A New Sort of Reality

Published in Politika
(Serbia) on 27 September 2011
by Obrad Kesic (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Mirela Muncan. Edited by Janie Boschma.
It is not clear which reality will eventually prevail: the virtual one that offers itself or the one in which we currently live.

Wherever you turn these days, man is offered some sort of reality as if all of us lack sufficient reality from everyday life. In America, Republicans want President Obama and American citizens to accept the reality that the economics of the current administration is a clear failure and that the economic problems of the United States can solely be resolved through reductions in the state budget, particularly cuts in social programs. Democrats, however, want Republicans and American citizens to accept the reality that the current economic crisis is a direct result of faulty policies of the previous administration and the evident greed of the former president and largest and richest companies in America. They also want it known that neither they nor President Obama are directly at fault for the current situation.

In the same way, the EU seeks the acceptance of the reality that, despite all its issues, it is the only path to prosperity and an overall better life for its members. The United States and the European Union are working together to push the Serbians to accept the reality of an independent Kosovo and Metohija, saying that this is the only way to guarantee peace and stability in the Balkans as well as a better life for Serbians. Lastly, the political elite of Serbia seek to accept the reality that they too are completely helpless in the fight against evil that their citizens are experiencing in Kosovo and Metohija.

For an extended period, U.S. forces, as well as a single part of the EU, confirm that the realities the United States created in the Balkans are guaranteed and unquestionable: First, the borders of the Balkans after Kosovo’s declaration of independence are permanent and can never be altered; second, the policies implemented by the U.S. and EU for the past two decades guarantee lasting peace and stability in the Balkans; third, the entrance of countries in the Balkans into NATO and the EU are the only way of guaranteeing security and economic prosperity; fourth, the political and economic models offered by the United States and the EU have no alternative and guarantee the highest levels of freedom, democracy and economic progress.

Unfortunately, due to forces beyond their control, after two centuries and a standstill in the region, this policy has been shown to hold no water. Alternative to this reality is the reality that: First, the greatest threat to peace and stability in the Balkans is the declaration of independence by Kosovo in a way that was orchestrated by the United States and its allies in the EU. This declaration of independence guarantees that the Albanian question in this region will be a key long-term issue, and it involves not only Kosovo but also Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Greece and Albania. Second, the largest threat to peace in the world is America, the EU, and NATO, all of whom violate international law. These forces are bombing both military and civilian targets indiscriminately and simply doing as they please while covering it up in the name of moral superiority while using brute force. Third, the borders in Europe and in the region of the Balkans have been subject to change throughout the decades. Every empire that at one time dominated thought that they drew borders that would outlast the test of time. Even with their arrogance and power, borders changed. There isn't any logic nor any sort of guarantee that dictates they will not change again. After all, there is the policy that guaranteed ethnic Albanians the rights of Kosovo’s independence by seceding from the Serbian territory, along with the argument that Albanians could no longer live within the borders of Serbia. Likewise, this argument can be used by Serbians in the north of Kosovo regarding relations with Pristina. Evidently, Albanians can also use this argument in Macedonia and Montenegro. Other minorities may use it in relation to their current state. Fourth, no one can seriously believe that all nations in the Balkans will be accepted as members of the EU in the near future, nor will the EU present a quick cure for the problems of nations that seek help from the organization.

Political elites in the United States and the European Union show that they themselves have lost confidence in their present political and economic systems. At the same time, they still demand that other countries blindly believe in these same systems and shape their futures only on these very systems.

It is not clear which reality will ultimately prevail: the virtual one that is offered or the actual one in which we live. However, one thing is evident, despite all the wishes, expectations and efforts of the United States and the European Union, one day, hopefully soon, they will be forced to accept a new reality.


Nije jasno koja će realnost na kraju da prevlada. Ona virtuelna koja se nudi ili ona u kojoj mi živimo

Gde god da se ovih dana čovek okrene neko mu nudi realnost. Kao da nam svima nedostaje dovoljno realnosti iz svakodnevnog života. U Americi republikanci od predsednika Obame i od američkih građana traže da prihvate realnost da je ekonomska politika sadašnje administracije veliki promašaj .I da ekonomske probleme Amerike treba rešiti samo rezanjem državnog budžeta, a pogotovo socijalnih programa. Demokrate, pak, traže da republikanci i američki građani prihvate realnost da su svi ekonomski problemi SAD rezultat loše politike prethodnog predsednika i gramzivosti najbogatijih i najvećih firmi u Americi. I da ni oni ni predsednik Obama nikako nisu krivi za sadašnje loše stanje.

Isto tako, Evropska unija traži da prihvatimo realnost da ona, mimo svih problema, predstavlja jedinu alternativu za prosperitet ibolji život građana. Amerika i EU zajedno traže da Srbi prihvate realnost da je nezavisnost Kosova iMetohije potpuno ispravno ijedino rešenje koje garantuje mir i stabilnost na Balkanu, a takođe i bolji život za Srbe. Na kraju, ipolitička elita u Srbiji traži da se prihvati realnost da jeona apsolutno bespomoćna u borbi protiv zla sa kojimse suočavaju njihovi građani na Kosovu iMetohiji.

Već duže vreme sila Amerike (ijednog dela EU) tvrdi da je realnost koju je ona izgradila na prostoru Balkana zagarantovana i neupitna: 1. Da su granice na prostoru Balkana posle proglašenja nezavisnosti Kosova zabetonirane ida nikada više ne mogu biti promenjene. 2. Da politika koju one vode poslednje dve decenije garantuje dugotrajan mir i stabilnost na prostoru Balkana. 3. Da ulazak svih država balkanske regije u NATO iEU garantuje njihovu bezbednost, a i ekonomski prosperitet. 4. Da su politički iekonomski modeli koje nude Amerika iEU bez alternative i da garantuju najveći nivo slobode,demokratije i ekonomskog napretka

Nažalost, i mimo njihove sile idve decenije nastojanjada na prostoru Balkana odlučuju osvemu, to jednostavno ne pije vodu. Alternativa njihovoj realnosti jeste realnost da: 1. Najveća pretnja miru istabilnosti na prostoru Balkana predstavlja proglašenje nezavisnosti Kosova na način koji su izorkestrirali Amerika i njeni saveznici u EU. To proglašenje nezavisnosti garantuje da će albansko pitanje u ovoj regiji dugoročno biti ključno pitanje i da će se ticati ne samo Kosova nego i Makedonije, Srbije, Crne Gore, Grčke i Albanije. 2. Najveću pretnju miru u svetu predstavljaju baš Amerika, EU i NATO koji krše međunarodno pravo, bombarduju vojne i civilne mete bez razlike i jednostavno rade šta hoće, sve u ime nekog osećaja moralne superiornosti i gole sile koju koriste. 3. Granice u Evropi i na prostoru Balkana su se neprekidno menjale tokom vekova. Svaka imperija koja je u jednom vremenu bila dominantna uvek je mislila da je na ovim prostorima ucrtala granice za večnost.

Mimo njihove bahatosti i sile, granice su posle određenog vremena menjane. Ne postoji logika niti bilo kakva garancija da neće ponovo da budu menjane. Na kraju krajeva, politika koja je progurala nezavisnost albanske etničke države Kosovo odsecanjem teritorije Srbije, uz argument da Albanci ne mogu više nikada da žive u granicama Srbije, garantuje pravo Srbimana severu Kosova da isti argument koriste u odnosu sa Prištinom, a eventualno i da Albanci taj argument koriste u Makedoniji i Crnoj Gori; a i druge manjine da ga koriste u odnosu na svoje sadašnje države. 4. Niko više ne može ozbiljno da veruje da će sve države Balkana uskoro da se nađu kao članice u EU, niti EU predstavlja brzi lek za sve probleme onih država kojebi tražile spas u toj organizaciji.

Političke elite u Americi i u EU pokazuju ovih danada su izgubile poverenje u ispravnost svojih ekonomskih i političkih sistema, a istovremeno traže da druge države idalje nekritički veruju u iste te sisteme i da vide svoju budućnost samo u okviru tih sistema.

Nije jasno koja će realnost na kraju da prevlada. Ona virtuelna koja se nudi ili ona u kojoj mi živimo, ali jedna stvar je jasna, a to je da će mimo svih želja, očekivanja i truda, i Amerika i EU jednog dana, nadam se uskoro, morati da prihvate novu realnost.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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