It’s a Riot!

Europe’s Lawless Summer It is looking like a summer of discontent in Europe. In late May, “youths” in Sweden rioted for several days, torching cars and houses. At the beginning of June, tens of thousands of Turks took to the streets against the Erdogan government. Around the same time, Bosnian lawmakers were held hostage for … Continue reading “It’s a Riot!”

Consenting to Rape

The calmness with which the Empire and the EU took Belgrade’s initial refusal to accept their ultimatum should have been a telling sign of things to come. The carefully cultivated quislings of Serbia weren’t going off-script, but performing just as they’ve been coached. Their “no” had served to interrupt the momentum of domestic discontent and … Continue reading “Consenting to Rape”

An Unexpected Refusal

As late as Monday, it had appeared that the government in Belgrade would accept the demands from Brussels and capitulate on Kosovo. The province, occupied by NATO in 1999, was declared independent in February 2008, but despite the Empire’s insistence, even the most dedicated of quislings in Belgrade have been unwilling to recognize this. When … Continue reading “An Unexpected Refusal”

Lawless: An Oddly Exceptional Empire

Many empires have risen and fallen over the course of recorded history. All were created by force. Yet all have tried to legitimize that force, by passing laws and seeking to establish some sort of order that would outlive their military supremacy. Some have been more successful at this than others; by way of example, … Continue reading “Lawless: An Oddly Exceptional Empire”

Illusion of Triumph

There is a fascinating study just waiting to be written on the topic of Bosnia’s political jokes, evolved over the centuries to express opinions of governments that didn’t much care for freedom of speech. One such joke tells of a man who, after the Bosnian War, emigrated to the West somewhere. Visiting his relatives in … Continue reading “Illusion of Triumph”

Commanding the Tides

For two decades, the Atlantic Empire and its European satellites have claimed to have reached the end of history, bombing or blockading anyone who dared disagree. Certain of their own invincibility, they’ve treated reality with contempt, and scoffed at Canute’s lesson as something that did not apply to them. They think they can command the … Continue reading “Commanding the Tides”

Still a Lie

On February 17, 2008, the ethnic Albanian provisional government of the NATO-occupied province of Kosovo declared independence. Five years later, the “Republic of Kosovo” has been recognized by half the world’s governments and enjoys unqualified Imperial support. It is also a crime- and corruption-ridden hellhole, and a failure of Western nation-building project. Not surprisingly, the … Continue reading “Still a Lie”

Two Simple Rules

One of the (few) articles of faith of those calling themselves “progressives” is that the changes they seek to impose are inevitable and irreversible, and that opposition to them is but a futile attempt to “turn back the clock.” Yet more often than not, this is precisely what their own actions amount to, and the … Continue reading “Two Simple Rules”

Promises to Break

Normally the beginning of January would be a relatively quiet time in the Balkans. Winter temperatures and a blanket of snow tend to cool passions. Even the Empire and its hangers-on find it easier to adventure in Africa instead. So it seems a bit strange that both the quisling government of Serbia and the Albanian … Continue reading “Promises to Break”