>In the best case this masterpiece of journalism can serve as an example of
>how 'free' press works: For a few weeks the Albanians had been presented as
>the poor refugees. Today its back to the ordinary rascist stereotypeof
>mafians and drg-dealers. This coincides with the mounting tension between
>the NATO occupation forces and the KLA.
I agree with Johannes' qualms about these kind of reports on Albanians. I always tried to avoid the 'drug-dealing' Albanians stuff, that was all generated by the military campaign to dominate the whole of the Balkans.
The problem in Kosovo today is not the Albanians - however much it might appear that way on the Mitrovica bridge - the problem is the Nato/UN troops. Without Western intervention, the ethnic hostilities would not have been given the same force that they have. It is because the West is the most powerful force in the region, that different ethnicities are fighting each other for Western support. The KLA today is making a bid to be recognised as sole authority in Kosovo. That is what is driving the current conflict. Without the West as sponsor, there would be no KLA. There is nothing intrinsically wrong or corrupt about Albanians. -- Jim heartfield