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America’s military and diplomatic relationship with Croatia in the 1990s evolved with little or no public or media attention. This study will focus on illustrating how this relationship developed and will demonstrate that Washington’s move to consolidate a new security architecture in the Balkans was premised on furthering and strengthening America’s strategic presence in Eurasia. … Continue reading “How ‘Operation Storm’ Destabilized the Balkans”

I go to a great gym, right here in Pacific Heights, San Francisco, and, because I’m such a regular, I’m pals with a lot of the guys who go there: they know what I do for a living, and often ask: “So, what’re you writing about today?” For the past couple of weeks, the most … Continue reading “WHY ARE WE IN MACEDONIA?”

PERILS OF THE ETERNAL RETURN Historian George M. Dennison suggests that already by the coming-of-age of the first post-Revolutionary generation, Americans had begun losing touch with the political doctrines and practices of the Revolution.1 Chief among these was the notion that political institutions were meant to serve actual people and were subject to modification, as … Continue reading “Irrepressible Conflicts Everywhere”

As Washington and China face military confrontation, an Australian has warned Americans about how the British Empire lasted so long. "England," observes Editor Owen Harries in the Spring 2001 National Interest ("Anglosphere Illusion"), "was the only hegemon that did not attract a hostile coalition against itself. It avoided that fate by showing great restraint, prudence … Continue reading “Answering the ‘Wolfowitz (Bush) Doctrine’ on American Empire”

Most Americans have still not gotten beyond the end of the Cold War and associated changes in the nature of the world when it comes to thinking about the Middle East. For decades, both before and after the formation of Israel, the United States has believed it has had a special relationship with the area … Continue reading “Middle East Status is Quo”

Mission to Macedonia So, you’re the ruthless ruler of a worldwide empire, and you want to take over a poor, hapless, unsuspecting nation – whaddaya do? Step number one: fund a guerrilla insurgency. STEP ONE: ADD ONE INSURGENCY There’s always some disgruntled minority that will take up arms, especially if tempted with all sorts of … Continue reading “HOW TO TAKE OVER A COUNTRY”

Peace is breaking out all over, in Macedonia, so they say! Some may call it an armistice. Others, a meeting and agreement of warring factions, still others, a halt to hostilities or a silencing of weapons. This is certainly like no peace that I have ever seen in the past. How is this different, one … Continue reading “A Macedonian Style of Peace”

The revolution that overthrew Yugoslav socialism, led by Vojislav Kostunica, is far from over: having gotten rid of Slobodan Milosevic, and freed the country from the sclerotic grasp of the Serbian Socialist Party, Kostunica became the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) only to find yet another obstacle in his path: Serbian Prime … Continue reading “GO FOR IT, KOSTUNICA!”

Japan’s Prime Minister Junichero Koizumi will face many tests in the months to come: reforming Japan’s sclerotic economy, reinvigorating a society fossilized by habit and chafing under the heel of the US occupation. The Japanese people have placed their hopes in him, and his rise has been celebrated here, in this column, as a harbinger … Continue reading “YASUKUNI BROUHAHA”

The world may believe that the carefully staged, orchestrated, and subdued signing of the “Made in America” Ohrid framework document translates into peace in Macedonia, the latest Balkan boiling pot. It, however, does not. It will not provide any measurable change to the status quo, except for one thing: NATO soldiers have now, legally, shoehorned … Continue reading “Macedonia’s Underhanded Dissolution”