Random Thoughts

This story on Kosovo is via Ken via Instapundit, of all people.

"Four years after it was "liberated" by a NATO bombing campaign, Kosovo has deteriorated into a hotbed of organized crime, anti-Serb violence and al-Qaeda sympathizers, say security officials and Balkan experts."

In a comment at Ken's site I wrote that Clinton's intervention was a bad idea, and thought so at the time. I'm not a complete pacifist, but am generally reluctant to support armed intervention because, like Joe Wilson said (about Iraq, but I'll generalize it)--armed intervention has the highest risk, at greatest cost, with the least reward.

What could have or can be done? Hell, I'll admit that I'm not sure--the Balkans are complicated. I for one wouldn't mind knowing exactly how Tito, a Croatian who fought with the Serbs against (mainly) other Croatians managed to keep a lid on things during his reign--while managing to keep the Soviet Union at arm's length as well. Other than some brief biographies, a few semi-scholarly articles, and conversations I had with a Kosovar Albanian who I used to talk to at a local hangout (for the record: he hated the KLA, didn't support the intervention, and remembered Tito fondly), I don't really know that much about Josef Broz.

Channel 9 at Ten

Actually was going to post briefly about Frontline--topic, the early Christians-- which got my attention for two hours, minus a quick trip to C-Span where I caught Alan Greenspan basically saying that this country is addicted to shopping, China is rapidly going from manufacturing to assembly and export, while even cheaper labor from other South Asian nations handles the production work. Sort of a work-'em-as-hard-as-you-can-for-as-long-as-you-can policy on a global scale. But after a good show about early Christianity (ironic: the United States is a de facto Christian nation, yet our historical understanding of the Middle East is pretty lacking for the most part), I decided to tune into the local "news," which began with--what else--yet another semi wreck on the interstate. Bad enough, but then traffic going the other way backed up for miles because so many people were rubbernecking. Geez--I'm glad I DON'T have to drive the damn highway.

But, I'm closing out my posting a little early tonight--want to catch up on some reading I've been doing.