I've been meaning to kick-start this blog for some time, and there's no better reason to resurrect it than to begin commemorating a horrific anniversary. This Saturday, July 11, will mark twenty years since the Srebrenica genocide.
20 Year Anniversary
Given the prevalence of armed conflicts involving "failed" states such as Syria and Iraq, or of fragile states with restive minorities being supported and manipulated by a larger neighbor, such as Ukraine, it is very clear that the Bosnian War was indeed both a warning of the challenges the post-Cold War era would bring as well as a test the international community in general and the West specifically. It seems increasingly clear that whatever lessons were learned were the wrong ones, and that the legacy of Bosnia for policy-makers has been distorted and misunderstood. Perhaps this stark reminder of the human cost of moral indifference and strategic fumbling will lead to some healthy re-evaluation of priorities and interpretive frameworks.
Showing posts with label anniversary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anniversary. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 08, 2015
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
"Americans For Bosnia" Turns Three Years Old Today
I'm not averse to patting myself on the back, now am I?
In some ways, it's hard to believe that I started this blog three years ago; I really had no idea what I was going to do with it or what point of view or agenda I would promote, other than a vague desire to be involved somehow with Bosnia and its cause. Over the first few months, I found that reviewing books from the vantage point of an informed, interested, but non-specialized general reader seems to be my forte in this regard. I may not be the guy who can best interpret the constitutional ramifications of Dodik's latest statements, but I do know how to approach the lies and deceptions of a Diana Johnstone from a casually-informed, non-academic standing.
I will continue to make that the main focus of this blog since there are many other people out there who have more expertise in the region, more personal/professional involvement, and there are others who do a much more thorough and timely job of following and commenting on news from the region. I will also continue to pass along any information I find timely or relevant, and any information, statements, or links which other people or organizations bring to my attention. And I will most certainly continue to use whatever little visibility I have to promote the work of other bloggers and writers who are fighting the good fight in or on behalf of southeast Europe.
It's been a pleasure to get to know the work of other concerned world citizens, and it's been an honor to get to know some of you through your work and by email. It has been heartening to know that I was not alone when I first reached out to fellow Western liberals and leftists, hoping to find that others shared my belief that something important and even fundamental to our way of life in the secular, democratic West was at stake in Bosnia. It has been humbling to see how passionate, involved, and informed so many of you are. Thank you to each and every person who has ever read this blog with appreciation or interest, commented on it, engaged me in conversation and debate, or simply taken the time to consider one of my posts.
In some ways, it's hard to believe that I started this blog three years ago; I really had no idea what I was going to do with it or what point of view or agenda I would promote, other than a vague desire to be involved somehow with Bosnia and its cause. Over the first few months, I found that reviewing books from the vantage point of an informed, interested, but non-specialized general reader seems to be my forte in this regard. I may not be the guy who can best interpret the constitutional ramifications of Dodik's latest statements, but I do know how to approach the lies and deceptions of a Diana Johnstone from a casually-informed, non-academic standing.
I will continue to make that the main focus of this blog since there are many other people out there who have more expertise in the region, more personal/professional involvement, and there are others who do a much more thorough and timely job of following and commenting on news from the region. I will also continue to pass along any information I find timely or relevant, and any information, statements, or links which other people or organizations bring to my attention. And I will most certainly continue to use whatever little visibility I have to promote the work of other bloggers and writers who are fighting the good fight in or on behalf of southeast Europe.
It's been a pleasure to get to know the work of other concerned world citizens, and it's been an honor to get to know some of you through your work and by email. It has been heartening to know that I was not alone when I first reached out to fellow Western liberals and leftists, hoping to find that others shared my belief that something important and even fundamental to our way of life in the secular, democratic West was at stake in Bosnia. It has been humbling to see how passionate, involved, and informed so many of you are. Thank you to each and every person who has ever read this blog with appreciation or interest, commented on it, engaged me in conversation and debate, or simply taken the time to consider one of my posts.
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