Posted on 12/17/2001 2:00:00 PM PST by Pericles
The "Great Powers" were dragged into this one the same way you would have to drag a fish into water. I think that's part of the problem, we keep imposing these artifical borders on them, hence the problem keeps comming up. We should have just stayed out of it and let them settle it themselves. Unfortunately, Bill left a stain on Monica's dress and the rest is history.
BTW, do you know what the main difference between Bosniak Muslims, Croats, and Serbs was, BEFORE this mess got started? At least for the overwhelming majority?
If you were Croat, you skipped Catholic Mass every Sunday.
If you were a Bosnian Muslim, you kind of forgot to go to the mosque every Friday.
If you were Serbian, you flipped a coin between attending the local soccer match and Orthodox Mass every Sunday...heads you went to see the soccer game and skipped Mass, tails you missed Mass and saw the soccer game instead.
It didn't matter a hill of beans until the local a-holes (not-so-ex-Communist thugs) suddenly "discovered" the joys of ethnic identity.
(BTW, I a a devout Catholic; I am particularly disgusted by Croats using the religion they ignored for 20-30 years as an excuse to go shoot at other people.)
So I tend to blame the civil war (gosh, THERE's a malapropism) on people either being mentally or morally defective, in that they chose to throw away a civil society just to keep some retread Communist hacks in power. I wish them all an improper relationship.
You know, I always felt the current problems went back to Tito's death, with everyone fighting over the inheritance afterwards due to the divisive system he set up to keep his but in power. But I do have to say the Serbs got a raw deal on this one, though. They were accused of so many gruesome things, many of which proved later to be exagerations or outright lies. Plus, as a conservative, I am very uncomfortable with this "moral crusading police the world" attitude that we seem to be developing. When it affects the U.S., we must act; otherwise, we're just repeating the steps of every FORMER world superpower. If we do that, I wonder how long until we become a FORMER superpower ourselves.
Anyway, for whatever it's worth, peace to you and have a Merry Christmas.
It's kind of like a known serial killer trying to deny that he didn't kill those four people and that he's being framed for doing so. It just kinda rings hollow, knowwhuttahmeanVern?
Point taken. I was relying on what I had heard from my father-in-law, who is of Croation lineage. His parents were Catholic immigrants from that region and he has been very active in local Slovenian organizations. I have therefore met a number of people from the Balkans. When the trouble in Bosnia "began" (1991 or thereabouts), I recall several of those men describing how the Christians were subjugated in the areas held by the Turks.
I added "secret" for emphasis and it was too strong a word. Perhaps a statement that the Orthodox Christians often "chose to worship *quietly*" would have better described the situation.
And I reject your notion that the Muslims were the foulest of the bunch--the key to determining who the foulest of the bunch has always been to figure out who has power. When the Serbs had power, they were the foulest of the bunch. When the Croats were ascendant, the Croats were the foulest of the bunch. Now that the Kosovars have great power backing, they're the foulest of the bunch.
That don't confront me none, long as I get me rent paid by Friday. ;-) Okay, so they take turns playing King-Of-The-Mountain. The Christian factions might well be stomping on one another even without the jihadists running around. Hard to say for sure, isn't it?
You will find that I am fair. As far as I'm concerned, they're all equally worthless.
Hey, that reminds me of a quote from one of my favorite movies, Dirty Harry:
Gonzales: Why do they call ya 'Dirty Harry'?
De Georgio: That's one thing about our Harry, he doesn't play any favorites. Harry hates everybody. Limeys, (Beat) Mics, Hebes, Fat Dagos, Niggers, Honkies, Chinks, you name it.
Gonzales: How does he feel about Mexicans?
De Georgio: Ask him!
Callahan: Especially Spics.
My quote was swiped from Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the movie "Full Metal Jacket."
And God is,I suppose,American !
You sound like a true democrat and peace lovin` Christian!
BTW Organize a land rush in your own country not in other peoples` countries!It`s simple:you stay at home and nobody will shoot at you!Appart from your neighbours (very good people)!
Serbs, Albanians as people are not the problem. The extremists, radicals, fundamentalists, haters are.
You won't see anyone here praising people like Tudjman, or Gotovina,Norac or Naser Oric. But can I say the same regarding Milosevic, Arkan, Mladic, Karadzic or Martic? Unfortunately not. There is the problem.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.