The Balkans: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

[Annie]

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n95416

Al Qaeda Plans to Create Center on the Balkans for Enlargement of its Terrorist Activity
7 September 2006 | 15:30 | FOCUS News Agency
Ljubljana B 92: The international terrorist network Al Qaeda plans to establish a center on the Balkans for enlargement of its terrorist activity, Serbian B92 radio reports. Joseph Bodansky, advisor at the US Congress claims that Al Qaeda had a plan “Balkans 2020”, the Slovenian newspaper Finance writes. In the frameworks of that plan Al Qaeda wants to form centers in Croatia, BiH, Kosovo and Sandjak from which to prepare and perform terrorist activity in Western Europe. According to his words at least 5 world intelligence services are trying to prevent the fulfillment of plan Balkans 2020. They monitor the movement of people and arms coming from the Arab countries aiming to prevent the organization of terrorist groups on the Balkans.

Over the top? Don't like the source?

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aAaJBhCwmhq4&refer=home


BTW:

http://today.reuters.com/news/artic...KOC_0_US-ALBANIA-USA-RIDGE.xml&archived=False

Granted, Madeline Albright owns her consulting firm to the Middle Eastern mullahs, but this isn't a bad gig, I'm sure:

http://today.reuters.com/news/artic...KOC_0_US-ALBANIA-USA-RIDGE.xml&archived=False

Albania to employ Ex-Homeland Security chief Ridge
Mon Sep 4, 2006 10:54 AM ET

By Benet Koleka

TIRANA (Reuters) - Tom Ridge, the former U.S. Homeland Security chief, is to work as a consultant to Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha on security, NATO and investments. why not? He has all our current intel...

"We have agreed with Mr. Ridge he will be the adviser of the prime minister and the Albanian government effective this month," Berisha, flanked by Ridge, told reporters.

"Our cooperation includes ... integration of Albania into NATO as a major priority, national security strategy and the fight against organized corruption and crime," Berisha added.

As much as Ridge's security expertise, Berisha wants him to also bring to Albania his "success story" as Governor of Pennsylvania on education, the judiciary, information technology, agriculture and money laundering.

Albania applied for NATO membership after Berisha became Albania's first non-communist president in 1992 and turned the former Stalinist renegade state into a staunch ally of Washington.

He became a pariah when he refused to listen to U.S. advice in a 1997 pyramid scheme crisis which visited anarchy on the country and toppled his government. But he has been courting the United States assiduously since regaining office last year.

Berisha hired a U.S. firm to help him choreograph the election campaign that brought him to power in July 2005 after eight years in opposition. He ran on an anti-corruption campaign as the Socialist tore themselves apart in power struggles.

UPHILL STRUGGLE

Tirana has signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union. But it faces an uphill struggle on the economy, infrastructure and the fight against crime.

Berisha said he had told Ridge that being "selected by the Albanian Prime Minister as a super-envoy at a crucial moment for Albania" ranked equally to his selection by President George Bush as the first Office of Homeland Security Adviser on October 8, 2001, shortly after the attacks against the United States. Ridge resigned from government in December 2004.

"It is exciting to work with a government that is enthusiastically and passionately committed to effect the changes necessary to become a member of NATO and a strong global partner in the global economy," Ridge told reporters.

Asked what made a personality of his stature agree to advise a small country like Albania, Ridge said Berisha was a "very passionate and compelling individual" whose vision for the future of Albania he found exciting.

A government spokesman said Ridge would engage a team of consultants and offer his connections to make known Albania's reforms in the United States and create homeland security and good governance strategies.

He would visit Albania every two months and the terms of his employment would be made public in the future, the spokesman added.

 

[Gunny]

It'll be okay now. Canavaar just reported that they're sending in some Turkish troops.