Serbia and Kosovo

While all this is going on the U.N. has continued its efforts to help secure an independent state in Kosovo. This is causing tensions between the U.N., E.U., U.S., and Russia. Russia is backing Serbia in its goal for Kosovo to remain a part of Serbia. While Kosovo’s 90% majority Albanian population want an independent state (nation). This is likely to be a hot spot for some time now. Also if Serbia and Russia continue on their path battles are likely to occur. At the least this is a tense situation, with both sides rolling dice. – Ian Bach

Click here for History of Kosovo

Click here for CIA World Factbook - Serbia

Serbia PM, Kosovo President Get Green Light To Address UN

UNITED NATIONS (AP)--Serbia's prime minister and Kosovo's president got a green light Friday to present their opposing views on the future status of Kosovo to the U.N. Security Council next week.

The council's 15 members agreed that Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica would speak as the representative of his country and Kosovo's president, Fatmir Sejdiu, would speak in his private capacity at a closed council meeting, said Italy's U.N. Ambassador Marcello Spatafora, the current council president.

Since last week, the council has been discussing the format for the Dec. 19 meeting behind closed doors. The key issue has been whether to allow Sejdiu, who doesn't represent a country, to speak, and if so under what conditions.

The council meeting will focus on a report by U.S., European Union and Russian mediators in two-year talks between Belgrade and Kosovo on resolving the status of the Serbian province. The talks ended in late November without an agreement. (Click here for entire article)

Turkey's Air Stikes in Iraq

I have included some mainstream media Links and excerpts below. For a brief background on the problem one must look back in history.

History - Ancient period

Recognition of the existence of a Kurdish land goes back even as far as Sumerian Cuneiform Tablets, dating from about 3000 BC, which speak of the land of the Kurds.^[10]

Much of Kurdistan corresponds roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Gutium (Qurti), which is mentioned in cuneiform records about 2400 BC, and had its capital at Arraphkha (modern Kirkuk).^{[11] (wikipedia)}

^{Modern period}

^{In the 16th century, the Kurdish-inhabited areas were split between Safavid Iran and the Ottoman Empire after prolonged wars. The first important division of Kurdistan occurred in the aftermath of the Battle of Chaldiran in 1514. This division was formalized in the Treaty of Zuhab in 1639.[17] Before World War I, most Kurds lived within the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire in the province of Kurdistan. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the Allies agreed and planned to create several countries within its former boundaries. Originally Kurdistan, along with Armenia, was to be one of them, according to the never-ratified Treaty of Sèvres. However, the reconquest of these areas by Kemal Atatürk and other pressing issues caused the Allies to accept the renegotiated Treaty of Lausanne, accepting the border of the modern Republic of Turkey and leaving the Kurds without a self-ruled region. Other Kurdish areas were assigned to the new British and French mandated states of Iraq and Syria under both treaties.}

^{The Kurdish delegation made a proposal at the San Francisco Peace Conference in 1945, showing the geographical extent of Kurdistan as claimed by the Kurds. This proposal encompasses an area extending from the Mediterranean shores near Adana to the shores of the Persian Gulf near Bushehr, and it includes the Lur inhabited areas of southern Zagros.[18][19]}

^{Since World War I, Kurdistan has been divided between several states, in each of which Kurds are minorities. At the end of the First Gulf War, the Allies established a safe haven in northern Iraq. Amid the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from three northern provinces, Iraqi Kurdistan emerged as an autonomous entity inside Iraq, with its own local government and parliament in 1992.}

^{Current Events}

^{Given the historical events it is likely there are many (including me) who are sympathetic to the thought of a re-united Kurdish Nation. Yet one must concede that in present time this would create a weakened Iraq and unstable environment in Turkey and the region. Also the PKK has been identified as a militant terrorist organization, not a political movement. It is the action the PKK uses that gives it this designation as a terrorist organization. Therefore we are not likely to see anyone other than the PKK backing any such military moves.}

^{The only way a re-united Kurdistan could occur is through a politic movement, not a military one. The main host countries that now occupy once Kurdish lands include Syria, Iran, and Turkey. These host countries are not likely to give up valuable lands of strategic economic and political importance. Some estimates I have read estimate approximately 75% of the Kurdish population in the host countries live not in the Kurdish areas, but rather in the cities and capitals of the host countries. - Ian Bach}

^{Turkey's air strikes in Iraq Kurdish Areas.}

^{Time Magazine writes:
(by Andrew Purvis)}

^{"The official U.S. line is that Washington did not approve Turkey's Sunday air strike on Kurdish targets in northern Iraq. But the U.S. does control the skies over Iraq and the Pentagon did open airspace over Iraq for at least three hours to Turkish warplanes. It was also informed of the raids beforehand, according to an American spokesperson in Ankara. "By opening its airspace, America gave its approval to the operation," Turkish General Yasar Buyukanit said"……..(Click here for the entire article)}

“The Turkish government had been threatening to send its own troops across the border to crack down on PKK bases inside Iraq since last October's attacks on Turkish troops. Washington and Baghdad at the time urged restraint, fearing that a large-scale incursion into Iraq by Turkish troops would trigger a broader clash not with the PKK but with soldiers under the command of the Iraqi Kurdish administration, thus destabilizing the one part of Iraq that has managed to avoid civil conflict so far.”

“The PKK has been waging a separatist campaign against Turkish security forces since the 1970s, most recently attacking Turkish targets from bases within Iraq. On Sunday, the PKK said five of its militants were killed; according to Iraqi officials, at least one woman civilian was killed as well. Meanwhile, hundreds have been forced to flee their homes.”

Air Strikes vs Air Lift

With shows like CIS or 24 making fiction appear to be reality, it is no wonder why the citizens of the world cry foul every time civilians die in air strikes. (trust me I moarn them also but....)

Viewers of these TV shows see instant communications and imagery via satellites being used in real-time by the characters like Jack Bower. Sorry I don't actually watch these shows, never have, never will (to fake for my blood). Yet the social consciousness of the world cries out when real life does not happen like on TV. I admit it would be nice in a perfect world where only bad guys die, but we don't live in that world. Our air power has come under tighter and tougher scrutiny by people who don't understand our capabilities. Yet the most damaging is most peoples lack of understanding about what we are “not capable of” and about the road bumps in the systems (both mechanical and human).

The U.S. Air Force has begun to look at its role in the future, and what changes will need to be implemented. The most specific immediate need for change in the Air Force has been outlined by Rand (click here for the PDF file) in 2006. In brief we will need to train men to be advisors and trainers of air forces for countries who are fighting insurgencies. The first country that will visibly benefit from this will most likely be Iraq. Of course Afghanistan will also need this soon as well as many other countries such as in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. These new national air forces most likely won’t look like ours. Instead we should expect a focus on drone spotter style unmanned vehicles (UAVs) and heavy lift cargo aircraft. The heavy lift cargo planes play many roles including humanitarian aide during disasters (manmade or natural).

With the recent air strikes in the Kurdish Northern Iraq and the growing voices against air strikes in Afghanistan. We should expect to see our military branches continue to work towards smaller payloads and limited air assaults. Meanwhile, insurgents continue to hide amongst civilians (weather they be family or servants or innocents) compounding an already bad problem.

Places like Serbia in 1999 are an example of air power overused and abused. When governments opt to take the easy way out (both politically and financially) they send in the air force to carry out air strikes that backfire on us in the public arena. From the cockpit we carry out attacks relying on information from ground forces, central command, and politicians. Until the decision makers are forced to confront the issues we will continue to see mistakes and abuses. These mistakes often create more of a problem then what existed prior to the action.

Yet for now the public cries will continue to go unanswered until we can create a fundamental change in thinking of the politicians and the pencil pushers.

In the mean time our troops come home to no fanfare, no parades, no heros welcome. Yet they have served their country, put their lives on the line, and in many cases achieved great deeds, that go unsung. I salute these brave men who during this holiday season continue to fight the good fight. – Ian Bach