Well, you were the one who brought it up, so what's that say about you?
In any case, you still haven't explained, in concrete terms, why the Serbs aren't fit to rule their own country, given that Slobo's out of power, and his party along with him, and that Serbia is, by all indications in the press, being responsibly governed. All you've given me is a bunch of vague hot air on that subject.
Did we take over the local TV stations and put them on their 24 hour a day fearmongering programming schedules in the months leading up to open warfare in both states? Did our recognition of those states precede the ethnic slaughter in them?
You say I have a problem with reality. It seems much more accurate to say that you have a problem with reading. Example: Did I say that nothing bad happened over there before we granted recognition? I believe I said that recognition - both by us and by Western European governments - made matters considerably worse than they otherwise would have been. It certainly didn't help any.
Regarding your first question, you'd do well to remember that when you make a specific point, you should have some way of tying it in to your larger point. Namely, how does this relate to the "lesson learned and applied" in Macedonia? Was the kind of fearmongering you describe going on anywhere but on the Albanian side?
As to Macedonia, I suggest you acquaint yourself with the activities of one Ljube Boskovski - he'll be the one giving the lie to your last statement.
Just finished doing a Google search on him. Nothing that gives me any idea what you're talking about. Which is kind of bizarre given that he apparently forms the whole justification of our telling the Macedonians how to run their country.
I know why Hoplite brings up Boskovski. Hoplite keeps up with the latest official reports on the Balkans, and Boskovski has just been added to the US Black list (while Ali Ahmeti, who had previously been on it, was removed). Ali Ahmeti is a terrorist, according to Macedonians and I believe he was one that Macedonia was pressured by the US and EU to amnesty: Amnestied Terrorist Ali Ahmeti Deleted From US Black List; Former Minister of Interior Affairs Ljube Boshkovski Added to US Black List
This is the relevant referal from the US State Department's last Thursday Press Briefing:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2003/21062.htm :
MR. BOUCHER: There are some who were added. Do we have a description of the ones who were added?
QUESTION: New bad guys?
MR. BOUCHER: Oh, yeah. There was at least one gentleman who was added, Mr. Boskovski, because he undermined stability in Macedonia.