The news is full of Albanians being ‘unanimously’ in agreement with George Bush’s War in Iraq. Really? I don’t doubt that some Albanians might agree, for Albanians are fierce; they come from ancient tribal people.

They have been in constant war or resistance since the time the Romans came to crush them. Then the Turks, then Italy and Germany. Then the Russians. Then the Serbian government murdered and tried to drive out 2 million ethnic Albanians from Kosova.

But also, because of these hundreds of years of nearly unrelieved wars, many Albanians across many generations, are peace-loving, and are tired, sometimes literally to death, of war.

Albania’s enthusiasm for Bush may be about quite different matters altogether. And Bush’s motives to come to Albania may not be ‘as advertised.’

Viz: Albania is an impoverished Eastern European country. It is smaller than Maryland. Albania badly wants to be part of the European Union. They would be the only other predominantly Muslim and economically poor country, that is, if Turkey is accepted into the EU in the next few years.

Would it really be wise for Albania to jeopardize relations with the USA, the money-granting USA? the USA on the verge of a change at the top which may bring good rather than scornful relationships with other ‘foreign countries’ already in the European Union, that Union that Albania wants to join? That Union that the USA might be able to have influence with.

The Albanians I’ve known, are salt of the earth people. One of Albania’s biggest achievements during WWII was protecting their own Jews and taking in more Jews from other countries. The Albanians were the only country to have more Jews after WWII than they started with, unlike other countries who allowed their Jewish populations to be destroyed. Thus, Albania is celebrated in Israel, noted in the Halls and Wall of The Just.

Albania has only been ‘free’ of Mother Russia, since 1991. The New York Times journalist who recently reported he couldn’t find any person in Albania who disapproved of Bush, except one man, and he happened to be out of the country and couldn’t be interviewed. Fair enough, except, there’s a far different cultural interpretation of that comment … one that far different insight into what the Albanians might really be thinking about Bush, and why Bush is really in Albania.

The man who was out of the country and could not be interviewed: Amongst the Eastern Europeans, there are at least five guarded answers for a single question, especially from a journalist, until the people know that journalist can be trusted NOT to report what he or she is told.

This from an Albanian-American Website, dated May 2007: “Where freedom of speech was expressly forbidden during the communist era, the present democratically-elected government of President Sali Berisha, has been accused by both opposition parties and several countries of the west of assuming some of the same autocratic methods as its communist predecessor such as the oppression of political dissent, clampdown of freedom of the press…”

I‘d mention too, there is an old Communist era joke, one I heard said told most visitors in every Eastern European country I’ve lived in: Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Poland, etc., one that sounds oddly similar to the line in the NYT piece. The joke: “Janos is the ONLY man who can/will/thinks such and such… but unfortunately, we are so sorry, Janos is out of the country right now.” There is a variation: “Janos used to think these things and surely you could interview him for your article, but unfortunately, he was buried just last week.”

This is code, a version of: “We all think close to what Janos thinks, but we cannot risk getting into trouble with even one higher-up, for we and our families will be punished.” Just because ‘the cold war’ is over, doesn’t mean Communists fell off the eartyh. Many are still in power in various places and still have their loyal thugs/ followers. Think of the Civil Rights Act in the USA. Yes, “free at last.” But, the KKK held power in many places for decades after the ink was dry on the new law.

Albanians have other motives regarding Bush… like wanting economic opportunity that they might not gain if the European Union closes them out… but also to join the Union, they must show they can perform economically far better than they do now. The Union does not want to take in stragglers, economically or otherwise. In the meantime, the Albanian people want better lives. The folderol about ‘Bush, The Man, Adoration’ seems a means to that end.

Albanians have much undeveloped sea coast and forests right across from the stiletto high heel of Italy… and it is said the Albanians are very much wanting western investment of that currently pristine seacoast.

I looked at that coastline on satellite; it is the kind of majestic that makes some people use cuss words to describe it. What I saw appeared beautiful.

The Albanians might do far better to make their precious seacoast into one of the Last Protected Living National Park Treasures on the face of Planet Earth… set all the hotels at least a mile inland. Allow no cars within a mile of the water. Walking is good. That would certainly put Albania ‘on the map.’

Albanians have a mean income of under $1700 a year, and that’s only the median, there are many below, and some above.

Yet, there is a remarkable natural resource amongst the people: They have a 93% literacy ate.

Labor force is 50% agricultural/ 50% services. Think 1940s USA.

They are called by some, “an emergent democracy.”

Of Albania’s 3.5 M people, 70% Muslim, 20% Albanian Orthodox, Catholic 20% with a growing segment of Christian religions, as the Evangelical, Pentecostal and Jehovah Witnesses have come to Albania as missionaries.

There is also petroleum and natural gas. And chromium.

They export crude oil.

They have water pollution from old Communist plants, factories and mines.

Which combination of all these might be more compelling for generating a rousing welcome to current dying harvest king of the Free World? And perhaps more so, why is the dying king interested in Albania?

*Albanian proverb