For the US troops in Kosovo, Santa's gift was Mariah
Special Mariah in Kosovo page
Here are the first pictures and articles of Mariah's visit in Kosovo.

American pop star Mariah Carey arrives by helicopter at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo December 4, 2001. Carey will perform a concert later today as part of the United Service Organisations (USO) America tour to entertain the U.S. troops serving in Kosovo. Reuters/Dan Chung

Reuters/Dan Chung

Reuters/Dan Chung

Pop star Mariah Carey meets the troops in Kosovo December 4, 2001. Carey's top priority, she told Reuters on the flight out, was to boost morale for the American peacekeeping troops stationed there. (Dan Chung/Reuters)

American Pop star Mariah Carey visits troops in Kosovo as part of a tour for USO America to entertain the armed forces December 4, 2001. REUTERS/Dan Chung

American Pop star Mariah Carey holds up an American flag as she performs on stage for troops in Camp Bondsteel, near Pristina in Kosovo December 4, 2001. Carey flew to visit U.S. troops based in Kosovo and to perform a festive concert for them as part of a tour for United Service Organisations (USO) America to entertain the armed forces on the front line. Reuters/Dan Chung

American pop star Mariah Carey speaks into a microphone as she looks at U.S Brig. Gen. Keith M. Huber during a visit to U.S troops serving in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, at Camp Bondsteel, Yugoslavia, 20 miles (36 kms) east of Pristina on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2001. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu )

Reuters/Dan Chung

Reuters/Dan Chung

Reuters/Dan Chung

Reuters/Dan Chung

Reuters/Dan Chung

Articles

Mariah Carey in Kosovo to Entertain U.S. Troops
By Paul Majendie
SKOPJE (Reuters) - Christmas came early on Tuesday for hundreds of U.S. troops in Kosovo when pop diva Mariah Carey flew in to perform a festive concert for them.
``We want to give them a little glamour,'' said the 31-year-old singer, sporting stylish military fatigues for her frontline ``day out with the boys in the Balkans.''
One of the world's most successful female artists of the past decade took a chartered jet from London to Skopje and then was off by helicopter for a whirlwind tour of bases in Kosovo.
Her top priority, she told Reuters on the flight out, was to boost morale for the American peacekeeping troops stationed there. ``I think it is important as they are not going to have much of a holiday season. We just wanted to come here and support them.
``We were in Europe doing promotion and thought it might be something nice to do because not many people make it to Kosovo,'' said the star, who has had 15 Number One singles and sold more than 150 million records worldwide.
Fellow popstar Janet Jackson canceled her European tour amid safety concerns after the September 11 attacks in the United States. Carey had no such qualms.
``I have a different philosophy to a lot of people,'' she said. ``Traveling and being around different fans around the world is kinda what keeps me going. It's a different thing. I don't do well just staying home and staying stationary in one place. I feel better being around people and doing things like this.''
The year 2001 has been one that the New Yorker would be more than ready to put behind her
In July, the singer spent two weeks being treated for what her publicist called ``emotional and physical breakdown.''
Virgin Records had to delay the release of her first album under a lucrative new $80 million deal and then her biopic movie ``Glitter'' was panned by critics.
But the roller-coaster year was put firmly behind her on Tuesday as Carey went to meet the troops. ``This is the first time I have ever done anything like this and definitely never anywhere as remote as Kosovo. We are all excited.''
And there certainly won't be any tantrums about the concert set, however makeshift.
``On my live shows I just wing it and do whatever. If the worst comes to the worst I'll just sign autographs and hang out and trim the (Christmas) tree with them.''
Source: Paul Majendie for Reuters

Mariah Carey Swoops Into Kosovo for Troops
By Paul Majendie

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Yugoslavia (Reuters) - Pop diva Mariah Carey criss-crossed Kosovo by helicopter on Tuesday to bring some Christmas cheer to U.S. peacekeeping troops.
The troops loved it, whooping and hollering with delight as she swooped in on a Chinook helicopter for a performance to boost the morale of troops serving in the Balkans.
The soldiers greeted her as if they had not seen woman in months, especially a blonde pop superstar bedecked in revealing military fatigues.
``Boy, what a crowd,'' she said as the troops lifted her shoulder high.
``This sure is Mariah-mania,'' said one soldier as they surged forward to glimpse of one of the world's biggest recording stars, who has sold over 150 million records in a decade.
Many American stars have hesitated to travel since the September 11 attacks on the United States. But Carey, a 31-year-old New Yorker, had no such qualms.
``That certainly was quite some reception,'' she said. ``They gave me a very nice welcome and I feel very safe and protected.''
She did confess to Reuters: ``It was little bit unnerving at the beginning. The helicopter ride flipped me out a little bit -- I ain't going to lie.''
``I could hear everything they were saying in the headphones in different languages. We weren't able to take off for about 30 minutes,'' she said of the delay before receiving clearance to fly out from Skopje in Macedonia to three U.S. camps in Kosovo.
Carey, wrapping up her whistlestop tour with a concert for the troops, got a rousing reception everywhere she went.
Soldiers, their weapons slung over their backs, queued in the canteen at Camp Monteith in Gnjilane to get her to autograph photos, baseball caps, T-shirts and her latest album ''Glitter.''
Like a trooper, she trudged through the mud, braved the icy cold and clambered on to a Humvee jeep for group photos with the troops. The only pause came when her make-up artist quickly fixed Carey's hair for yet another photo opportunity.
``She is a diva. Who wouldn't be a fan?'' said Private First Class Duane Stelzik from Chicago. Puerto Rican Roberto Quintana was euphoric: ``This is so great for the soldiers, especially before Christmas.''
New Yorker Jahmar Gordon was not disappointed: ``I have been thinking about this for a week. For me she is way, way up there.''
Source: Paul Majendie for Reuters

Christmas in the Balkans, Mariah Carey-Style
By Paul Majendie

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo (Reuters) - On an icy winter's night in Kosovo, pop superstar Mariah Carey brought the house down when she told 700 wildly cheering American soldiers: ``Everyone back homes loves you.''
It was pure schmaltz but they loved it -- a chance for a Christmas singalong in Camp Bondsteel with one of the world's most famous pop divas.
Patriotism reigned supreme. The New York singer wore a red dress, a white dress and a blue dress for her quick-change concert for the troops. Waving the Stars and Stripes, she had the soldiers bellowing with pride.
She even had them up on stage to decorate the Christmas tree.
The singer who has had 15 number one singles and sold 150 million albums worldwide was in her element -- singing to a live audience.
The United States has 6,000 peacekeeping troops in Kosovo. By the end of her whistlestop tour around three American camps on Tuesday, the military reckoned she had met half of them. ''The rest are out on patrol,'' a U.S. Army spokesman said.
Everywhere she went, testosterone reigned supreme. ``I wouldn't know anything about that,'' she said, smiling coyly.
Soldiers pleaded for a photograph and begged for an autograph. Each time, Carey obliged, sporting dark glasses and very revealing military fatigues for her big day with the boys in the Balkans.
Carey, whose hometown was forever scarred by the September 11 attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center, is not one of those stars whose fear of flying has kept them at home ever since President Bush (news - web sites) launched his war on terrorism.
``We want to give these people a little glamour,'' she told Reuters on the tour.
And you cannot do that staying at home.
``Traveling and being around my different fans around the world is what keeps me going,'' she said. ``I have a different philosophy to a lot of people.''
She was in and out of a Chinook helicopter all day. Every time, the reception was tumultuous. For the soldiers, all their Christmases had come at once.
Suddenly at one camp, a soldier shouted out ``Go on -- give me a hug.'' Carey duly obliged and he whooped off back to his friends in triumph, shouting ``Way to Go, Kosovo.''
Carey, reflecting on an emotional day out with the troops, said: ``It was an honor and a privilege to give something back.''
Asked if one day she might ever contemplate entertaining American troops in Afghanistan (news - web sites), she said: ``Yes.''
Source: Paul Majendie for Reuters

Credits, copyrights and source for the pictures and articles: Dan Chung, Paul Majendie, Visar Kryeziu, Reuters, AP Photo and Yahoo.
Thanks to Dan Chung, Paul Majendie, Visar Kryeziu, Reuters, AP Photo and Yahoo for sharing these great pictures and articles with the fans.
Today it was Christmas for the US troops in Kosovo, but also for us Mariah fans.

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Heroes of Mariah 2000
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