"Moscow is convinced that it holds the moral high ground and will live to see yet another Western 'blunder' on par with Iraq," said Oksana Antonenko, a Russia expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank.
"If violence returns to Kosovo, Russia and the West will blame each other, worsening general relations," Atonenko warned. The world is watching to see whether "Kosovo will be an exception ? that independence will bring stability and rule of law, not chaos and insecurity," she said.
Russia is a traditional ally of Serbia. But that is not the only reason it vehemently opposes Kosovo's independence. The Kremlin contends it will set a dangerous precedent for secessionist movements across the former Soviet Union, including Chechnya and Georgia.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080217/ap_on_re_eu/kosovo_america_s_gamble
