The recent declaration of independence by Kosovo has left many large states in a diplomatic fluster. Russia condemns it, the Chinese frown upon it, and the Americans welcome it with open arms. Serbia is understandably upset about the whole thing and are rioting like there’s no tomorrow. Truly just another day in the Balkans…

I don’t profess to know the intricacies of the conflict in Kosovo, or indeed the social animosity between Serbs and the Albanians, or most of the political intrigue that surrounds this region. For me, Kosovo is the place that I got to see in the 90’s through a dull grey IR screen of an F-18’s video feed, while CNN captured the wonderfully successful air campaign in all its glory, showing at the same time that Bill Clinton, after just six years of ineptitude, had found his military spine. But as for the people themselves, their history and just why they hate each other, I am rather ignorant on the matter. I suspect the issues at hand now are as deep-rooted and complicated as our own current predicament. But like a true politician, I shall dodge the main issue at hand and look at the big picture which interests me!

For me, the whole independence debacle highlights the multi-layered network that is modern international politics. It’s a selfish game, and nobody does anything out of the kindness of their heart or out of any moral compulsion unless they happen to coincide with some sort of utility that is of substantial value to the state in question. For Russia, it would be a dangerous game to play were they to recognize Kosovo’s independence. With Georgia and other rambunctious vassal states of the former Soviet Union constantly bleating for independence, to acknowledge Kosovo’s break from its Serb motherland would be to tacitly provide allowance for its own rebellious children to pronounce independence, or at the least provide fresh impetus to pro-secessionist militants and political groups. It’s a headache Russia doesn’t need, and thus they disapprove of Kosovo and make strong noises about this being an unacceptable state of affairs. For someone like China the motivation is the same. They must disapprove of Kosovo even though they have little to no influence in the region anyway. While similar to Russia in terms of preventing secessionism around their own borders, for China it’s a more proactive reminder to Tibet and Taiwan to toe the line…. Or else…

Europe is divided over this, with those who don’t suffer from partisans braying for independence from their parent state recognizing Kosovo’s independence, and those who do (for example, Spain) either being neutral or displaying disapproval of the whole affair. Likewise, it’s convenient that the now-sickeningly pacifist European governments also want to retrieve what few peacekeepers are left in Kosovo as soon as possible. The irony, of course, is that Kosovo is by no means secure, and with the intensity of the Serbian reaction to their proclamation, an ensuing conflict is not entirely unthinkable, which in turn would require a greater EU-fueled peacekeeping force in the area for even longer.

I recognize that there is a lot more to it than this simplistic explanation. But from a broad perspective, Kosovo merely highlights that the world is still run as a reflection of the people: timid, self-absorbed and utterly disinterested in non-corporeal benefits to the world. As an outsider, I would argue that the Kosovar government has displayed an uncharacteristically high level of courage in declaring independence so soon, and before its legitimacy could be completely cemented. Still, with the lease on the peacekeeping force up, it’s do-or-die time for Kosovo, which again contradicts the last statement for the simple reason that the state had to either go back to their former tormentors or declare independence. Now, with several major states recognizing Kosovo’s independence, it seems their choice will likely pay off. And that, after all, is what international politics is about.