Albanians, in Albanian proper and in Kosovo, love America. Perhaps contradictorily, they also love George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Pristina, Kosovo’s capital, is probably the only city in the world with both George W. Bush and Bill Clinton boulevards.
Albanians love 42 for his support of the 11-week NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999, which led to the Serbian military withdrawal from Kosovo and the placement of the province under United Nations administration, and 43 for supporting Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia in February last year.
But now Kosovo Albanians have shown their special gratitude to Clinton — who is seen as the architect of the NATO bombing campaign — by erecting a giant, 10-foot tall, golden statue of the former U.S. President.
Clinton visited Pristina for the statue’s unveiling, but appeared slightly sheepish about the whole thing:
Bush got a similar hero’s welcome in Albania in June 2007, when he made an official visit there. The capital Tirana was festooned with American flags and huge posters of Bush’s face, in a style reminiscent of the city’s communist-era parades. It was strange to see the giant, concrete pyramid that had been built by Albanian’s former communist dictator Enver Hoxha as his tomb draped in red, white and blue.
Eight months later, Kosovo Albanians waved American flags and held aloft “We love America” signs during their independence celebrations.
All this was at a time when America wasn’t exactly the most popular kid on the global playground.
Kosovo (the ethnically Albanian parts, at least) and Albania are still probably the two most pro-American places in the world — they may even be more pro-American than America. At the very least, they’ve shown greater enthusiasm for America’s recent foreign escapades than the American people as a whole.
Albania, which recently got into NATO with U.S. backing, has been loyal supporter of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has sent hundreds of troops to the two conflicts. America was even able to use its leverage there to coerce the poor Balkan country into taking some of the prisoners — most of them Chinese Uyghurs — who they wanted to release from Guantanamo Bay but for various reasons couldn’t send to their home countries.
For the Bush administration, support from Kosovo and Albania, both majority Muslim, was seen as an important counterargument to allegations that America was waging a war on Islam.
But the new Clinton statue may be bad news for Bush. Kosovo was probably the only state in the world that might have erected a statue to him and it’s unlikely even they will adorn their streets with two giant statues of American presidents.
Nicole Itano
Nicole Itano is a freelance journalist and writer based in Athens, Greece. In nearly ten years covering international news, she has reporting from more than 25 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe and her work has appeared in The New York Times, ...
Read more about Nicole Itano ->
Mike says:
Sure, if I wanted to take another coutry's land from them and some guy come's by and bombs them for me... I'd put up a statue of him as well. What would happen if the Mexicans across the south of the U.S. all of a sudden took that chunk of land and claimed it as their own state. Perhaps Russia or even Chine would 'help' them. Who know's, someday we may see a stautue of Putin in Dallas? Does that not sound over the top to you? Well, if you're Serbian, that's what it feel's like back home where Kosovo was taken by force.
Miri says:
Dear MIke,
It seems that you are one of the Serbian Police, one of the Police that made too many masacres in Kosova. All the worlds knows what the serbian police made in kosova. What the serbian people made in Kosova. So, while 99% of serbian people has e mantality like you, i'ts shows that you have not changed. But the Gods sends sombady in the world to bring the peace and to fight this kind of mentality. In that time the god sends Mr. President Clington to bring the peace, and we thanks the God and we thenks mr. President. God bless Amerika, God bless Kosova.
Hysen Lici says:
If a criminal is trying to to kill a person someone need to say "STOP". When Miloshevic tried to kill millions of civilians, Bill Clinton was determined to say "STOP" and he deserve that honor, in the name of Albanians but why not in the name of humanity.
Hysen Lici says:
If a criminal is trying to kill a person someone needs to say "STOP". When Miloshevic tried to kill millions of civilians, Bill Clinton was determined to say "STOP" and he deserve that honor, in the name of Albanians but why not in the name of humanity.
KastorPollux says:
Comments like the ones by Mike, in case he is Mike and not Mihajlovic show how unfortunate 40 years of communism have been to Albania. For 40 years while Albanians were living under the propaganda that "we will eat grass and we will not surrender to the Anglo-American imperialism" and they ended up having nothing to eat, the loving and caring neighbors from which the Albanians who came from somewhere or must have come from somewhere(although there is no record of any such thing) took their land spread the news of a backward, muslim, fundamentalist barbarian myth. Let Mike read some history books on the founders of Romania, Greece, Italy and Turkey. Let Mike read on the history of George Kastrioti Scanderbeg, let Mike read on Mother Theresa and other illustrious figures of this country and perhaps he might change his mind.
But no, the mentality we're fighting to change is not of Mike for his generation cannot change 40 years of propaganda just like the Albanian generation of the communist regime won't change their views about the Anglo-American world, but perhaps his children so that they can learn that in that part of the world there are some very ancient people who are beginning to get the respect and recognition they deserve. This change is visible where it mostly needs to be, in Albania and Kosovo, but it needs to be complemented with a real change in the world arena for common folks too.
By the way the love of Albanians for America is not new, let's just say that it began at least since inception of the Albanian Nation with president Woodrow Wilson.
Valerie Ford says:
Hey Mike or Mikeollevic,, Kosovo was not taken by force. You had taken Kosovo (or better say Dardania) by force years ago. You forgot or you pretend you forgot, or you teach the history as you want to.
Do your people a favor and acknowledge the truth of history. ,, and in stead doing your baseless propaganda do some good for your country,, you have a lot of work to do to change your name; so far you are known as the butchers of Europe.,, and you are doing nothing to change it.
Putin statue can’t be placed in Dallas because a KGB doesn’t know what freedom means, he only knows how to kill it.
Congo says:
You won't find any statues of Bill Clinton in the Congo.
Eddie says:
Let me start by writting that the article is great. Since Wilson (1919), America has helped Albania in a way or another.Albanians always have fought for their freedom(from the turks,the slavs,greeks,the germans,the italians)and never was handed to them.They know how to always honor the people who helped them.As one of the oldiest race of Europe,Albanians had to endure a lot of abuse from their neighboor countries.Since the fall of communism in Albania,I have read a lot of books about this country who needs to be respected more.
shkupi says:
A well known Serbian writer and politican Dobrica Ćosić wrote this 1961 about his fellow Serbians:"We lie to deceive ourselves, to console others, we lie for mercy, we lie to fight fear, to encourage ourselves, to hide our and somebody else's misery. We lie for love and honesty. We lie because of freedom. Lying is a trait of our patriotism and the proof of our innate intelligence. We lie creatively, imaginatively and inventively."
niku says:
bush was treated as a hero because he is the U.S. president not because we albanians love him ( he put albania in NATO and gave kosovo independence and for that our nation will be gratefull)....bill on the other hand is loved all over the world.....
ever since president wilson stopped the devision of albania like a cake between its neighbours albanians have been grateful to the U.S.
we love the US just as much as the serbs love those barbaric russians...
if albania would have joined capitalism in 1945 and not the barbaric soviets we would have been economicaly more ahead than greece
Gimeti says:
Mike,
you must be a high school dropout to make such a comment, get your facts together my friend!
Get some education
Jelena, UK says:
"...Let Mike read on the history of George Kastrioti Scanderbeg, let Mike read on Mother Theresa and other illustrious figures of this country..."
Out of curiosity, who are the others? Are there any?
How is it possible that the ‘oldest’ nation in Europe in supposedly 4,000 (or more!) years of history did not give any significant scientist, artist, even sportsman to world's heritage? And that after living alongside Greeks and Romans? Are there any ancient texts in Albanian?
No wonder Albanians are naming the streets after American presidents. After all, you can’t name all the streets in the city after Mother Theresa, or Scanderbeg, can you?
Jelena, UK says:
I forgot to say that the best phrase to describe the whole event (and relationship) would be the ‘Cargo Cult’.
Aldrahn says:
Karl von Gega, dear Jelena.
Zoti says:
Albanians live and die by their code of honor. You do wrong by us we will pay you back tenfold and if you do right by us we will pay you back tenfold. Serbs (many wrongs) and Americans (many rights) are the best testmanet to that.
Jelena at least we have Mother Theresa who do you Serbs have? Ask anyone in the world to name one famous Serb and it'll most likely be Slobodan Milosevic, whose evil is only surpassed by Hitler.
James Wilson says:
I wish most of you knew a little more history. Today, 90% of Kosovo's population is at least nominally Muslim. It makes me wonder how many Al-Qaeda are hiding there.
During World War II Serbia was one of our greatest allies. They saved thousands of our fly-boys.
It has yet to be proven how many Jews the people of Kosovo robbed and killed. I have read counts into the millions.
dodona says:
Uncountable is the number of Albanians great leaders and commander since they build the Egypt , ancient Greece and ancient Rome , also governed Ottoman Empire …in the same time enormous it is been the effort to hide the truth and change the historical rode including identity of Albanian people , to hide the great role of Albanian language in development of other European language included ancient Greek and latin…
Once an Homeric nation now being fight in its existence by almost all and exactly here US has a role , Albanian understand and appreciate…Not just by written properly the historical books that show exactly who origin was Alexander the Great and Pirro and who had the culture& people that gave light to all European civilization to day ..but by protecting them (Albanians ) by any mean as already Americans did ,,so simply Thank you for letting Albanians to exist as nation which is still undone in at least 7 different EU countries…
mark says:
jelena,
i could easy rattle of a dozen well known albanians who have contributed to society and mankind in general. that is not the point because you suffer, as most balkan people, from a deep, biased hatred towards one another that transcends logic and i include many of my own people (albanians) in that analysis.
i could supply you with this list and you might tell me that they were not albanian or that they were serbian, greek or some other nonsense.
it is not my duty to enlighten you on the contributions made by albanians throughout the anals of history to humanity but yours to visit your local library and see for yourself. that is assuming you don't reside in either belgrade or athens.
Zoti says:
James Wilson says:
"It has yet to be proven how many Jews the people of Kosovo robbed and killed. I have read counts into the millions."
James I'm not going to dignify you post with an answer but if I were you I would ask for a refund from wathever school you went to cause you were robbed blind.
Gimeti says:
James Wilson,
You are 90% idiot,
now i'm gonna school you!
100% of albanians are first Albanian, then European, and then maybe muslims, get it? do you want me to draw you a picture?
As a matter of fact, albanians during WWII helped jewish people, and that's why Israel supported the independece of kosovo.
I hate people like that talk out their asses man.
You are worse than mike, you are missing the big picture here you idiot.
FUCK!!!
Jelena, UK says:
To Aldrahn
Thank you for providing the name of a prominent Albanian. One is better than nothing.
To Zoti
I guess then you would consider perfectly normal when others retaliate against you tenfold, since that kind of action is endorsed by your medieval ‘code of honor’?
To Mark
If you ‘could easy rattle of a dozen well known albanians’ I would presume their ethnicity/nationality would be undisputable? And if it isn’t, oh well, just toss that list and make another. And maybe that might be the one you could comfortably share with the rest, as a proper answer to my question?
Zoti says:
Jelena said;
I guess then you would consider perfectly normal when others retaliate against you tenfold, since that kind of action is endorsed by your medieval ‘code of honor’?
Jelena, remember the Albanians had a non-violent independence movement led by Ibrahim Rugova for almost 15 years before we decided to take up arms against the Serb invading army. One can only take so much humiliation, oppression and degradation.
As for what I consider normal from a Serb, I must admit that I expect anything from you at this point. The attrocities committed by the Serbs have been unparalleled in post-WWII Europe. The only thing keeping the Serbs from starting another war is Bondsteel, hence the Albanians feelings towards the Americans.
Aldrahn says:
To Jelena.
You asked "are there ANY"?
I gave you one. I'm Austrian, however.
Hysen Lici says:
James Wilsonvic = Slobodan Milosevic
Don’t you still understand that Bill Clinton, America and NATO bombarded Serbia to protect the humanity from genocide? Don’t you understand that America and West protect human rights regardless the religion belief criminals have?
All are criminals or terrorists: Hitler, Stalin, Bin Landen or whoever that commits crimes against the humanity. People are all God’s creature and are equal, Muslims and Christians, Buddhists and others.
If you live in USA, then you are in the wrong land and you must be punished for promoting hate and have the same fate as your spiritual leader Milosevic.
mark says:
To Mark
If you ‘could easy rattle of a dozen well known albanians’ I would presume their ethnicity/nationality would be undisputable? And if it isn’t, oh well, just toss that list and make another. And maybe that might be the one you could comfortably share with the rest, as a proper answer to my question
jelena,
indisputable? that list isn't amongst albanians or any other real european nation or people. i have no doubt that that list and any other fact that promotes or shows anything albanian in a positive light would be disputed by a certain few but we albanians have come to expect that from that same bunch. in fact...it's rather become "tradition" with us to dismiss the nonsense that is volleyed our way from the naysayers in serbia, greece and a few more of your cronnies. it's just another day at the office.
it's really odd that you're whining these days about the albanian people and others (croats & bosnians) who were part of the former yugoslavia. i know it's a bitter pill to swallow but the sooner you learn to accept the truth that it is no longer around the better off you, serbia and the rest of the balkans will be as a result. face the facts...serbia is a landlocked nation with no access to the adriatic and albania has a rich, undeveloped coastline that in the coming years will rival many other nation's beaches on the mediterranean. who knows, jelena, we may even allow the serbian people access if you behave yourself and pay the duty taxes :)