Bill Clinton Gets Hero's Welcome in Kosovo

Statue of former President Unveiled, Street Renamed for 1998 Efforts to Stop Serb Violence Against Ethnic Albanians

(AP)  Thousands of ethnic Albanians braved low temperatures and a cold wind in Kosovo's capital Pristina to welcome former President Bill Clinton on Sunday as he attended the unveiling of an 11-foot statue of himself on a key boulevard that also bears his name.

Clinton is celebrated as a hero by Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority for launching NATO's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999 that stopped the brutal Serb forces' crackdown on independence-seeking ethnic Albanians.

This is his first visit to Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia last year.

Many waved American, Albanian and Kosovo flags and chanted "USA!" as the former president climbed on top of a podium with his poster in the background reading "Kosovo honors a hero."

Some peeked out of balconies and leaned on window sills to get a better view of Clinton from their apartment blocks.

To thunderous applause Clinton waved to the crowd as the red cover was pulled off from the statue.

The statue is placed on top of a white-tiled base, in the middle of a tiny square, surrounded by communist-era buildings.

"I never expected that anywhere, someone would make such a big statue of me," Clinton said of the gold-sprayed statue weighing a ton.

He also addressed Kosovo's 120-seat assembly, encouraging them to forgive and move on from the violence of the past.

The statue portrays Clinton with his left arm raised and holding a portfolio bearing his name and the date when NATO started bombing Yugoslavia, on March. 24, 1999.

An estimated 10,000 ethnic Albanians were killed during the Kosovo crackdown and about 800,000 were forced out of their homes. They returned home after NATO-led peacekeepers moved in following 78 days of bombing.

Leta Krasniqi, an ethnic Albanian, said the statue was the best way to express the ethnic Albanians' gratitude for Clinton's role in making Kosovo a state.

"This is a big day," Krasniqi, 25 said. "I live nearby and I'm really excited that I will be able to see the statue of such a big friend of ours every day."

Clinton last visited Kosovo in 2003 when he received an honorary university degree. His first visit was in 1999 - months after some 6,000 U.S. troops were deployed in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission here.

Some 1,000 American soldiers are still based in Kosovo as part of NATO's 14,000-strong peacekeeping force.

Police in Kosovo upped security measures ahead of Bill Clinton's arrival by adding deploying more traffic police and special police.

NATO officials said the peacekeepers were also on alert, although no additional security measures were taken.

[fatmirhasani]

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[Albania1912]

I am happy to die for you Bill. Right now I will not hesitate to give up my life for you. The statue is not enough we should name a University after you. The Serbian people will say all the dirty words about you in here. But rest asured that we love you and will always remember that if it had not been for you I would have been killid to. B Krasniqi

[vietnamwar]

Bush rock:
Speaking the same day at a leadership conference, the Indian leader also hailed Bush for his pivotal role in pushing through a pact which reversed a US ban on civilian nuclear trade with India.

"Former president George W. Bush is a great friend of our country," Singh told the forum, where Bush was slated to speak on Saturday.

"We in India recognise the important role he played in the fruition of the civil nuclear cooperation initiative," said Singh, who last year told Bush that the "people of India deeply love you".

[csuresh]

Why there is no George Bush statue in Iraq if he did help Iraquis to get rid off Saddam?

[vietnamwar]

because he is over India:
Speaking the same day at a leadership conference, the Indian leader also hailed Bush for his pivotal role in pushing through a pact which reversed a US ban on civilian nuclear trade with India.

"Former president George W. Bush is a great friend of our country," Singh told the forum, where Bush was slated to speak on Saturday.

"We in India recognise the important role he played in the fruition of the civil nuclear cooperation initiative," said Singh, who last year told Bush that the "people of India deeply love you".

[bubbadubba]

Reminds me of the great big thank and show of appreciation we got from Muslims for protecting their brothers in Albania and murdering 3,000 Christian Serbs, - 9/11.
One man's "ethnic cleansing" is another man's war on terrorism.
Only the US is allowed to kill terrorists who blow people up, Serbians are not allowed to defend their country.
But then again Muslims control most of the oil so we do what they tell us to.
Saudi ordered us to protect their muslims brothers in Albania and the US jumped just like the puppet we are.
I like Bill Clinton but his murder of 3000 of our friends in Serbia (including deliberately bombing civilian trains, busses, hospitals, schools, and houses) is just as bad as Bush's war on the Iraqi people.
Lest you think I am prejudiced, the US is a puppet of Israel too.

[briannorwood]

Everyone should remember. Bill Clinton sent our troops into Kosovo over the venemous objections of the GOP. In so doing, he helped stop one of the worst cases of genocide and ethnic disposition since WWII.

This is why history will judge Bill Clinton favorably.

[pigsinlipstick]

hey he left a surplus,

were it not for the mindless idiocy of the GOP

he would be a hero right here at home.

[vietnamwar]

check out the CHICK stand next to him in the crown....look like Monica

[dennisall77]

Bill is best pres since FDR (He is near the top while Bush is AT the bottom) Kennedy, the most beloved and charismatic. Truman great, Nixon near bottom, BushI near bottom, Reagan in middle, Ike in middle.... jeeez, Repugs sure have a tough time electing anyone decent... and Carter will be judged favorably because of the oil embargo causing all the inflation and high interest, NOT his actions (he was a gr8 peace negotiator and one of the most admired post-pres).

[antoniof123]

guyinpa1960 hate to tell you this but just saying it often will not make it so although Carter is near the bottom Obama is nowhere becuase he has not even been in office for a year.

And Clinton did great things he will be judged as a great leader and President you will not be able to say that about many. So shut your mouth and be an American who loves his country rather than someone who puts partisian politics first before anything.

[dennisall77]

Just as Ted Kennedy has now side-stepped all the hatred of the maniac right-wingers and his legend as the greatest senator of all time grows, so will Bill's legend as a great and good man grow while all the haters have to find something else to hate (Obama, Pelosi, what have you). You people here who only know how to express hatred are being ignored now. Your day is over. No one reads your crp anymore.Your game is so obvious: all hate and now solutions or ideas. Somoen who has better ideas on how to do something, has no need to spew hatred and resort to name calling.

[chonder2]

Repub Neo-con hit men Bonner and Gingrich will be on later to try to rework history and dicredit and attack any Democrats involved.

[antoniof123]

As the years pass his record will be judged not by the hate of those who lead a witch hunt as is now the case but by those who will look at his record and they will be kind.

[jxknowles]

Nice gesture for a great President and good man. His charities are helping millions of people in need all over the world.

[js555554]

I'm thinking Kosovo just got lucky really. Bill typically didn't send in the bombers or missiles unless there was a reason to draw national attention from something else. Kosovo's issues just came to a head at the right time. Glad it did.

[cabaldimon]

Bill Clinton Gets Hero's Welcome in Kosovo

For what? Bombing some water towers and other infrastructure?

Now this is hilarious.

[miami_don]

This is a reply to Cabal...you said "Bill Clinton Gets Hero's Welcome in Kosovo". Tell me do you think they will erect a statue to George Bush in Bagdad?

[dennisall77]

No, NOT hilrious (as ignorant neo-cons want to TRY to paint it)but an example of how peace can be won by diplomacy and wise actions based on something besides the profit motive, as Bush/Cheney were so moved always.

[army166]

Clinton did more good for the U.S. and the world than many of the cranks will ever give him credit for. Their constant slurs just point out how small minded they are and that we don't need one of their kind running the country.

[tom_gwynn]

Kosovo may be the only example in the 20th century of a genocide being successfully stopped. Clinton deserves a lot of credit for this. But it still angers and mystifies me why America, literally on the other side of the world, had to be the one to intervene there. This is literally the EU's back yard. They had *roads* leading to the affected countries. The world screams that they don't want the US to be the world's policeman, and yet they sit and twiddle their thumbs while sh*t like this occurs. Yes, I'm aware that this was a NATO operation, but it was a NATO operation because Clinto kicked NATO in the keister. Why can't Europe clean up Europe's messes?

[rafaeldrc]

The problem was history. Europeans have a lot of it, more than the USA. The Balkans have relationships intertwined with religion and defunct treaties, treaties that no longer exist but served as connections of the past. The French did not want to get involved because taking sides would stir up the past and other nations aligned with opposing past connection might do the same. The same held true with Germany and other countries. Remember also that the European Union was forming and Europe didn't need another reason to mis-trust each others motives. History will show it was prudent for NATO to stay out and best for the USA to have gotten involved since we had no prior history in the matter. Though the Russians protested our involvement, they too had historical connections to the area that would not have assisted in bringing about peace.

[pickaguitar1]

Bill is da'man!

[edgy44]

Oh Monica! Screwed again...

[gangesdak]

American politics has been harsh on Bill Clinton. But history will be kind to him. He definitely represented America very favorably throughout the nineties. I like him. I wish him the best.