Numerous slights raise questions of Obama's support of ally Macedonia | The News-Sentinel - Fort Wayne IN

By David Edenden

A nice newspaper column on Obama and the Macedonian "Name Issue".

Numerous slights raise questions of Obama's support of ally Macedonia |The News-Sentinel - Fort Wayne IN

By Argie BellioFor The News-Sentinel  

In politics, everything means something. WikiLeaks' release of thousands of U.S. diplomatic cable communications gave insight into what our nation's diplomats are really saying about our friends behind closed doors. 

Macedonia – one of our strongest allies in southeast Europe – was mentioned in several of the communications, being encouraged to back down on its inherent sovereign right to its name, identity, language and constitution, thus giving in to Greek demands in order to join NATO. This policy development has many who have a strong interest in southeast Europe questioning President Obama's intentions for the region. 

In 2004, the United States and President George W. Bush recognized Macedonia under its constitutional and rightful name, the Republic of Macedonia, joining 128 other countries that have done so, including our allies Canada, India, Russia, China and the United Kingdom. Macedonia has been a strong ally to the U.S. since the two countries entered into diplomatic relations in 1994. 

Macedonia demonstrated its commitment to the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by serving as the key staging area for the U.S./NATO intervention in Kosovo (KFOR) in 1999, as well as by offering refuge to more than 360,000 Kosovars during the conflict. Macedonia has since assumed command of NATO's former KFOR logistical support coordination center for Kosovo. 

Macedonia participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom from July 2003 to December 2008, during which many of the Macedonian soldiers were highly decorated by U.S. military commanders for showing special courage, meritorious achievements and protecting U.S. personnel. In Afghanistan, Macedonia is among the top four largest troop contributors per capita to ISAF, and its 255 soldiers have been deployed to patrol the ISAF headquarters in Kabul.
While Macedonia is not a member of NATO, its contributions to peace, democracy, stability and security throughout the world make it a clear U.S. ally by doing its part as a de facto member for years. At the 2008 NATO summit, Macedonia was not offered membership into NATO because of Greece, and again this year at the NATO summit in Portugal. The Bush administration, and Clinton's before him, was adamant in its support of Macedonia and its goals to join NATO. This support has begun to waver since President Obama took office two years ago. 

Despite Macedonia's valuable support of U.S.-led missions in Afghanistan and the world, the Obama administration has slighted Macedonia on several occasions. In May 2009, Vice President Joe Biden visited southeast Europe and bypassed Macedonia, although he was 45 minutes away in Kosovo. In April, President Obama hosted a dinner for NATO allies and did not invite Macedonia. At the 60th anniversary of NATO the same month, Macedonia was again not invited. In October, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited southeast Europe and bypassed Macedonia, although she was 45 minutes away in Kosovo. Since President Obama took office, no Macedonian president, prime minister or foreign minister has had an official invitation to visit the White House or State Department, although the leaders of all the other southeast European nations have been to Washington, D.C., during the last two years.
One begins to wonder if these are just coincidences or good-old-fashioned mistakes. However, one mistake after another has our nation's close to half a million Macedonian-Americans and 2.1 million Macedonians in the country wondering if they are intentional. 

President Obama is well known to be a strong friend to the Greek-American community, and his relationship with basketball buddy and losing Greek-American senatorial candidate, Alexi Giannoulias. The Obama administration went out on a limb to encourage the IMF and European bailouts for Greece all because Greece had child-like economic policies, which put the region, Europe and the world at jeopardy. Earlier this year, during the White House celebration of Greek Independence Day, President Obama offered Greek Orthodox Church Archbishop Demetrius a free platform to spread ethnic hatred against Macedonia and Macedonians. According to a recent Vanity Fair article, the Greek Orthodox Church holds a 20 percent stake in Greece's national bank. 

When everything in politics means something, what is being said and done to Macedonia isn't good. Macedonia has continued to support our nation and our allies by sending troops into harm's way. If Macedonian troops can fight alongside American troops and allies, then Macedonians deserve our respect and support. 

President Obama must do everything he can to show U.S. gratitude for Macedonia's contributions by using concerted diplomatic efforts to get Macedonia into NATO. Macedonia's future in Euro-Atlantic institutions, as well as the security and stability of southeast Europe, must no longer be negatively affected by bilateral issues with Greece. 

---

Argie N. Bellio, an American of Macedonian heritage and resident of Fort Wayne, serves as the representative of the United Macedonian Diaspora's Indiana operations.

Notwithstanding Virginia's Confederate Resolution, Obama! There is no Shame in Being a Slave!

By David Edenden

Obama! There is no shame in being a slave.

There is shame in owning a slave.

There is shame is supporting slavery

There is shame in ignoring slavery.

Obama! There is no shame for the ethnic Macedonian minority in Greece being repressed.

There is shame, for Greeks, in repressing its ethnic Macedonian minority.

There is shame, for EU politicians, in supporting Greece in the repression of its ethnic Macedonian minority

There is shame for US politicians in ignoring Greece's repression of its ethnic Macedonian minority.

Obama, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Barack Obama and "The Banality of Evil"

I'm Not in Love With Obama

Robert Redford: Listen Up!

Obama Ignores Macedonian Cry, Accepts Greek Gifts

Will the Macedonian-Greek Dust-Up Sink Barack Obama

Samantha Powers, Obama's Advisor

More on Samantha Power

Samantha Power - One More Time

Back From Hiatus

By David Edenden


I have resumed blogging. I am curious about a big spike in traffic from the image of Barack Obama below. What brought you to my site. Comments below or directly at david  {dot} edenden1 {at} gmail.com.

See: The article below associated with the picture: 


Obama To Macedonian Abassador "Don't Call Us, We'll Call You"

Obama To Macedonian Abassador "Don't Call Us, We'll Call You"

Obama: Can we believe in his change?
by Jason Miko:
The Conservative Voice

Senator Barack Obama prides himself on his theme of 'change we can believe in' and on studying both sides of an issue. As one promising change and a different way of working from Washington's typical business-as-usual approach, Obama could offer a refreshing diversion from the status quo.

But a closer examination of the way he works only goes to prove that he is an old-style politician, catering to the moneyed interests of those who will help finance his campaign.A case in point is the dispute Greece has with Macedonia over the latter's name, the Republic of Macedonia. Without delving too deeply into this issue “ Greece insists that Macedonia change its name and recently vetoed Macedonia's NATO aspirations despite Macedonia having fulfilled all necessary NATO requirements “ it needs only be pointed out that Obama has signed on to Senate Resolution 300 which, among other things, is pro-Greek Government and against the Republic of Macedonia, proffering false claims and spurious arguments. The bill's supporters in the House version have even now begun to back away from its claims, removing their names after examining the facts.

It is worth pointing out that Obama has close personal ties with Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, the state treasurer of the State of Illinois and a prominent Greek-American. Obama campaigned for him when he was a little-known, helping him to beat out his opponents and capture the seat. In return, Giannoulias now heads up Greeks for Obama and is encouraging the well-financed Greek community to pay up. That they expect something in return is obvious and that is coming through even now in the Senate resolution.

Apart from questions about Giannoulias and his family's bank, Broadway Bank, and their ties with reported Chicago mobster Michael 'Jaws' Giorango (convicted bookmaker/prostitution ring promoter), Giannoulias is on record as opposing the Bush Administration's decision to recognize Macedonia by its constitutional name (which he calls 'incorrect') the Republic of Macedonia, and calls for US Senators to use the UN provisional name, 'the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,' considered a slur by Macedonia and most thinking people. He also calls the Bush Administration's decision to recognize Macedonia by its constitutional name as being in violation of the 1995 UN-brokered Interim Accord, a preposterous notion.

Zoran Jolevski, The Macedonian Ambassador to the United States has attempted to reach out to the Senator only to be offered a meeting with a legislative assistant. Despite other attempts at outreach from Macedonian-Americans, to at least offer him the other side of the story, there has been no interest from the Senator in even listening.These dubious ties to those financing his campaign combined with his lack of interest in the other side of the story raise legitimate questions.

Does Barack Obama really want to be openly supportive of a regime in Athens which has an abysmal human rights record and is perhaps the only country in the world to claim that it does not have ethnic minorities, an impossible notion? Does he want to be slavishly devoted to a cause, Greek objections to Macedonia's constitutional name and right to their own identity, when the ability to self-identify is a given? And does he want to be associated with a government that hypocritically refuses to grant property rights to hundreds of thousands of refugees it expelled while at the same time demanding such rights for Greek Cypriots expelled from northern Cyprus?

The big question is, will Obama, if elected president, reverse US-policy on the name issue of Macedonia? Will he go back to the provisional reference and in doing so, open up Pandora's Box? Will he risk American interests in the region by pandering to a regime that is cozying up, even now, to Russian interests in the energy sector while spending billions of Euros on Russian weapons? If Obama is who he claims to be – one open to both sides of an issue – then he will at least have the decency to sit down with the Macedonians, hear their side of the story, and then make up his own mind independent of those who finance his campaign. If not, we can assume that he is just another old-style politician, going where the money is and continuing in the rich history of Chicago politics. This is the exact opposite of the change he claims to offer.

Macedonian Troops Join Nato Exercises Planning For War Against Russia.

By David Edenden

When Barack Obama is elected US president and then promptly adopts the Greek position on Macedonia, a la Sarkozy, will the Macedonia government beg Russia for help, or will it be too ashamed?

Nato is not a friend of Macedonia!

US, Ukrainian Troops Launch Maneuvers Near Russian Border:
VOA News -
14 July 2008

Ukrainian troops have joined their U.S. counterparts in NATO military exercises as tensions mount over the aspirations of former Soviet republics to enter the alliance.

The two-week NATO 'Sea Breeze' exercises along the Black Sea coast also include forces from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and key countries of western Europe. Turkey, Macedonia and Latvia are also participating. The exercises include naval and air maneuvers as well as large-scale armored exercises.

Separate maneuvers are being held this week in Georgia. Armenian, Azerbaijani, Ukrainian and U.S. troops are participating.

Small groups of anti-NATO protesters were reported encamped along the Ukrainian coast.

Ukraine and Georgia are actively seeking NATO membership, despite official warnings that Moscow will not tolerate an additional NATO presence on its borders.

Last month, Ukraine's pro-Western leadership hosted a NATO delegation, which was also confronted by several hundred anti-alliance protesters."

Maps, Maps and More Maps

By David Edenden

This is slightly overwrought article about the recognition of ethnic Macedonians during the 1920's , pre-Tito and pre-communism. It shows that Macedonians were recognized rather than invented as the Greek slander goes.

I can't find the exact map on the internet, but here is another German or Austrian Map that also recognizes Macedonians as a distinct ethnic group. Barack Obama and Robert Kaplan please take note.

It does not really matter since power politics is in play rather than justice.

If anyone has the name of the map that Dragan has, I will be happy to update this post.

Völker- und Sprachenkarte der Balkan-Halbinsel vor den Kriegen
1912 -1918









Austrian Map from the Past
By Ljupcho Murgoski
Dnevnik, July 9, 2008

Translated and edited by Risto Stefov

Greek census shows half a million Macedonians

Dragan Mitrevski, a resident of Prilep, is in possession of an old atlas which indicates that in 1921 in Greece there were 500,000 residents that were declared Macedonians.

In Greece in 1921, 500 thousand Macedonians were declared, who represented 8.8% of the entire population in Greece. This is recorded in a Universal atlas published in Austria which the Prilep resident Dragan Mitrevski owns. This is yet another document which proves that the Macedonians are not a tree without roots and blows away the assertions that Macedonia and the Macedonians were a Communist-International creation.

“The relevance of this document is huge considering that for years our neighbours have been insisting that there is no Macedonian minority living in their respective states. This document weighs heavily against our neighbour’s claims not only because of its existence but because it was prepared by a reputable and eminent author in an independent state,” says Dragan Mitrevski. “The universal atlas also shows that in Yugoslavia, then Serbia, there were 600 thousand Macedonians or 5% of the country’s entire population. The atlas also shows that Austria recognized Macedonians living in Bulgaria but did not show a separate count only that there was a combined population of 4 million Macedonians and Bulgarians living in Bulgaria. It is interesting to note that on the Albanian flag there is no two headed eagle, but it is red-black with a white pentagram,” says Dragan Mitrevski.

Fifteen years ago Mitrevski discovered this book by chance. He approached a person burning old books in the center of Prilep and asked if he could have some. “I have always been a collector of old books and was lucky to have found this old atlas,” says Mitrevski.

Most important about this atlas is the source it uses which comes from a census carried out in Greece on December 19, 1920. The results of that census were never officially released by Greece but there was much discussion about them because for the first time they included information on the so called “New Territories”.

In the census information included were questions like “What is your mother language?”, “What language do you speak at home?” and “If your mother tongue is not Greek, do you understand Greek?” It is sad that the Greek state only released census information on the “old territories” of Greece and not on the occupied territories (among which is 51% of Macedonia) where there is information on both language and religion.

People Are Correct to Believe that Barack Obama is Half Muslim!

By David Edenden,

Those who condemn American voters who believe that Barack Obama is at least "half Muslim" are silly and purposely naive.

In many places around the world, including some parts of the USA, your religion is part of your ethnic identity. In a real sense you are born Catholic, born Protestant, born Jewish, born Muslim. It is not a smear or a plot.

In Bosnia if a Muslim family converts to a Catholicism, many in Bosnia, Muslim, Catholic or Orthodox would still see them as Muslims.

In Northern Ireland, if someone converts to Buddhism and is stopped by thugs in a dark alley, here's how the conversation could go:

Thug: Are you Catholic or Protestant?
Victim: I am Buddhist!
Thug: Are you a Catholic Buddhist or Protestant Buddhist?

Being a Buddhist in this situation is not going to stop you from being knee-capped.

The Weekly Standard, home of the "Neo-Con Conspiracy" has, as one of its writers a Suffi Muslim whose name is ... wait for it ... Stephen Schwartz. Apparently Schwartz is half Jewish and was raised in a secular environment, so according to him... he was never Jewish. Tell it to the Marines ... most people in the US as well as the immigration officials for the State of Israel (for obvious reasons) still recognize him as Jewish.

Obama's task it to convince ordinary Christians and Jewish Americans that the religion of his birth, Muslim, will not affect his loyalty to his current religion, Christianity, or to that of his country.

Given that Barack Obama's father abandoned him while he was still a child ... it should not be too hard a task.

Barack Obama tries on a typical Kenyan AND Muslim robe of his father's tribe!

He looks so proud!

Obama Rumor Number 69

By David Edenden,

While I have no proof or inside knowledge, I believe it was Barack Obama, one of two Senators, who put on hold the nomination of Philip Reeker as Ambassador to Macedonia.

The other nominee is Senator Robert Menendez who, along with Obama, is a co-sponsor of S. Res. 300 (here) (here)

The nomination process of the Ambassador Designate to Skopje Philip Reeker was put on hold on Wednesday by two members of the Senate who decided to stay anonymous.

Apparently Reeker refused to urinate on the ethnic Macedonian culture, history and language as prompted to do so by certain Senators!

He (Reeker) has also refused to offer his comments on some of the provocations of the leadership of Skopje, such as the renaming of their airport “Alexander the Great”.

Obama:

"Do you think anyone will notice that we are screwing the Macedonians?"

Menendez: "If they do, they won't care".

Obama: "Good point".


Memo to "national greatness" enthusiasts:

American values are being subverted by politicians who are acting like $10.00 crack whores in search of political donations ... there's the rub!

June 26th - Obama is Very Understanding

By David Edenden

Obama seems to understand everyone except the Macedonians ... because money talks and bullshit walks!

"Obama understands Serbia better":
B92 - News - Politics -

21 June 2008 | 09:46 | Source: Tanjug

WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama has considerable understanding for Serbia’s position towards the EU and Kosovo, while John McCain is undefined, says U.S. analyst John Sitilides. Barack Obama (FoNet, archive) Sitilides, from the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington, told Voice of America that Obama’s position was influenced to a large part by the strong Serb community in his home state of Illinois, for which he is senator. Thanks to the community’s engagement, Obama’s people have got a clear picture of Serbia’s relations with the EU and Kosovo, says Sitilides. McCain’s position, on the other hand, remains unclear, even though he earlier supported "humanitarian military actions“, intervention in Kosovo, and the province’s unilateral independence declaration, the analyst points out. He says that more recently though, McCain’s team have been talking of a balanced approach towards Serbia and Kosovo. It is not that McCain, the senator for Arizona, has anti-Serb views, rather he needs to better familiarize himself with the situation, says Sitilides, adding that in that respect, the Serb lobbies in the U.S. and lobby companies engaged by Belgrade need to start functioning properly. As far as the two U.S. presidential candidates’ views on the EU are concerned, the analyst says there is no significant divergence of views. Both Obama and McCain, he says, support a strong alliance with the EU and NATO in various issues, including the war on terror, both in the Middle East and in Europe. The main aim of this policy is to bolster bilateral relations not only with the EU as a bloc, but also with individual countries.

June 17th - No. 1 Hockey Draft Pick- Steven Stamkos - Macedonian

By David Edenden
I really don't want to mix sports and politics, but I just want to draw to the attention of Barack Obama that Steven Stamkos is an ethnic Macedonia whose family hails from Greek Macedonia.
His Macedonian family name is Stamkov, but the Greek government, changed all the Macedonian names so that Macedonian identity would be wiped off the map. But you knew this already. didn't you ... Barack!
When the US media decides that they are "soooo" tired of your "new kind of politics" BS mantra and decide to focus on your fervent support of Greek racism against its ethnic Macedonian minority.
What will you say?
What will your supporters say?
What will Samantha Power say?
What will Oprah say?
My suggestion: Practice your weasel words right now!

TheStar.com - News - Steven Stamkos: Hockey player

TheStar.com - News - Steven Stamkos: Hockey player

AARON HARRIS/TORONTO STAR

Steve Stamkos, hockey player

December 30, 2007

Sunaya Sapurji
sports reporter

The first arena where Steven Stamkos honed his hockey skills had very limited seating.
It was his family's dining room, carpeted to save the floors from his toddler-sized skates.
The walls, however, were not so lucky. "Those baseboards took a real beating," says Steven's father, Chris. "We had to replace those when we converted the dining room back to its original state."
Now 17, Steven is doing his damage on ice as leading scorer of the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting, with 30 goals and 21 assists in 32 games. He's the early favourite as top pick for the 2008 NHL entry draft in Ottawa next June.
"There's a little bit of pressure, but I try not to worry about it," says Steven, who plays centre, of the draft. "Sometimes when you think about it too much it gets in your head and you can't perform as well on the ice. I just try to put that in the back of my mind and let my play do the talking for me."
If Steven comes across as mature beyond his years, it might be because he grew up playing hockey against older kids. He learned to skate on public rinks as age 3, with his father and a chair as support.
"My parents, especially my dad, had a big influence on my hockey career," says the 6-foot, 170- pound forward. "He introduced me to the game when I was younger, and I stuck with it."
Chris Stamkos, an American Express employee and first-generation Canadian of Macedonian descent, grew up an ardent Toronto Maple Leafs fan. "I've suffered for the last 40 years," he says, "as so many other fans have."
Growing up without the benefit of hockey schools or skating programs, father Chris got into organized hockey at 13. Still, he was good enough to parlay his talents into playing three seasons at Centennial College.
In the off-season, Steven enjoys playing sports and hanging out with friends in Unionville, Ont., where he lives with his dad, his mom, Lesley, a telemarketing and sales consultant, and younger sister Sarah, 16. An all-around athlete, Steven also played baseball, lacrosse and soccer before settling on hockey. He was the OHL's scholastic player of the year last season, and has an 80-per-cent average in Grade 12 at Sarnia's Northern Collegiate, where, naturally, his favourite subject is gym – though English is a close second.
"One of the things my parents really instilled in me was to have a backup plan in case hockey doesn't work out," says Steven, the first-overall pick in the 2006 OHL draft, who's interested in sports marketing or management.
But so far, hockey's looking like a good choice, since Steven – who turns 18 in February – was recently named one of the youngest players in Canada's world junior squad, now playing for its fourth consecutive gold in the Czech Republic. Back in Sarnia he'll resume living with the Shaw family; conveniently, father Andrew Shaw is an NHL scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets. ""He tells me what I can do better," says Steven, "what certain scouts are looking for, what teams are looking for ... "
And while honoured to be ranked No. 1, he doesn't put much stock in pre-draft rankings. "In the end, it's draft day that counts ... Plus, it's early in the season."

June 9th - McCain, Obama and Clinton on Macedonia

By David Edenden

Macedonians don't often get a chance to see people discussing the Macedonian "name issue". This is from last March.

I had not realized that McCain was so hot on Macedonia's entry into Nato. Obviously, I was not surprised by Obama's position.

I assumed McCain decided that it was not worth pandering to the Greek vote since the US has already recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name ... so the damage has already been done. On the other hand, this maybe an honorable decision based on McCain's appreciation of Macedonia's contribution to the war on terror in Afganistan and Iraq.

I would love to be a fly on the wall when Obama. and Rice discuss Macedonia and Greece. Would both of them be embarrassed or ashamed because ... you know ... Macedonians are the "Niggers of the Balkans".

Upon reflection, I don't think so. Obama and Susan Rice are like lawyers who defend Mafia bosses, without a second thought, because that is their designated role in the criminal justice system.

Racist appeasement of your friends (Greece) to gain votes is part of the political process as much as appeasement of your enemies.

Campaign 2008 Conversations: U.S. Foreign Policy
Council on Foreign Relations:
March 7, 2008

JIM HOAGLAND:

... And Susan, I'll start -- I'll give you the dubious honor of having the first question on this -- (scattered laughter) -- or the first crack at the question on the NATO summit that's coming up in Bucharest in April where one of the principle issues will be NATO expansion. ...

...Would your candidate use the full force of the presidency, if he were president, at that summit, to push for membership now for Croatia, Albania and Macedonia? ...

Susan E Rice (Obama adviser)

... Let me begin by making clear that Senator Obama's perspective is that NATO expansion has served our interests well, and that it is a process that ought to continue as countries come online that are ready and suited for NATO membership.

So with respect to the first three countries that are on deck, obviously, there are issues to be resolved within NATO, particularly with Greece with respect to Macedonia and its name.

And we would want to see that resolved cooperatively in a fashion that takes into account the sensitivities of our Greek allies.And yet the incorporation of those countries is ultimately in our interest and one that would strengthen Europe and, I think, enhance our ability to deal with some of the pressures that we're seeing arise from Russia vis-a-vis its neighbors. So yes, those three, we would like to find a way to move forward

-------

RANDY SCHEUNEMANN: (McCain Adviser)

... On Albania, Croatia and Macedonia, Senator McCain has been strongly outspoken in support for including them. They are ready. In the case of Macedonia, they've been a membership action plan for eight or nine cycles.

With respect to the Greek concerns, the United States recognizes Macedonia under its constitutional name.

And he certainly hopes that there's not going to be this throwback to the 19th century style of Balkan politics, and the Greeks throw a red card on the membership of Macedonia.

-------

MARA RUDMAN: (Clinton Adviser)

...And so where I get a little bit concerned, Randy, is when you sound like you're issuing ultimatums in a variety of fronts without finding ways to be able to talk and discuss and work through our issues as well.

And I get a little bit concerned when I hear you talking that way with respect to Greece and Macedonia as well. I think that requires some skilled diplomacy to work out.

We absolutely need to find ways to bring Macedonia in without question. But finding the way to do that is not just by issuing the ultimatum about what can and cannot be but also working through sometimes some difficult issues that we have.

I think we've had too many ultimatums over the last seven years that haven't necessarily served us well with the rest of the world. And we need to find ways to move forward that both achieve U.S. objectives with respect to a variety of issues but also find ways to bring our friends and allies with us....

Bush Stands Firm on Macedonia!

By David Edenden

If truth be told, I never thought that Bush would have the guts to stand up to the Greek lobby, notwithstanding their strenuous effort to have him bend over on the "Macedonian" name dispute between Macedonia and Greece. Obama, on the other hand, has no problem bending over to meet Greek demands ... since he is young and skinny and all.

Greece, Cyprus abandon US conference:
The Associated Press

By DESMOND BUTLER – 16 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Greece and Cyprus say their delegations left a U.S.-hosted nonproliferation conference over objections about how Macedonia was represented.

The two countries' embassies say their delegations left after learning that Macedonia would be identified as the Republic of Macedonia, the name recognized by the United States.

Athens argues the name implies a territorial claim against the northern Greek province of Macedonia. Cyprus supports Greece's objection.

The Greek Embassy says that it made clear that it would not participate in international meetings in which Macedonia is not referred to as FYROM. FYROM stands for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and is name used in the United Nations.

Greece recently blocked Macedonia's bid to join NATO over the issue.

By David Edenden

Macedonia ... The 51st State?

By David Edenden

A very clever cartoon from a Greek newspaper demonstrating the Bush administration's support for Macedonia's membership in Nato thanks to Macedonian support for the War on Terror.

US support for Macedonia will evaporate if Barack Obama is elected president. Here is why!

The Cartoon Of The Day
ekathimerini.com |

Obama! There is no Shame in Being a Slave!

By David Edenden

Obama! There is no shame in being a slave.

There is shame in owning a slave.

There is shame is supporting slavery

There is shame in ignoring slavery.

Obama! There is no shame for the ethnic Macedonian minority in Greece being repressed.

There is shame, for Greeks, in repressing its ethnic Macedonian minority.

There is shame, for EU politicians, in supporting Greece in the repression of its ethnic Macedonian minority

There is shame for US politicians in ignoring Greece's repression of its ethnic Macedonian minority.

Obama, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Barack Obama and "The Banality of Evil"

I'm Not in Love With Obama

Robert Redford: Listen Up!

Obama Ignores Macedonian Cry, Accepts Greek Gifts

Will the Macedonian-Greek Dust-Up Sink Barack Obama

Samantha Powers, Obama's Advisor

More on Samantha Power

Samantha Power - One More Time

It's Samantha Power, Obama's Advisor, Who is the Monster, Not Hillary Clinton

By David Edenden

I feel a bit like Christopher Hitchens criticizing Mother Teresa, but it is Samantha Power, Obama's adviser and "human rights activist" (A Problmen From Hell) who is the monster, not Hillary Clinton.

I believe that Samantha Power was instrumental in convincing Barack Obama to adopt the Greek position on the "what's in a name dispute" between Macedonians and Greeks ... which is tantamount to supporting racism and cultural genocide.

Anyway, below are a few posts about the "saintly" Samantha Power and the "inspirational" Barack Obama.

Samantha Pow

Barack Obama and "The Banality of Evil"

I'm Not in Love With Obama

Robert Redford: Listen Up!

Obama Ignores Macedonian Cry, Accepts Greek Gifts

Will the Macedonian-Greek Dust-Up Sink Barack Obama

Samantha Powers, Obama's Advisor

More on Samantha Power

Samantha Power - One More Time

Barack Obama and the Greek Lobby

Greater Surbiton Blog
Marko Attila Hoare
(also - The Henry Jackson Society)
Monday, 7 January 2008

Last August, three US senators including presidential candidate Barack Obama introduced a resolution to the US Senate (S. Res. 300), endorsing the Greek-nationalist bullying of the Republic of Macedonia. This resolution raises serious concerns about whether an Obama presidency would pursue a responsible policy vis-a-vis the Balkans.

S. Res. 300 accuses Macedonia of a policy that ‘instills hostility and a rationale for irredentism in portions of the population of FYROM toward Greece and the history of Greece’, on the grounds: 1) that ’a television report in recent years showed students in a state-run school in FYROM [the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia] still being taught that parts of Greece, including Greek Macedonia, are rightfully part of FYROM’; 2) that ’some textbooks, including the Military Academy textbook published in 2004 by the Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski” in the FYROM capital city, contain maps showing that a “Greater Macedonia” extends many miles south into Greece to Mount Olympus and miles east to Mount Pirin in Bulgaria’; and 3) that ‘the Government of FYROM recently renamed the capital city’s international airport “Alexander the Great Airport”.’

The resolution, which has been endorsed by at least 75 Members of Congress and is advertised on the website of the Greek Embassy in Washingon D.C., is evidence that Obama and other senior US politicians are pandering to the peculiarly hysterical, nationalistic and ill-informed Greek lobby in the US. That the resolution justifies itself on the basis of something as insubstantial and ill-defined as ‘a television report in recent years’ is evidence of the unseriousness of its allegations. The television report in question appears to be a YouTube clip that briefly shows a school textbook illustrating the historical territory of Macedonia, which was partitioned between Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria in 1912-13 (you have to watch the clip quite carefully to catch it). The fact that the YouTube clip was undated may be why the resolution referred vaguely to a ‘television report in recent years’. Likewise, the military textbook mentioned by the resolution appears merely to have displayed historical maps of Macedonia. The Greek-nationalist lobbyists appear to have interpreted this as evidence of a contemporary Macedonian territorial claim on parts of Greece - evidence of a Greek-nationalist sense of insecurity over the Macedonian question that peaked in the early 1990s at the time of Macedonia’s secession from Yugoslavia and that, however baseless, has not gone away. The Skopje airport is indeed named after Alexander the Great, though why this should be in any way objectionable, let alone the object of a senatorial resolution, is really beyond comprehension to anyone who is not a Greek nationalist, and I shall not insult the reader’s intelligence by labouring the point.

S. Res. 300 ends by urging Macedonia (’FYROM’) to 1) ‘observe its obligations under Article 7 of the 1995 United Nations-brokered Interim Accord, which directs the parties to “promptly take effective measures to prohibit hostile activities or propaganda by state-controlled agencies and to discourage acts by private entities likely to incite violence, hatred or hostility” and review the contents of textbooks, maps, and teaching aids to ensure that such tools are stating accurate information’; and 2) to ‘to work with Greece within the framework of the United Nations process to achieve longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals by reaching a mutually-acceptable official name for FYROM’.

It is unclear why people who get their information from random YouTube clips should feel they have the right to lecture sovereign states about what they put in their school or military textbooks. Yet it is the second demand that is the most worrying: the US has already recognised Macedonia under its official and rightful name, the ‘Republic of Macedonia’; Obama and his fellow senators appear to be trying to turn the clock back and destabilise this fragile state in a sensitive part of the Balkans, in order to pander to the nationalist hysteria of the Greek American lobby, thus giving their own domestic political careers priority over the US’s foreign-policy interests.

Let us hope that Obama’s sponsorship of this resolution is simply a cynical ploy to win the Greek-American vote, and will not translate into a genuinely anti-Macedonian policy in the event that he becomes president. For if it does, the consequences for the peace and stability of South East Europe could be catastrophic.

Hat tip: David Edenden, The Macedonian Tendency.

"Thank You Macedonia": Congressmen Bill Pascrell and Mark Souder

By David Edenden

Congressmen Bill Pascrell and Mark Souder say "Thank You Macedonia" for new troops in Iraq. Senator Barack Obama continues to say "Drop Dead Macedonia"

US Congressmen: Macedonia deserves thanks for doubling its commitment in Iraq:
Wednesday, 12 December 2007

We write today to thank one of our great allies in southeastern Europe-the Republic of Macedonia-for its recent commitment to double the number of Macedonian troops serving alongside our brave men and women in uniform in Iraq, and to acknowledge the successes Macedonians have recently achieved in their country, US Congressmen Bill Pascrell and Mark Souder say in their letter to the US Congress. Earlier this year, without hesitation and without conditions, the Government of Macedonia made a commitment to double its troop commitment in Iraq. Since 2003, our ally Macedonia has had troops in Iraq serving with U.S. and other coalition forces. - The late President Boris Trajkovski, a staunch ally and friend of the United States, unhesitatingly agreed to commit troops to Afghanistan and later Iraq, when asked. The current government, led by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, continues with that spirit of friendship and commitment to helping a people who want to share in democracy's benefits and blessings, the letter reads. The Republic of Macedonia has shown us that it is a true friend of our nation. Macedonia's increase is needed, welcome and consistent with its friendship and partnership with the United States of America. We thank the government and people of Macedonia for their continued support and friendship. At the same time, we want to acknowledge Macedonia's successes at home as a result of reforms and actions taken by the Macedonian government. - As Macedonia, together with our friends Albania and Croatia, expect an invitation to join NATO at the Bucharest Summit in April of next year, it is important to recognize and reaffirm their commitment to transforming their country into a dynamic one oriented to the free-market, pluralistic democracy, and the rule of law, the Congressmen say in their letter. Recently, the World Bank's Doing Business in 2008 Report ranked Macedonia fourth among top-10 reformers in 2006-07. According to the report, Macedonia undertook several measures to bolster economic activity so that it's now easier for businesses to start up and get going. The corporate and individual tax rate is a flat 12 percent this year, and it will be lowered to 10 percent on January 1,2008. Tax payment procedures have been simplified. At the same time, the "regulatory guillotine" (as it has been called) is now slicing through unnecessary bureaucratic barriers creating even more opportunities for business to flourish. In addition, Transparency International noted that Macedonia has made significant movement toward eliminating corruption, giving Macedonia a score of 3.3 in 2007 in their Corruption Perception Index. This is a significant improvement from 2.7 in 2006, and Macedonia now ranks fifth in the region, up from twelfth in 2006. Overall, Macedonia jumped 21 places, from 105 in the world (2006) to 84 (2007). The bottom line in all this is that our friend Macedonia is now a producer of stability in southeastern Europe, at home, regionally and abroad. - A friend like Macedonia is worth celebrating, acknowledging and helping and today, we extend our hands of thanks in friendship, the letter reads.

Vecher (Tonight): Obama against Macedonia

The democrat Barack Obama against Macedonia

Obama and Greek friends vs. Policard alias Jimmy

Vecher (Tonight) Published on 20.12.2007 Greece reacted harshly on the Turkish support for accession of Macedonia in NATO under its constitutional name; transmit the media in Athens after the meeting of Gruevski and Erdoðan.

The Greek lobby in the American policy, this time lead by the influential Presidential candidate Barack Obama, continues to push the initiative in the Senate about stopping the state propaganda of FYROM which threatens Greece! Similar initiative of the Hellenic block which asks Macedonia to give up the long propaganda against Greece encountered to strong support in the Congress. Over 100 congressmen (almost ¼ of the total number in the Representative House) have supported the proposal, and the number is not yet final. Obama and his Greek friends are calling on TV reports which show that Macedonian students are learning that certain parts from Greece should belong to Macedonia, also the maps from the Macedonian Military Academy which are representing Great Macedonia are pointed out, and it is also claimed that after the World War 2, the idea of the Macedonian nation has caused murder of thousand Greeks. The proposal asks the UN to prescribe to Macedonia to immediately stop with the anti-Greek propaganda sponsored by the state and to find name which will be acceptable for Greece. The experts say that this will be on the agenda of the Senate very soon, immediately after voting the initiative “Iraq to the Iraqi”. This official policy of the Presidential candidate Obama stands opposite the efforts of the Nigerian, Simon Policard, who lives in Macedonia for 30 years and has Macedonian citizenship. He recently announced that he will start an offensive campaign of lobbying for Macedonia throughout the world. - The Macedonian people, culture, antic nation, are an acquisition for the entire mankind and they exist. The International community should be reminded of what happened in Bucharest in 1913, when the neighbors have executed genocide over the Macedonian nation, recommended Policard, alias Jimmy. List of influential Americans against Macedonia! On the list of influential political figures who are pushing the initiative contra FYROM are: 1. Barack Obama (Presidential candidate and most influential Senator for European Issues, President of the House Committee on International Relations); 2. Bob Menendez- Senator; 3. Olympia Snowe – Senator; 4. Robert Wexler and Elton Gallegly, Carolyn Maloney and Gus Bilirakis – Congressmen; 5. Andrew A. Athens – President of the National Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH) and of United Hellenic American Congress, honorary President of World Council of Hellenes Abroad (CAE); 6. Andrew E. Manatos, President of National Coordinated Effort of Hellenes; 7. Philip Christopher, vice President of National Coordinated Effort of Hellenes (CEH), President of International Coordinating Committee-Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA), and of Pancyprian Association of America; 8. Panicos Papanicolaqu, President of Cyprus Federation of America and 9. Nikos Mouyiaris, executive vice President of Pancyprian Association of America.

US State Department Daily Press Briefing -- December 14, 2007

By David Edenden

It's nice to see that the US State Department is standing firm on the "Name Issue". My over wrought post regarding a Greek newspaper rumor of the betrayal of Macedonia's name in exchange for Greek support for Kosovo independence was wrong and I apologize to President Bush, Condi Rice, Paul Pfeuffer, Ambassador Gillian Arlette Milovanovic, and finally Sean McCormack (someone send this guy some Macedonian feta cheese) ... but not Barack Obama!

Our friend Mr. Lambros, said something about Bulgaria which is garbled. It seems Bulgaria is also standing firm on Macedonia's name and is opposed to any back room deal between the US and Greece to "stab Macedonia in the back". It's good to have Bulgaria so firmly on our side on this issue. In the Christmas spirit, I want to thank all Bulgarians everywhere!

Daily Press Briefing -- December 14:

(MR. MCCORMACK:) "Lambros. Let it out.

QUESTION: On FYROM, Mr. McCormack.

MR. MCCORMACK: Yes, indeed.

QUESTION: Any readout on the today's talks among Deputy Secretary John Negroponte, DAS Daniel Fried and a senior official from FYROM?

MR. MCCORMACK: This is a -- is this a -- the Foreign Minister from Macedonia you're speaking about?

QUESTION: I guess that's the official, yes.

MR. MCCORMACK: Understood. They were --

QUESTION: Of FYROM, you said Macedonia.

MR. MCCORMACK: We've made our decision. You're still working on yours. They're probably going to talk about NATO, talk about the importance of continuing reforms that Macedonia has underway, probably talk a little bit about Kosovo, the fact that Macedonia can play an important role, along with other states in the region, maintaining, you know, a stable atmosphere. And they'll probably also talk about the name issue in this. We have made our decision, but there are still other outstanding questions specifically with respect to NATO. There's a process underway.

QUESTION: To which extent did you discuss the name issue? Any concrete details, if you can say so?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don't have any more details for you.

QUESTION: And the last one. I was told by a high reliable source before yesterday that the U.S. Government is not sure if it's going to implement any agreement between Athens and Skopje on the name issue in order to avoid Albania and Bulgaria, which is crucial. Mr. McCormack, some FYROM officials or Bulgarian (inaudible) not to change the name. I'm wondering how Bulgaria is involved in this case (inaudible)?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don't know. I don’t know.

QUESTION: The Department of State (inaudible.)

MR. MCCORMACK: I couldn't begin to tell you. I don't know about this. We as a government have made our decision about the name issue. It's Macedonia. There's still an open question within NATO right now. It's under consideration. We have -- you know, the Secretary when she's met with the Greek Foreign Minister as well as others, that urge that this process be resolved as part of the questions about Macedonia's potential membership.

QUESTION: Are you going to implement any agreement between the two sides?

MR. MCCORMACK: Between what two sides?

QUESTION: FYROM and Greece on the names?

MR. MCCORMACK: They have to work something out first. Look, Lambros, we've made our decision. I'm not sure I see the -- fire on all the connections here.

QUESTION: I -- has the meeting actually happened yet?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don't know exactly. I'm not sure. It could have. Yeah, or it could not have either. But --

Oprah, Obama Will Disapoint You!

To: Oprah Winfrey
From:David Edenden

Dear Oprah, like many men in your life, Obama will disappoint you ... because you see ... he is not really promising a "new kind of politics", but he is a "business as usual" ... "pay to play" ... "pandering politician".

Obama has supported the Greek oppressor, in the Macedonia - Greek "name" dispute over the the right of ethnic Macedonians to determine their own ethnic identity. He has pandered to the Greek lobby for the purpose of gaining votes and donations at the expense of human rights.

The Trials of Father Tsarknias

The Greek position is that ethnic Macedonians have no culture, history,and language (a bunch of "n -words" you see).

Macedonian "Abecedar" re-published in Greece after 81 years (1925)

They demand that ethnic Macedonians change the name of their Republic of Macedonia, their Macedonian language, their Macedonia Orthodox Church. Finally, they are demanding that the Macedonian government change Macedonian history.

The Greek government has denied their ethnic Macedonian minority the right to schooling in their own language, radio and TV programs and even the right to sing songs in the Macedonian language at weddings. Finally, they deny importation of Macedonian language text books.

Obama has enthusiastically adopted the Greek position as his own ... because Greek voters outnumber Macedonian voters 10 to 1 (on the advice of the saintly Samantha Power).

Oprah, hear the Macedonian cry!

Oprah, be on the side of the angels. At least do a show on the plight of the Macedonians in Greece as part of your reparations for supporting Obama for president.

Many groups have worked for human rights for Macedonians in Greece including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, The US State Department on Human Rights, and the European Free Alliance political party, with the "Rainbow Party" as its Macedonian affiliate in Greece.

Invite these people and then invite Obama as a "surprise guest" so he can kneel down and apologize for supporting Greek racism against the helpless ethnic Macedonian minority in Greece.

Oprah, this is not going to make you happy, but below are some more links about Obama and Macedonians.

Barack Obama and "The Banality of Evil"

I'm Not in Love With Obama

Robert Redford: Listen Up!

Obama Ignores Macedonian Cry, Accepts Greek Gifts

Will the Macedonian-Greek Dust-Up Sink Barack Obama

Samantha Powers, Obama's Advisor

More on Samantha Power

Samantha Power - One More Time