Opinion

Riding Against The Wind

REUTERS/Pascal Lauener

Wes Martin Retired Colonel, U.S. Army
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As Macedonia resolves its recent elections and current political situation, it is clear Macedonians do not want any foreign interference or international propaganda to decide what’s in the best interest of their country.

Welcomed by Macedonians is President Trump’s announcement that America will not interfere in domestic issues of sovereign countries.  United States Ambassador to Macedonia, Jess Baily, has either not received or is ignoring the President’s mandate.  Left over from the Obama Administration, Baily continues his two-year history of meddling into Macedonian domestic politics while presenting a fake picture about himself as highest authority of America in Macedonia.

Baily’s actions are not in the best interests of long-term Macedonian-American relationships and especially not in the best interests of Macedonian citizens.  Instead Baily’s efforts support the interests of George Soros in trying to prevent ethnic stability in Macedonia and the Balkans.

For the first time in 20 years, the largest Albanian political party in Macedonia, the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) party and its Chairman Ali Ahmeti, are not accepting the results of the election and working together in coalition with the rightful winner, the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO DPMNE) party. Instead the DUI is siding with Soros and Ambassador Baily.

Having been a State Department official in Iraq, Baily should recall the fiasco that resulted from President Obama and Secretary Clinton not standing behind Ayad Allawi, the winner of the Iraq elections.  Instead The White House and State Department went against the Iraqi people and helped Nouri al-Maliki’s Dawa Party to remain in power.  This lead to a series of avoidable events that destabilized Iraq and lead to the rise of ISIS.

Macedonia’s DUI Party needs to work together with the rightful winner of the country’s elections and not let outsiders such as George Soros and outgoing Ambassador Baily influence their decisions. Rather than riding against the wind and confronting the new administration, the DUI should work for a government that brings stability in Macedonia, that means the rule ” winner with winner” to be respected. The winner of this election is VMRO DPMNE. Let’s not forget it was DUI and State Department that was insisting on this rule in the past. Instability in Macedonia means instability throughout the Balkans.  Europe is already dealing with enough problems generated by American meddling in the Middle-East.

President Trump needs to remove Ambassador Baily from Macedonia immediately.  The influence of George Soros needs to be minimized.  That will not happen as long as Ambassador Baily is left in place to serve the interests of the Soros’ machine.  The Macedonian people deserve better.

Macedonia has had a great relationship with the United States.  In 2002 President Bush recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name against the pressure of Greece. In 2008, Macedonia and the US signed a “strategic partnership agreement.”  Macedonia is the only country in the region, and one of few in the world, that has this kind of agreement.

Macedonia’s position on the Balkans and Southeast Europe is of key security importance for Europe and the US as gate-keeper for the Syrian refugee waves, and the ethnic harmony in Macedonia is the positive example for the region and why it should be protected.

Soros and his organization, disguised as an international civil society partner, have been trying to undermine Macedonia’s political system. For over a quarter of a century, the Soros’ machine has dumped millions of dollars into always attacking the VMRO DPMNE party, no matter if in Government or opposition and always supporting the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia – former Communist party of Macedonia.

Recently seven congressmen wrote a letter to the Government Accounting Office demanding an investigation of Ambassador Bailey. The lawmakers wrote that “the US Ambassador should not have a role in forming the Government or take sides during the coalition making process.”

It’s time for political meddling to finish. Macedonia citizens need to be allowed the opportunity to build a future based on ethnic stability in their country and region. Macedonians now have an ally in the White House in President Trump. Macedonia and the VMRO DPMNE party have had a great track record with past Republican administrations and look forward to continuing that relationship in 2017 while moving forward with President Trump and his administration.

Colonel Martin served as Senior Antiterrorism Officer for all Coalition Forces in Iraq