Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 7236

The splintering of a nation. Hopes and dreams shattered

Way back at the end of 1989 and inot the beginning of the 1990'2 a 'spectre was haunting Europe'. That spectre was capitalism. The Eastern Bloc fell in what I consider to be the most dramatic event in the 20th Century. It was this single event that kick started my intrest in politics.

Around the time this happened a band called The Scorpians had a song released called 'The Wind of Chnage', inspired by the fall of the Wall, and the rapid change of progress anf freedom that was expected to come to fruition. Whenever I hear this song now it brings a tear to my eye. Not because it is political, or because it is about freedom, but because what it expresses, those hopes, have never really come to be. All those poeple of the former Eastern bloc, and non-alligned blocs have experienced torment and anguish that in some ways makes me ashamed to be a human being. The desire for peace, prosperity and freedom has become replaced by the genocide, despotism, and control from a new angle.

One only has to look at the former Yugoslavia to this in action. A nation, that was once the only communist nation on the planet that was not treated with suspision by the rest of the world. A nation that had tourism, a leader (Tito) thatrefuses to allign himself with Moscow, and thus let his country flourish with success. Although admittedly the success was mostly available to the Serbs of Yugoslavia and no one else.

And what is happening now in this once beautiful and peaceful nation? This once hot spot for European toruism and travel? Further balkanisation of the area. Splits, internal turmoil and anguish on many sides. The Balkans has always been know as the Balkans, (the phrased balkanised has even become one of academic usage because of them).

The Montenegro government is now try desparately to pull away from Belgrade, to gain independence like its neighbours in Croatia and Bosnia. The only difference at the moment is that with the former Serbian President in jail, they maty achieve this without the bloodshed like their neighbours. I sincerely hope a peaceful resolution can be found to the problems in the Balkans, and the former nations that made up Yugoslavia will jointhe Union of the EU and find stability at last after so many years of turmoil.

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sp00ky
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Disclaimer
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I am not expecting to change anything by this post other than awareness. Please do not take anything I say as fact, I am only relaying opinon of limited sources, who themselves know nothing and thus should also be ignored as heresay and could never be admissable in a court of law.

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Dumbfucksville!
Posts: 12164

The Serbs and Croats couldn't come together and make a better world for themselves. Instead, they turned that whole area into the 1940's Germany style.

God Bless America!

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: the heart of an awl
Posts: 3692

er, i still don't understand what the "spectre of capitalism" has to do with the balkanization of jugoslavia.

the underlying reasons for their division were there before the fall of communism. they just couldn't have any in-fighting under soviet control.

>>edit: I get tears in my eyes every time i hear "Rock You Like a Hurricane."

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Dumbfucksville!
Posts: 12164

They were also given a chance to make their lives better. A lot better. For themselves, for their children and their children's children. But, instead, they decided to settle old scores.

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Registered: Jul 2000
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quote:

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Originally posted by WastedPotential:
er, i still don't understand what the "spectre of capitalism" has to do with the balkanization of jugoslavia.

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Registered: Mar 2001
Location: tokyo
Posts: 303

Yeh, that song brings tears to my eyes, but mainly because its such an awful hairy chested yellow leotard rock waaaaerr ballad rg
it actually makes me feel physically ill, most rock ballards do that, do you think i can sue meatloaf (role in RHPS not withstanding).

apart from that sorry for bringing down the level of a well though out comment on the future aspirations of a newly freed nation gone wrong.
But hell look what the americans did to japan, damn it was almost a marxist country till the americans banned it in there new 'specailised democratic based freedom of choice!!!' jailed all the left wingers..ohh oso sad


[bad spelling edit part 2]
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oh for fucks sake

[This message has been edited by mori-man (edited 04-25-2001).]

[This message has been edited by mori-man (edited 04-25-2001).]

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: the heart of an awl
Posts: 3692

spooky, you've still failed to illustrate the connection between ethnic violence and capitalism. you're seem to be taking the cause-effect relationship between the two as a given. huh-uh, i don't buy that.

free markets caused a flare-up of centuries old hatred?

>>edit: and yes, i've read marx, i just haven't memorized it word for word like a religious text.

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quote:

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Originally posted by WastedPotential:
free markets caused a flare-up of centuries old hatred?

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Registered: Jul 2000
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quote:

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Originally posted by WastedPotential:
you seem to be taking the cause-effect relationship between the two as a given. huh-uh, i don't buy that.

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Registered: Jul 2000
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[quote]Originally posted by WastedPotential:
[b]>>edit: and yes, i've read marx, i just haven't memorized it word for word like a religious text.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: the heart of an awl
Posts: 3692

well, one way or the other, i still need to read "Ghosts of the Balkans" by Robert D. Kaplan. His book "Empire Wilderness" was an interesting examination of the possibility of peaceful balkanization of North America. He spent a lot of time in jugoslavia, reporting. When i'm ready to read more about it, that's where i'll go.

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POW!

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