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You will not have to wait five years for Kosovo, Macedonia, and Bosnia to become the biggest threats for the West. Two thousand three should see an extensive increase in attacks from Banja Luka to Sarajevo, from Prishtina to Tetovo -- as the Western failure in the Balkans is magnified by US success in Iraq. The saving grace for America is that the war with Iraq and increased tensions around the globe permit an excellent opportunity for the US to withdraw from the losing Balkan proposition. You are correct that al-Qaeda is rearming in the Balkans. What you do not understand and what the Western media seems to ignore is that the vast majority of the opposition weapons purchases in the Balkans are funded through countless American "infrastructure" tax dollars that disappear into the black hole of Bosnia.
The recent purchase by the Hippo Bank of Krystal Banka for 1DM has resulted in Republika Srpska prime minister Mladen Ivanic effectively transferring 25 million USD in Wood Agency Credit Lines (WACL) funds and some 100 million USD real property to the Bosnian Serb SDS party. These funds have then been further laundered through Europe in conjunction with Islamic terrorist organisations and ultimately provide capital infrastructure for ex-Soviet and Yugoslav small arms, MANPADS, and high tech communications gear to be consigned to the enemies of the US and Britain.
Britain's Paddy Ashdown, as Bosnia OHR head, has the unilateral authority to block this transaction and the de facto transfer of the WACL manufacturing facilities but has failed to exercise his due responsibility. The two tonnes of weapons (Kalishnikovs, ammunition, grenades, Strela SAMs, Semtex, etc) smuggled into Britain in September and October were financed in part from Cyprus through monies that transited Banja Luka -- Switzerland -- Belgrade.
The US has egg on their face now in the Republika Srpska as Ivanic has overtly allied in a coalition with the SDS despite years of the State Department proclaiming "he is a good guy," "he is under pressure," "we control him." Current US Ambassador to Bosnia Bond receiving extensive criticism from the administration during his holiday travels.
His career will be wrecked on the Bosnian shoals. The president should ask him to step down immediately.
On December 24 Ivanic moved to illegally void the privatisation tender offers for these WACL mills in conjuction with bought and paid for local court officials. Should these tenders be voided, not only will several years of international community "transparency" be exposed as a sham -- but 25 million USD in hard money will be forever funnelled into the coffers of Islamic fighters.
The Balkans are swarming now with well armed fighters prepping to attack under the twin swords of Albanian nationalism and Islamic fundamentalism. The US soon to enjoy ultimate success versus Iraq but is stumbling badly in the less clearly defined dark regions where Islamic entente forces are now ready to launch their counter-offensive. Already several weeks have been wasted in Bosnia in failing to upgrade security for the "collateral opposition damage" that will result from the attack on Iraq.
US ambassador to Bosnia Bond should be the subject of an immediate Congressional investigation when the new congress convenes next month -- president Bush must replace him with a stronger figure more versed in fighting international terrorism. Paddy Ashdown should start doing his job or prepare to explain to Tony Blair and all of Fleet Street how and why the coming attacks on British subjects were funded from Bosnia on his watch.
The modern day Bismarck -- George W Bush -- needs to get the US out of the Balkans and cut American foreign policy losses. The European Union will have plenty of opportunity to fight a wide variety of opponents in Europe during this decade -- best the US honourably exfiltrate Bosnia under the cover of World War III.
The forces of freedom on the move. Europe trembles.
Iraq+Korea = WW III
I assume that any action in Korea will require every spare US servicemen.