Which State is Failing Now?

    I read an article recently that dubbed Kosova as a failed state.  In light of Serbian PM Kostunica’s resignation and dissolution of the Serbian government, the only failed state I see in the Balkans today is Serbia.  But if one takes an honest look at Serbia and its recent history it becomes clear that this unstable nation has been in the throes of failure for at least a decade.  From 1996 when Kosovar Albanians began defending themselves against unspeakable brutality meted out by Serbian authorities, through NATO’s merciful halting of the ethnic cleansing and genocide orchestrated and executed by Slobodan Milosevic and his bloodthirsty regime, to the present crisis within its government, Serbia has been galloping toward an inevitable demise.

Now with a once-again dysfunctional government and a nation of weary people flailing about with no direction and only blind hostility to galvanize them, Serbia has turned to a backward and hilariously farcical “democratic” Russia for help.  Russia has been more than happy to trade a few words of solidarity for control over Serbia’s few resources (oil and minerals) and amazingly the Serbian government fell for Russia’s hype again.  With an eye toward Georgia, Russia will posture and rattle its rusted sabers over Kosova’s independence and in reality do nothing as the West turns a blind eye to Abkhazia’s secession from Georgia and eventual union with Russia (a deal worked out long before Kosova was recognized as independent by the world).

The only hope for Serbia is an awakening among her people and the acceptance of a relationship with the rest of Europe, a Europe that is desperately trying to pull Serbia back from the brink of isolation and offer friendship and prosperity.  Even as the government of the country of Kosova looks to the future and is striving for reform and inclusion in the international community, Serbia continues along its path of destructive isolationism and hatred.  Serbians are demonstrating against the governments of the very nations that welcomed them and in which they are living.  They are destroying embassies and causing mayhem.  The world is tired of these antics and Serbia is losing what little credibility it has left.

Yugoslavia is dead and buried.  The rest of the Balkans have moved on.  Only Serbia is still living in the past.