Damned If We Do, Damned If We Don't

The very people we saved during the Kosovo war, the ones we brought to America and gave food, water, shelter, medical, employment, and FREEDOM, are now threatening violence in Serbia and in the United States.

These people have no shame. It doesn't matter how much we give, they want more and more.

Kosovo is a Serbian province ruled by Muslim Albanian separatists that have vowed violence if their demands for independence are not met by the international community.

"A delay in independence could provoke a violent response from embittered Kosovo Albanian extremists," says McConnell.

McConnell notes that NATO intervention in the province is a possibility after Kosovo separatists declare independence and any violence inside Kosovo will spill over into neighboring states.

However, McConnell warns that even if the status of Kosovo is resolved in favor of the separatists, the Albanian ethnic minorities living in Macedonia and southern Serbia are likely to continue "pressing for greater autonomy" which will be used by extremist Albanians to initiate violence there.

"[E]thnic Albanian extremists will attempt to exploit public discontent and use small-scale violence to rally support for unification with Kosovo," says McConnell.

The assessment notes that Serbia "will not intervene with the Serbian Army in Kosovo" but political and economic responses against Kosovo separatist will hinder any economic development of the province.

By referring in his early remarks to the Fort Dix terror plot organized by ethnic Albanian Muslims, McConnell indicated that these European Muslims will increasingly be used by the al-Qaeda to launch attacks inside the United States.

Serbianna.com - Violence likely in Kosovo, US

Bank of America: Deployed Soldier a 'Deadbeat'

Delays in the military mail system may result in damage to a deployed soldier's credit. And Bank of America couldn't care less. They only want their money. Capitalism and freedom go hand-in-hand. But apparently those who defend and protect that freedom, i.e. capitalism, are irrelevant. All that matters to Bank of America is their bottom line:

A local soldier serving in Iraq has been unfairly accused of being a dead-beat by his credit card company.

It's something that could affect his military career.

So his family turned to Local 12 Troubleshooter Howard Ain for help.

22 year old Ben Singer is with the 82nd Airborne, stationed in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

His father Steve, of Batavia, tells me Ben was told to get a credit card and needed to pay an extra 20 dollars to get it fast.

SINGER: "He got the card but they got it late and he never activated the card. BECAUSE HE HAD TO GO OVERSEAS? He was shipped to Iraq January 3rd."

The credit card company sent his bill to Ft. Bragg and it was forwarded to Iraq. Singer received it, sent it home and his father paid the $20-- but that was on March 4th because of all the time to send the bill from one place to another.

Then more bills arrived-- bills for late fees.

http://www.local12.com

This story has a somewhat happy ending. After calls from a troubleshooter reporter, Bank of America relented and dropped the late fees. But a soldier in battle facing injury or death doesn't always have the luxury of being able to contact an investigative reporter. He or she shouldn't have to. It's a disgrace that, on top of life and death matters, our troops must now worry that credit card payments arrive on time.