Maybe someone will be asking, and may be confused how it is possible that two former United States presidents, Bill Clinton (1993 -2001) and George W. Bush (2001 – 2009) are Kosovo’s heroes,i.e. Albanian National Heroes.
The answer is very simple, Bill Clinton saved more than two million Albanians from Serbian aggression and genocide in 1999, while George W. Bush in 2008 had recognized Kosovo’s independence and sovereignty from colonial Serbia (1912-1999).
There’s no doubt that former presidents Clinton and Bush are deserving of such accolades because they helped Albanian Kosovo gain independence (February 17, 2008) from former colonial Serbia (1912-1999).
These are undeniable historical arguments that none could refute because if it were not for Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Kosovo today would be a massive grave, due to Serbian genocide, empty, without any Albanian.
1. George W.Bush’s historic statute in Legendary Albanian Kruja-Albania
“Bush will always be welcome in the Albanian town of Fushe-Kruje, which erected a statue of the former president to commemorate his June 2007 visit. ‘If I had the final say, I would very much like a three-meter statue, probably in bronze, that captures his trademark way of walking with energy,’ Fushe-Kruje’s mayor, Ismet Mavriqi, told reporters in a phone interview. In addition to the square where the statue was erected, Bush’s name adorns a street and a café in Fushe-Kruje, and the places he stopped during his 2007 visit, including a bakery, have become national landmarks.” [The Week]
2. Bill Clinton’s historic statue in Prishtina-Kosovo
“In early November 2009, Clinton attended the unveiling of an 11-foot bronze statue of himself along a boulevard in Kosovo that bears his name. Thousands of ethnic Albanians attended the ceremony for Clinton, who is regarded as a national hero for launching NATO’s campaign to drive Yugoslavian troops out of Kosovo in 1999. The statue depicts Clinton with his left arm raised holding a portfolio bearing his name and the date when that air campaign began – March 24, 1999. “I never expected that anywhere, someone would make such a big statue of me,” said Clinton, who was making his first trip to Kosovo since it declared its independence from Serbia in 2008.” [theweek.com].
Presidents Clinton and Bush have already become an inseparable part of Albanian National History proves and their established statues in capital city of Kosovo.
In The Capital City of Kosovo
In the Historic Town Kruja, Albania
America Took the First Step of Victory in Kosovo
Here is part of President Bill Clinton’s human, historical, political, diplomatic and military statement on Kosovo (March 24, 1999) to save more than two million Albanians, as well as to protect European Stability, Security and Peace from Balkans horror wars (1990-1999).
“My fellow Americans, today our Armed Forces joined our NATO allies in air strikes against Serbian forces responsible for the brutality in Kosovo. We have acted with resolve for several reasons. We act to protect thousands of innocent people in Kosovo from a mounting military offensive. We act to prevent a wider war; to diffuse a powder keg at the heart of Europe that has exploded twice before in this century with catastrophic results. And we act to stand united with our allies for peace.
“By acting now we are upholding our values, protecting our interests and advancing the cause of peace. Tonight I want to speak to you about the tragedy in Kosovo and why it matters to America that we work with our allies to end it. First, let me explain what it is we are responding to. Kosovo is a province of Serbia, in the middle of south eastern Europe, about 160 miles east of Italy. That’s less than the distance between Washington and New York, and only about 70 miles north of Greece. Its people are mostly ethnic Albanian and mostly Muslim.
“In 1989, Serbia’s leader, Slobodan Milosevic, the same leader who started the wars in Bosnia and Croatia, and moved against Slovenia in the last decade, stripped Kosovo of the constitutional autonomy its people enjoyed; thus denying them their right to speak their language, run their schools, shape their daily lives. For years, Kosovars struggled peacefully to get their rights back. When President Milosevic sent his troops and police to crush them, the struggle grew violent.
[See clinton2.nara.gov for the full transcript of Bill Clinton’s speech].
America’s Second Step Towards Victory in Kosovo
President George W. Bush had recognized independence of the Kosovo Republic (February 17, 2008).
Here follows the opening paragraph, delivered by George W. Bush, from the original document, issued by the White House on February 18, 2008, addressed to the Kosovo President, Fatmir Sejdiu:
“Dear Mr. President:
On behalf of the American people, I hereby recognize Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state. I congratulate you and Kosovo’s citizens for having taken this important step in your democratic and national development.”
Goodbye Colonial Serbia, Forever!
Sometimes, “in diplomacy and politics, as in baseball, it is always better to be lucky than good.” In this case Albanians, Kosovo and Albania have a big reason to be so lucky because for the first time in their history they got the best and strongest political ally, the United States of America.
This truth, I like to illustrate by this very important and wise Albanian traditional saying: “It’s not easy to get a good friend, but it’s the most important how to keep and preserve it for ever.” If Albanians do not forget the embryonic message of this traditional custom of their life, there is no dilemma that they will stay shoulder to shoulder with the United States of America as their strong and frank allay. Otherwise, they are going to be losers again under Serbia and Russia’s sphere of interest in the Balkans. Historically, de facto and de jure, this would mean under colonialism and hegemony of these Slav countries.
There is no doubt that the fate of Kosovo won’t depend on Serbian and Albanian politicians and diplomats, but concretely is in hands of the United States, UN, EU, NATO, the main leaders of the international community. The Albanian political elite understood this very well, and official authorities in Kosovo and Albania, but not Belgrade, and Moscow as its directly and traditional Slav supporter which categorically rejected Marti Ahtisaari’s plan which for Kosovo means recognizing of the “international supervision independence.”
Kosovo Crisis Was a Genocide in the Heart of Europe
These are the The Kosovo Crisis Was a Genocide in the Heart of Europestatistical indicators of the number of Albanian civilian victims by the Serbian genocide in Kosovo (1998/1999).
According to official Kosovo government institutions, Serbian barbarous forces in Kosovo have killed: “11 840 victims ; 1,392 children up to 18 years; 296 children up to 5 years; 1.739 women; 1,882 elderly people over the age of 65; 1,450 people are still missing, as well as 20,400 Albanian women have been raped.”
To this day (1999-2016) Serbia neither accepts nor condemns its genocide committed against two and a half million Albanians in Kosovo. That was a classic genocide because Serbian military, paramilitary and police units barbarously killed hundreds of thousands of civilian people of all ages, in order to re-colonize and re-conquer Albanian Kosovo indigenous territory just as Serbia did in 1912.
Birthday of the Kosovo Republic
According to the International Court Justice advisory opinion (July 22, 2010) “The Declaration of independence of Kosovo is in accordance with international law.”
“Sunday, February 17, 2008 was a grandiose day for all Albanians, and for their friends and allies all over the world who supported their quest for freedom from Serbian colonialism and hegemony. On that day, Kosovo’s parliament declared the independence of Kosovo, which was immediately recognized the next day by the United States of America and several nations of the European Union including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Austria and other supporting countries. [blogs.shu.edu]
This was the day that Kosovo first gained independence and sovereignty in the Balkans. Albanians yearned for this freedom for almost 100 hundred years, since Serbia annexed Kosovo in 1912.
Kosovo has never been Serbia’s legal property. It was incorporated into Serbia’s terrain illegally.
Note that when Serbia was recognized as an independent state in 1878 by the European Great Powers in Berlin’s Congress, Kosovo was under Ottoman rule until 1912.
Serbia and its citizens know this truth, but have chosen not to accept it.
Thank you, America, thank you NATO!
Thank you for having rescued over two million people, for supporting and recognizing Kosovo’s independence (besides assisting the Kosova Liberation Army-KLA- UÇK-Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës) and for your direct historical, political, diplomatic, economic, humanitarian, juridical and peace-loving meritorious deed.
All Albanian people in the Balkans and all over the world are grateful and loyal to the United States, an admirable confidante. We will stand united forever with our beloved homeland America!
Thank you, America!
Long live America!
United we stand forever!
