NIŠ -- Dragan Šutanovac was in Niš yesterday for ceremonies marking the Serbian Army Day.
Source: B92, Beta, Tanjug
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Several thousand citizens, officials and foreign diplomats attended the ceremonies.
Members of the Serbian Army (VS) Ground Corps, Air Force and its Special Brigade demonstrated their capabilities in several exercises, including hostage rescue scenarios, terror attack scene management and helicopter and war plane maneuvering capabilities.
Šutanovac, DS, said afterwards that Serbia's military has shown it is trained and ready to deal with any challenge, risk or threat, "above all, on the territory it controls".
But, Šutanovac repeated, the country's political leadership will not make any wrong decisions that would lead to "such means to be deployed".
"I am convinced that, if we are clever in the next 10 to 15 days and if there is no violence, we will go through a very difficult and challenging part of our history," the minister, one of President Boris Tadić's closest party allies, said.
As for the security situation in Serbia's volatile south, along the administrative line with Kosovo, Šutanovac said it was stable, but with "indicators of possible problems, primarily in Kosovo itself".
"We have groups of men located, who are criminally organized, but we exchange information with KFOR and hope there will be no outbreaks of violence," Šutanovac said, and added that the army is ready to cooperate with MUP's elite Gendarmerie, also deployed in the area.
Serbia's chief of offense is correct in not wanting to repeat certain NATO activity of 1999 which should of been taken as a wake up call by the Serbs.Obviously by his statements he understands what can happen to his men's health if they make the wrong decision.The most you can do is only make some noise, just for the show.
(azir, 17 February 2008 00:12)
Yes miri, you read correctly. NATO is becoming the organisation of the unwilling and has an extemely low appetite for another conflict. Look at Afghanistan - NATO members are refusing to send troops. It is a lost battle and look at Iraq, the US forces aren't doing very well there either.
NATO and the US are very good at destroying countries, civilians and infrastructure, but when it comes to engaging an enemy, they are pretty lousy.
Just attempt to harm the Serbian people once more and we can put that to the test.
(ZK UK, 16 February 2008 17:39)
"Do you really think the current NATO forces in Kosovo can withstand a determined Serbian army"
This is a joke, right?
To Mike.
Cooperation between VS and KFOR implies that each party oversees its own side of border, and that's that. Thus Afrim is right when he says, don't touch Kosova, don't even think on moving your forces inside the frontier.
The expectation is that Serbs in the North will provoke violence in order to make a case for partition, under the wrong assumption that once the provocations have started,VS could enter North.
I am sure this is the scenario that has been thought over and over again by KFOR and UNMIK.
The resolution will be that KFOR will not allow such violence/partition or partition has been decided upfront as an easier solution to the situation. I have to agree with some of you that Pristina doesn't have control over the North, but the bottom line is that nothing will be spontaneous. If North is to secede from the rest of Kosova, than it will have been decided in advance in European cancelaries and there is nothing K-Albanians can do about it. Likewise if the North is destined to remain inside the border, it will be so and Serbia with its VS can do nothing about it.
(miri, 16 February 2008 16:09)
Afrim, why do you sound so bitter one day before your supposed declaration of independence? Shouldn't you be preparing for the party?
And why should Serbia be scared of NATO? Those folk in Afghanistan and Iraq are kicking NATOs (and US).
What did NATOs bombing do to the Serbian amry? Bomb two broken down tanks? The best NATO could do was kill civilians and destroy civilian infrastructure. Do you really think the current NATO forces in Kosovo can withstand a determined Serbian army?
US and NATO forces are stretched and there is no appetite for another conflict. I think that is quite obvious. Just pray the Serbian army does not get involved - so you Ablanians better be on your best behaivour!
(ZK UK, 16 February 2008 14:29)
My dear Afrim, has it ever occurred to you that VS is closely working with KFOR and that they have established a professional relationship? I know it's hard to accept the reality that the Serbia of 2008 is not the Serbia of 1998 but if you've been reading the reports coming out of late it shows that VS and KFOR are closely coordinating security in the region and will most likely jointly respond in case violence errupts. Now if VS and KFOR cooperate to quell violence, whom do you think will be instigating the violence? I don't see any Albanian military leader in these meetings.
You want us to accept you as a respectable people. Please have the foresight to return the gratitude towards the Serbs.
(Mike, 16 February 2008 12:50)
Thats right Mr. Sutanovac, no wrong decisions. Don't even try to touch Kosova because you will be once again a target for NATO.
(afrim hoxha, 16 February 2008 12:05)
My dear Afrim, has it ever occurred to you that VS is closely working with KFOR and that they have established a professional relationship? I know it's hard to accept the reality that the Serbia of 2008 is not the Serbia of 1998 but if you've been reading the reports coming out of late it shows that VS and KFOR are closely coordinating security in the region and will most likely jointly respond in case violence errupts. Now if VS and KFOR cooperate to quell violence, whom do you think will be instigating the violence? I don't see any Albanian military leader in these meetings.
You want us to accept you as a respectable people. Please have the foresight to return the gratitude towards the Serbs.
(Mike, 16 February 2008 12:50)
Afrim, why do you sound so bitter one day before your supposed declaration of independence? Shouldn't you be preparing for the party?
And why should Serbia be scared of NATO? Those folk in Afghanistan and Iraq are kicking NATOs (and US).
What did NATOs bombing do to the Serbian amry? Bomb two broken down tanks? The best NATO could do was kill civilians and destroy civilian infrastructure. Do you really think the current NATO forces in Kosovo can withstand a determined Serbian army?
US and NATO forces are stretched and there is no appetite for another conflict. I think that is quite obvious. Just pray the Serbian army does not get involved - so you Ablanians better be on your best behaivour!
(ZK UK, 16 February 2008 14:29)
Yes miri, you read correctly. NATO is becoming the organisation of the unwilling and has an extemely low appetite for another conflict. Look at Afghanistan - NATO members are refusing to send troops. It is a lost battle and look at Iraq, the US forces aren't doing very well there either.
NATO and the US are very good at destroying countries, civilians and infrastructure, but when it comes to engaging an enemy, they are pretty lousy.
Just attempt to harm the Serbian people once more and we can put that to the test.
(ZK UK, 16 February 2008 17:39)
Thats right Mr. Sutanovac, no wrong decisions. Don't even try to touch Kosova because you will be once again a target for NATO.
(afrim hoxha, 16 February 2008 12:05)
"Do you really think the current NATO forces in Kosovo can withstand a determined Serbian army"
This is a joke, right?
To Mike.
Cooperation between VS and KFOR implies that each party oversees its own side of border, and that's that. Thus Afrim is right when he says, don't touch Kosova, don't even think on moving your forces inside the frontier.
The expectation is that Serbs in the North will provoke violence in order to make a case for partition, under the wrong assumption that once the provocations have started,VS could enter North.
I am sure this is the scenario that has been thought over and over again by KFOR and UNMIK.
The resolution will be that KFOR will not allow such violence/partition or partition has been decided upfront as an easier solution to the situation. I have to agree with some of you that Pristina doesn't have control over the North, but the bottom line is that nothing will be spontaneous. If North is to secede from the rest of Kosova, than it will have been decided in advance in European cancelaries and there is nothing K-Albanians can do about it. Likewise if the North is destined to remain inside the border, it will be so and Serbia with its VS can do nothing about it.
(miri, 16 February 2008 16:09)
Serbia's chief of offense is correct in not wanting to repeat certain NATO activity of 1999 which should of been taken as a wake up call by the Serbs.Obviously by his statements he understands what can happen to his men's health if they make the wrong decision.The most you can do is only make some noise, just for the show.
(azir, 17 February 2008 00:12)
Thats right Mr. Sutanovac, no wrong decisions. Don't even try to touch Kosova because you will be once again a target for NATO.
(afrim hoxha, 16 February 2008 12:05)
"Do you really think the current NATO forces in Kosovo can withstand a determined Serbian army"
This is a joke, right?
To Mike.
Cooperation between VS and KFOR implies that each party oversees its own side of border, and that's that. Thus Afrim is right when he says, don't touch Kosova, don't even think on moving your forces inside the frontier.
The expectation is that Serbs in the North will provoke violence in order to make a case for partition, under the wrong assumption that once the provocations have started,VS could enter North.
I am sure this is the scenario that has been thought over and over again by KFOR and UNMIK.
The resolution will be that KFOR will not allow such violence/partition or partition has been decided upfront as an easier solution to the situation. I have to agree with some of you that Pristina doesn't have control over the North, but the bottom line is that nothing will be spontaneous. If North is to secede from the rest of Kosova, than it will have been decided in advance in European cancelaries and there is nothing K-Albanians can do about it. Likewise if the North is destined to remain inside the border, it will be so and Serbia with its VS can do nothing about it.
(miri, 16 February 2008 16:09)
Serbia's chief of offense is correct in not wanting to repeat certain NATO activity of 1999 which should of been taken as a wake up call by the Serbs.Obviously by his statements he understands what can happen to his men's health if they make the wrong decision.The most you can do is only make some noise, just for the show.
(azir, 17 February 2008 00:12)
Afrim, why do you sound so bitter one day before your supposed declaration of independence? Shouldn't you be preparing for the party?
And why should Serbia be scared of NATO? Those folk in Afghanistan and Iraq are kicking NATOs (and US).
What did NATOs bombing do to the Serbian amry? Bomb two broken down tanks? The best NATO could do was kill civilians and destroy civilian infrastructure. Do you really think the current NATO forces in Kosovo can withstand a determined Serbian army?
US and NATO forces are stretched and there is no appetite for another conflict. I think that is quite obvious. Just pray the Serbian army does not get involved - so you Ablanians better be on your best behaivour!
(ZK UK, 16 February 2008 14:29)
Yes miri, you read correctly. NATO is becoming the organisation of the unwilling and has an extemely low appetite for another conflict. Look at Afghanistan - NATO members are refusing to send troops. It is a lost battle and look at Iraq, the US forces aren't doing very well there either.
NATO and the US are very good at destroying countries, civilians and infrastructure, but when it comes to engaging an enemy, they are pretty lousy.
Just attempt to harm the Serbian people once more and we can put that to the test.
(ZK UK, 16 February 2008 17:39)
My dear Afrim, has it ever occurred to you that VS is closely working with KFOR and that they have established a professional relationship? I know it's hard to accept the reality that the Serbia of 2008 is not the Serbia of 1998 but if you've been reading the reports coming out of late it shows that VS and KFOR are closely coordinating security in the region and will most likely jointly respond in case violence errupts. Now if VS and KFOR cooperate to quell violence, whom do you think will be instigating the violence? I don't see any Albanian military leader in these meetings.
You want us to accept you as a respectable people. Please have the foresight to return the gratitude towards the Serbs.
(Mike, 16 February 2008 12:50)