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I've never been a big fan of international law, because it's basically futile. Unlike domestic law, in which the sovereign state can enforce compliance, international law is self-administered, meaning that it's usually exploited by one side or the other to legitimize what they were going to do anyway.

But, in any case, history is replete with examples of great powers adjusting the borders of lesser powers, usually as a result of conflict or the threat thereof. Kosovo is--and has been for centuries--a predominantly Albanian territory. Had the Serbs been willing to leave it at that, they could have held onto it indefinitely. But they were wedded to the dream of a Greater Serbia, of Holy Serbia, and the Field of Kosovo just won't go away for them. Sorry, but the Serbs were largely responsible for turning the Balkans into a killing field for the better part of a decade, and I feel very little sympathy for them.

As for Georgia not being a "real" country, again, read some history. The Georgians had a kingdom, and were Christian, when the Slavs were still padding around the Pripet Marshes and the Rus were still bashing each other on the head in the backwoods of Scandinavia.

And spare me the pan-Slavism, which is usually just an excuse for Soviet irredentism these days.

Stuart, I know Im dyslexic but perhas re-read the post. I never said Georgia was not a Real Nation, I said Abzakhan was Real also, and at one Tiem Independant. At the end fo the Soviet Union, the Abzakhanis wanted to Remain int he Union precicely because they feared the loss of their Autonomy shoudl the Soviet Union dissolve and that they woudl, as a small area, be annexed into Georgia. This actually did happen, although Georgia did allow them soem modest Autonomy.

It was when Abzakhan and South Ossetia felt such Autonomy was beign eroded that they appealed to Russia for Aid and were subsequently asssited. THey declared themselves Independant Nations, though this Recognied only by a handful of Nations.


It dobns;t matter that Georgia was its own Nation sicne my poitn was that so was Abzakhan. I never denied Georgia's History, and although you think I am uninformed and need to learn Real History, I really never said anythgin abotu that.

As for Kosovo and Serbia, the Ethnic Albanians can complain about harsh Treatmnt but they gave Harsh Treatment to the Ethnic Serbians, and for just as Long. That doens't make it OK for Western powers to step ina nd cut the Nation in two, and those same powers are Hypocrites for COnemnign Russia for the same thing.