Kosova Recognition: The Right Decision
While Kosovo’s independence remains imperfect, one thing should be clear: President Bush has done the right thing. Albanians, although Muslim in their majority, are fanatics only about their appreciation for America. Albanian Islam is moderate, and constitutes a bulwark against radicalization of European Muslims. Albanians avoid conflicts over religion and are satisfied to allow each among them to choose how to, or whether to, practice the religion of their choice.
Finally, with the increasing stabilization of Iraq, it may be that the global war against radical Islamist ideology will prove a briefer episode than many in the world believed. The democracies may find themselves once again confronting Russia and China, in a revival of the cold war. President Bush’s support for Kosovo is an early warning against the return of Russian meddling in Europe and adventurism elsewhere. Even if it is only the beginning for a more beneficial American-Kosovar partnership, Bush’s decision was correct.