ARTICLE: Despite its troubles, Kosovo offers model for nation-builders, By Craig Whitlock, Washington Post, December 1, 2009

Of course, the analogy I employed in Blueprint for Action was completely crazy!

And yet, in spite of its problems and growing pains, Kosovo is cited by many diplomats as a credible model of nation-building, a sign -- relevant to the current debate over Afghanistan -- that a determined effort by foreigners can help to build a country from the ashes.

After years of ethnic conflict, security and stability are taking root. Predictions that independence would lead to revenge killings by the ethnic Albanian majority against ethnic Serbs, who make up an estimated 7 percent of the population, proved overblown. Early next year, NATO is expected to draw down its forces by one-third.

And yet, experts turn back to it time and again over the years.