http://www.antiwar.com/malic/?articleid=7601

Yet it would be wrong to think the ICG is influencing Washington and Brussels. Rather, the Group is a front for Imperialist policymakers who dominate both state apparatuses regardless of the party in power; its status in the media of a “respected think tank” allows it to air views that may be seen as extremist at the time, but through repetition and gradual adoption become mainstream.

You would think they could pay me better if that were really the case.

http://www.serbianna.com/columns/mb/041.shtml

However, a slightly streamlined position of a “conditional” independence for the Kosovo province has been circulated in the media by the newly elected Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha, and in all likelihood on the insistence of the ICG whose proximity to the Brussels provides a first hand take at the sentiments of fear among European diplomats at the certainty that Kosovo will join Albania and politically probably absorb it if approved independence.

I love the concept of my being able to make the new Albanian government tremble and bow to my will! As it happens, I do vaguely know two of the ministers in Berisha’s cabinet; I emailed them both with a short note of congratulations when they were appointed last month; one of them replied, the other did not bother. I haven’t even seen their ambassador here for months, though I have a lunch date with him on Friday.