population, do not have their own university. The Catholics already have a university and Orthodox Christian schools are common in south Albania.

The number of churches in the country also outnumbers that of mosques, which are estimated roughly at 270 out of 1667 established before the Communist era.

So let's recap: more churches than mosques, Christian prime minister and president, Catholic university, Orthodox schools, and Albanian Muslims upset that their children studying in overseas mosques are getting radical ideas, so they build their own university.

And Albanian soldiers are fighting alongside us in Iraq & Afghanistan, we are using Albanian training areas & ranges for our Marines, and they vote the American position in every international forum. Your attachment reinforces the basic post that Albania, while small, is one of the best allies we have.

[pythagorean]

Albanian political masters & clan leaders are sometimes united when big foreign players (e.g. Ottomans, Nazis, the U.S. under Clinton) support a pan-Albanian expansionist agenda. However, the U.S. under Bush has shown no appetite to support Albanian irredentism despite sincere acts of solidarity by some individual Albanians and despite calculated gestures of politicians, (such as sending troops to Iraq, which is of little use to the U.S. anyway). That's why Albanian lobbyists ended their love affair with Republican politicians (i.e. some second rate ones such as Dole & McCain) and played almost all their cards on Kerry (+ Dick Holbrooke, Wesley Clark & the Soros empire) ... and lost!

Political Islam, having shown clear intentions to reestablish itself in the Balkans, naturally sees fertile ground in desparately poor and predominantly Muslim Albania. Counting on a continuing petrodollar bonanza, organized Islam can reasonably hope to outspend Christian, secular, American or pro-western institutions in northern Albania & Kosovo. The "Islamic University", as other Islamic institutions, will be funded by middle eastern sources (as the article hints) and will thus obviously be prone to islamic radicalism.

The reasons that Nano and other Christians support the Islamic University are complex and related to the delicate and potentially explosive balance between Toscs - Gheqs and Christians - Muslims. Whatever the reasons, it is a clear indication of the ascendancy of Islam in Albania. Pictures of American flags next to Albanian pretty traditional dresses will do nothing to change the reality of a predominantly Muslim, inherently unstable and geopolitically opportunistic and unreliable Albania.

[mark502inf]

the delicate and potentially explosive balance between Toscs - Gheqs and Christians - Muslims.

Not hardly. The Gheg/Tosk thing is old business ended. Hoxha deliberately mixed them up around the country and then the fall of communism created another rural to urban move that has even further diluted those loyalties. What rivalries exist are akin to our current old south versus the Yankees feelings. As for the Christian-Muslim rivalry, the fact that this Muslim majority country has elected a Christian President and a Christian Prime Minister should give you a clue as to how "strong" that rivalry is.

Pythag, I'm not sure why you are trying to denigrate or diminish Albania as an American ally. There are other peoples in that region who truly are not friendly to America. For example, Greek terrorists have killed several Americans and the Greek government has voted with France and against us on Iraq every chance they could get. And while Albania has done all that it could to assist us in Iraq and in the war on terror, nearby Serbia was Saddam Hussein's ally--built bunkers for Saddam Hussein, shipped him ammunition, repaired his aircraft, and even sent air defense advisers to Iraq as recently as 2002.

If you want to spout off about the Balkans, those are some countries that have truly been "not helpful" in the Rumsfeldian meaning. Speaking of whom:

There he is in Tirana thanking Prime Minister Nano for Albania's support.

[Engraved-on-His-hands]

A major factor that is often overlooked when discussing Islam in Albania is the country's recent history. Enver Hoxha ruled the country for a quarter century, and declared it to be an officially atheist country. Religion was outlawed. Houses of worship were destroyed. The result was a generation in which the people were religious by heritage only, not by practice. They might be considered Islamic or Christian because that was what their grandparents or great-grandparents were, but not usually because that is what they are. To use the commonly quoted figure that Albania is 65-70% Muslim and then conclude that Albanians are Islamic fundamentalists is not a realistic assessment. As I said, most Albanians are religious by heritage only, not by practice. Atheism is dwindling, but it still has a strong influence.

Religion is beginning to revive in Albania. It is a metaphysical battleground, the front lines in a way between Christianity and Islam. Islamic countries are investing heavily, but Christianity has been doing surprisingly well.

I have been to Albania and have taught both Muslims and atheists, with some positive results. My children have been much more often, with much greater results.

My general impression of Albania is that it is pro-American, largely non-religious until recent years, and one of the most fertile fields in the world for the Gospel during the last decade or so. They are also grateful allies and very gracious hosts.

[pythagorean]

The Christian - Muslim rivalry was suppressed everywhere under communism. In Albania, as elsewhere, the trend is for it to reemerge, as suggested by the creation of an Islamic University, presumably with middle eastern funding.

Concerning the American - Albanian "alliance", the main Albanian policy goal in Washington is crystal clear: US help for the secession of partially Albanian-inhabited lands from neighboring states. Of the 2 main Albanian lobby groups, the right wing aacl makes no secret about it, whereas the more Democrat-leaning naac uses thinly veiled language. The lobby has had quite a spectacular success in coaxing to their agenda the Clinton & Kerry crowds as well as the Soros Global Financial Criminals Co. (which, apparently in despair, recently came out declaring its support for Kosovo independence). The Bush administration, however, is more serious about American interests and is also probably aware of Albanian political unpredictability and propensity to violence, societal impenetrability (strictly enforced clan loyalties, code of Lek) and prominent role in international organized crime (especially heroin and sex slavery). Therefore, it has wisely shown no signs of supporting the independence of Kosovo or any other Albanian irredentist agenda. This is the main reason why in 2004:
US Albanians Put Faith in Kerry.

Sending a few more Albanian soldiers in Iraq or holding hands with Rumsfeld means nothing about "loyalty". These are just self-serving symbolic gestures with no chance of changing US policy.

[pythagorean]

I respect your work as a teacher, understand your sympathy for ordinary Albanians and agree with your assessment of religion in Albania. Nevertheless, as I write in my post just above, the main goals of Albanian gestures of alliance to the US have less to do with educational (or financial) aid or religious exchanges and more to do with the promotion of an irredentist agenda that threatens to bring more war to the Balkans.

[mark502inf]

Pythag, you accuse Albania of irredentist claims and of threatening to bring war to the Balkans--well, since the fall of commnism they haven't gone to war with anyone except as our allies against the Taliban in Afghanistan and the insurgents in Iraq. They've been recognized as our friends with visits from Secretary Powell, Secretary Rumsefeld and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs as well as chief of state visits with President Bush.

Meanwhile, the Serbs next door have fought four wars against Christians and Muslims alike in recent years, destroyed more Christian churches than any other group in the Balkans, and produced enough war criminals to ensure extended job security in the Hague. Not to mention providing munitions and advisers used to help Saddam Hussein against America. Yet your disdain is reserved for Albania. It is clear that your interests lie less with America and its allies and interests than with the continuation of old ethno-bigotted Balkans rivlaries.

[Shqipo]

Visited my ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN brothers in Korcha, Albania a few months ago, and all Albanians revere America and have gratitude for our support. So to all the do-nothings (mostly you Serbs) who flock to every article on Albania with your rants.... What the hell are your kin doing these days to support Bush and the grand ole USA? Rrofte Shqiperia!

[pythagorean]

"So to all the do-nothings (mostly you Serbs) who flock to every article on Albania with your rants.... What the hell are your kin doing these days to support Bush and the grand ole USA? Rrofte Shqiperia!"

US Albanians Put Faith in Kerry.

Serbian Americans for Bush 2004.

[M. Espinola]

I simply posted the news item with admiration for Albania's continuing contributions to the global counter war against Islamic related terrorism.

Albania could have easily opted to keep her troops at home as France and Germany chose to do when it came to removing Saddam , but Albania stood tall as did the majority of former Eastern Bloc nations which for so long suffered under other 'Saddams' taking all their orders directly from Moscow.

Albania

[M. Espinola]

I understand your concerns in relation to Islam in Albania. Nevertheless, Albania is indeed assisting to counter radical Islamic jihadiees, therefore unlike some other European nations which have demonstrated a record of appeasement when it comes to joining various counter terrorism coalitions, Albania stands tall.

[pythagorean]

Point well taken. I agree that Albania should be publicly thanked and rewarded for its support in the fight against jihad. It should also, however, be diplomatically dissuaded from directing its political capital against Christian majority neighboring states. The Bush administration appears to be on the right track on this issue, to the obvious dismay of certain Albanian lobbyists who treat their Christian Balkan neighbors as their greatest enemies, instead of concentrating against islamic jihad (see for example Albanian American Civil League).

[M. Espinola]

The hatred all through the southern Balkans extends back Ottoman invasion of the 1380's AD.

The following disturbing quote was taken from this website

1389 Ottomans destroy all effective resistance in the south Balkans at the Battle of Kosovo,* at Serbian Albania border. (* The Orthodox Christian Serbs have been trying to reverse the outcome of this battle ever since! It gave rise to the war in Bosnia [1992-5], and Kosovo [1998-9]. Ed.)

Ottomans destroy all effective resistance to what? Islam?

I agree with what you stated concerning President's Bush' proper diplomatic course with Albania. Hopefully the more exposure the current Albanian government has with American and other western leaders, it should be become obvious remaining in the western camp is far more preferable to that of any ties with fanatical jihadists.

[shpirag]

Want to thank M. Espinola for the news brought in this Board. Also it's important to dig to the famous battle of Kosovo Polje of 1389 and see that there were Albanian princes with their troops fighting against the Turks.
The Croat historian Magas writes:

http://solidarity.igc.org/MagasOnKosovo.html

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Since much of this territory was inhabited by non-Serbs, the Kosovo myth involved reinterpretation of the Kosovo battle as an exclusively Ottoman-Serb affair. The aim was to present the Albanians in particular, ethnically dominant throughout the Kosovo region, as usurpers of Serbian historic territory, indeed essentially "people without history," a barbarian tribe genetically incapable of cultural or political development.
In the mythical reworking of the Kosovo baffle, the conflict was presented also as one between Christianity and Islam, ignoring the fact that the Ottoman side included the Sultan's Christian vassals, some of them ethnically Serb. This served to justify a view of the Serbian Ottoman conflict five hundred years later as a religious war. Since according to the myth, moreover, the Kosovo debacle was caused by a Serb—Vuk Brankovic, fighting originally with Prince Lazar—switching sides at the crucial moment, the need was emphasized for total national (religious and racial) unity.

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Those were the same "christian" Serbs who helped Turks storm and take Constandiniple in 1453.

Read what Greek sources say on Serbs:
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/news/content.asp?aid=51508

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quote

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Serbs embrace Orthodoxy for good of nation, rather than God

But if most Serbs see the Church as a core part of their identity, true religious feeling is in short supply. A 1991 survey showed ethnic Serbs called themselves Orthodox, but only a quarter believed in God.

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Pythagorean is surprised why Albanian diaspora reacts against the President of the "European" Greece which is causing tensions to rise through its president who claims that South Albania is occupied.
This is not a good neighbour policy, especially when they belong to the EU

http://www.mpa.gr/article.html?doc_id=508983

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quote

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PRESIDENT STEPHANOPOULOS ADDRESSED GREEK EMIGRANTS IN BELGIUM
Athens, 4 February 2005 (16:00 UTC+2)

Mr. Stephanopoulos was deeply moved when he referred to his origin saying that he comes from the Peloponese, Northern Epirus in south Albania and Cyprus and pointed out that he comes from two still occupied parts of Greece. He added that Europe is a new united motherland in which no nationality is lost.

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Albania's Government, with its problems has not made any territorial claim, but has been a pacifier and stabilizer to the Balkans politics.
And don't try to politicize the vote of the Alb-Americans because some loyal liberal or not citizens of US have already moved to Canada.
At least give Albania credit for its help when the other tough countries with big armies are leaving.

[pythagorean]

You are essentially correct concerning the murky medieval alliances in Kosovo and Constantinople. Your allegation, however, that Albanians were historically dominant throughout the Kosovo region is questionable. After all, the vast majority of toponyms (including the word Kosovo) have Slavic, not Albanian, roots and virtually all medieval churches and monasteries are Serbian. If local Kosovo Albanians had any religious heritage, they apparently discarded it and converted to Islam to gain privileges in the Ottoman Islamic apartheid. Now Albanian extremists are systematically destroying Kosovo's rich Christian and Serbian heritage with the obvious goal to force the remaining Serbs to leave.

" Albania's Government, with its problems has not made any territorial claim, but has been a pacifier and stabilizer to the Balkans politics."

It is technically true that Albania has not officially made any territorial claims. However, it has openly supported the territorial claims of a neighboring ethnic Albanian minority against their sovereign country - Serbia. Concerning broader European peace and stability, here is what was recently said by former president Sali Berisha about current Albanian affairs:

' Drug trafficking and crime, he says, are becoming the staples of economic life in Albania. "We are mentioned in much of Europe as a big crime exporter," he said. "Albania's organized crime, it is one of the most dangerous in Europe. Albania has become a major road of trafficking, especially from Afghani drugs coming to the west. The bill [cost] of drugs is more than two billion dollars according to the [U.S.] State Dept. In this respect dramatic change is needed because organized crime is dealing with people in power. It is well-known". '

Pythagorean is surprised why Albanian diaspora reacts against the President of the "European" Greece which is causing tensions to rise through its president who claims that South Albania is occupied.

?? I never wrote anything about this subject, which you just raised yourself. Well, anyway, if there are any "tensions", they are not indicated in the article you link.