The death of the nation-state

Townhall.com ^ | May 23, 2006 | Pat Buchanan

[A. Pole]

Yugoslavia is gone, forever. The country that emerged from World War I and Versailles as the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, land of the South Slavs, has passed into history.

Sunday's vote in Montenegro, a tiny land of fewer people than the Washington, D.C., this writer grew up in, voted Sunday to secede from Belgrade, establish a nation and seek entry into the European Union.

In 1991, Macedonia peacefully seceded. Slovenia and Croatia fought their way out, and Bosnia broke free after a war marked by the massacre at Srbenica and NATO intervention. Bosnia is itself subdivided into a Serb and a Croat-Muslim sector.

After the 78-day U.S. bombing of Serbia by the United States, and the ethnic cleansing of Serbs from the province in the wake of the NATO war, Kosovo is 90 percent Muslim and Albanian. Loss of this land that was the cradle of the Serb nation seems an inevitability.

The disintegration of Yugoslavia, the second partition of Czechoslovakia and the breakup of the Soviet Union into 15 nations -- many of which had never before existed -- seem to confirm what Israeli historian Martin van Creveld and U.S. geostrategist William Lind have written.

The nation-state is dying. Men have begun to transfer their allegiance, loyalty and love from the older nations both upward to the new transnational regimes that are arising and downward to the sub-nations whence they came, the true nations, united by blood and soil, language, literature, history, faith, tradition and memory.

Imperial and ideological nations appear, for the foreseeable future, to be finished. The British and French, greatest of the Western Empires, are long gone. Throughout the 19th and early 20th century, the Irish, though its sons had fought to erect and maintain the Victorian "empire on which the sun never set" -- and defend it in World War I -- fought relentlessly to be free of it. They wanted, and in 1921 won, a small nation of their own, on their own small island.

The Irish preferred it to being part of the British Empire.

The call of ethnicity, nationalism, religion, faith and history pulled apart the greatest of all the ideological empires, the Soviet Empire, and the Soviet Union, that "prison house of nations."

Transnational institutions, the embryonic institutions of a new world government to which the elites of the West and Third World are transferring allegiance and power, include the United Nations, the EU, the World Trade Organization, the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, the International Seabed Authority, the Kyoto Protocol, the IMF and the World Bank.

The sub-nations, or ex-nations, struggling to be born or break free include Scotland, Catalonia and the Basque country of Spain, Corsica, northern Italy and Quebec in the West. Iraq, as we have seen, is a composite of peoples divided by tribe, ethnicity and faith -- as are Iran, Pakistan and India. Jordanians are Palestinian Arabs, with a minority of Bedouins.

Lind argues that not only are nations subdividing, losing their monopolies on the love and loyalty of their peoples, but they are being superseded by "non-state actors" that are challenging the monopoly on warfare enjoyed by the nation-state since the Treaty of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years War.

Among the more familiar non-state actors are the Crips and Bloods, Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13, the Mexican and Colombian drug cartels, the Zapatistas of Chiapas, the racial nationalists of MEChA, the white supremacists of Aryan Nations, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and Hezbollah, the Maoists of Nepal and the Tamil Tigers.

Among the central questions of our time is a central question of any time: Who owns the future?

Of late, the transnational vision has lost its allure. Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales and most of Latin America reject the NAFTA vision of Bush and Vicente Fox. French and Dutch voted down the EU Constitution, which now appears dead. The Doha round of world trade negotiations is headed for the rocks. Hostility is rising to bringing Turkey into the EU.

Arabs and Turks in Europe identify more and more with the Islamic faith they have in common and the countries whence they came, not the one in which they live and work.

So, too, do millions of illegal aliens in the United States. They march defiantly under Mexican flags in American streets demanding the rights of U.S. citizens -- while an intimidated political class rushes to accommodate and appease them, assuring itself this is but the latest reincarnation of Ellis Island.

As the Old Republic trudges to its death, less and less do we hear that incessant blather about the American Empire, "the world's last superpower" and "our unipolar moment."

[Smartass]

"I can't see what any of them gained."

I've been reluctant to get into Serbian and Balkin debates, because, they stir up bad personal memories. But what the heck, why not. I've donned my flame proof suit.

Bosnia was Madeline Albright's war, and Kosovo was a Bill Clinton impeachment diversionary tactic. Clearly genocide on any level is unacceptable. However, those two undeclared, non congressional sanctioned wars could have been settled without bombs and bullets. I'm not going to argue the residual affects of the Ottoman Empire, or whether the Serbs were onto something, that obviously the U.S. was oblivious about.

"What has been gained." Nothing was gained, but much was lost. The U.S., United Nations, and NATO protectors in Bosnia, and Kosovo, have helped establish a very strong Islamic, and al Qaeda foothold in the Balkins. Presently in Kosovo, under the watchful eye of NATO troops, all signs of Christians/Christianity have been driven out. Also, all Christian churches have been torched. Reverse ethnic cleansing has occurred, and given UN, and NATO blessings.

President G.W. Bush's goals and objectives in Iraq are to establish democracy in the Middle East. Bill Clinton goals and objectives were about chasing stains on a blue intern's dress. Meanwhile, Bubba lost sight of the long term damages he was doing to Yugoslavia, and that region of the world.

Our eternal thanks must be extended to ex Pres. William Jefferson Clinton, Secretary of State Madeline Albright, the UN and NATO for having helped tear apart old Yugoslavia, and replace it with a terrorist sanctuary in the Balkins. /Sarc

 

[rmlew]

Iraq is an artificial state created by Britain.
I have no theoretical opposition to Kurdish nationalism, just tactical opposition.

[rmlew]

As a nationalist who understands culture and heritage, it pains me to say that America is not really a nation state.
There is no real American ethnos escept for the WASP core. However, even this was flexible.

Our's is a synthetic nationalism built on a British-American core.

[rmlew]

The more I read it, the worse this piece seems.

The disintegration of Yugoslavia, the second partition of Czechoslovakia and the breakup of the Soviet Union into 15 nations -- many of which had never before existed -- seem to confirm what Israeli historian Martin van Creveld and U.S. geostrategist William Lind have written.

The nation-state is dying. Men have begun to transfer their allegiance, loyalty and love from the older nations both upward to the new transnational regimes that are arising and downward to the sub-nations whence they came, the true nations, united by blood and soil, language, literature, history, faith, tradition and memory.

Is Pat historically illiterate? Bohemians and Slovaks are different peoples. Wilson et all created Czechoslovakia just like Yugoslavia.
Teh Tzarist and Communist Empire occupied many distinct and formerly independent nations.
I suppose Patty-boy now wants to go back in time and hiss at reagan for recognizing that the Soviets were an occupying tyranny?

The sub-nations, or ex-nations, struggling to be born or break free include Scotland, Catalonia and the Basque country of Spain, Corsica, northern Italy and Quebec in the West. Iraq, as we have seen, is a composite of peoples divided by tribe, ethnicity and faith -- as are Iran, Pakistan and India. Jordanians are Palestinian Arabs, with a minority of Bedouins.
Since when did the "nation-state" become defined as whatever countries Pat liked held together by threat of force?
As nationalism dies among the core ethnos, nation-states are split with occupied regions becoming free of central rule. This is a historical truism.

Of late, the transnational vision has lost its allure. Hugo Chavez, Evo Morales and most of Latin America reject the NAFTA vision of Bush and Vicente Fox. French and Dutch voted down the EU Constitution, which now appears dead. The Doha round of world trade negotiations is headed for the rocks. Hostility is rising to bringing Turkey into the EU.

So commies are no longer trans-nationalist? Just because they oppose one CRW, does not make them nationalists.

As the Old Republic trudges to its death, less and less do we hear that incessant blather about the American Empire, "the world's last superpower" and "our unipolar moment."
We lacked the will to do what was neccesary at home or abroad.

[sheik yerbouty]

Buchanan is a defeatist.

[GOP_1900AD]

False nation states based on borders imposed by Wilson and other deluded intellectuals are yielding to the former ones which followed more natural lines.

[sammy123]

well interesting. Thank god someone cared for those forsaking souls. If it was up to the serbs they would have wiped them out. I think the concept of greater serbia is what distructed yugoslavia not albright or clinton. Think realisticall before commenting.

[Smartass]

Again, I don't want to discuss the history of the Ottoman Empire.   However, because of Bill Clinton's and Madeline Albright's foolish intervention, the facts show, that "those forsaking souls" now have, a strong Islamic, al Qaeda foothold in the Balkans.   Other then being sold and told, we don't in fact know that the Serbs committed genocide.   We do know as a fact, that because of Clinton, and NATO, Kosovo is now Christian and Christian church free! All traces of Christianity have been torched in Kosovo by the new Islamic residents.

"Think realisticall before commenting."   I believe, I'm the clear thinker on this issue!   For example, why wasn't the same standard of Bosnia and Kosovo applied by Bill Clinton and/or the UN with the genocide being committed by Islamofacists in Rwanda?

 

[sammy123]

The evidence is obvoius. Mass graves are being found in Bosnia. Kosovo had less than them. Is this really a make believe and the international community was sold on this. I think not. Why is Mladic hiding then because he is being setup. Why is the pro-democratic governement in Serbia trying their best to capture him?. The facts are there. Was Arkan a make believe. Be realistic. Attrocities occurred. Milosevic, the croatian President Tudjman worked together to have their greater Serbia and Croatia. I am also sure the KLA committed some attrocities. But this is after they were provoked. You mean to tell me that Milosevic didn't set up the Kosovars pretending that they were hurting the Serbs. They had no rights, there children were being scared at schools by bombarding the schools. A Serbian Jornalist reported this but was spit on and told to be a traitor by Milosevic;s kronies. The difference with Kosovo is they are not Islamist they are Albanians. They were not religious or had any religious backing. they had their issues when they wanted a republic. Serbia was concerned if that was given they would ask for Independance. No one denies that was their intent to begin with. But islamist no Christian churches in Kosovo is not true. Maybe some were torched but not all. If any islamist groups were created they are in Bosnia not in Kosovo.

[Smartass]

As the way you want to be realistic!

 

[Biblebelter]

So, too, do millions of illegal aliens in the United States. They march defiantly under Mexican flags in American streets demanding the rights of U.S. citizens -- while an intimidated political class rushes to accommodate and appease them, assuring itself this is but the latest reincarnation of Ellis Island.


I think he is really reaching in most of his article. But this sentence sums up a lot with very few words.

[A. Pole]

You mean to tell me that Milosevic didn't set up the Kosovars

Yes. And you misspelled their name - they are called ALBANIANS. There is no such place as KosovA.

[sammy123]

we all have our own views and opinions. You say black I say red. Who is wrong?

[Smartass]

When ever I enter into a complex discussion such as the Balkans, Serbia, Bosnia, Kosovo, I don’t shoot from the hip, but usually backup my statements with facts.  Such is the case here.

You said: "we all have our own views and opinions. You say black I say red. Who is wrong?"

I'm not here to discuss, or defend Zeljko Raznatovic, worldwide known after his nickname of Arkan, or Ratko Mladic, because both sides of the conflict have committed inhuman acts, and are for another discussion.

To keep this discussion in context and perspective, I wrote about what Kosovo is now, and what is going on in that region as regards Islamofacists gaining a foothold, and the torching of Christian Churches, as a result of Bill Clinton and NATO's blind, foolish, permissiveness.

I haven't chosen a color, nevertheless, unless you can produce material fact to rebut me, the article at the bottom will prove YOU WRONG.   If Muslims, or better known as Islamofacists in the region, haven't torched more then 140 old Monasteries, and Christian Churches in Kosovo, than, who are those guys doing the burning, and for what reason[s]?

Clearly, since the beginning of time, history will tell you who Kosovo politically belonged to, and it wasn't Islam, or a future outpost for Osama bin Laden!

 

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Source: Christian churches?

 

Is Koran flushing worse desecration than blowing up Christian churches?

Mary Mostert

Mary Mostert
May 18, 2005


The stupidity and senseless violence that caused a number of deaths in reaction to a Newsweek article which claimed Americans had "desecrated the Islamic holy book" needs to be examined from a couple of angles. According to Newsweek American military interrogators had placed the Koran on the lavatory inside inmates' cells at the detention center in Guantanamo Bay and had "in at least one case, flushed a holy book down the toilet."

The article supposedly so enraged Muslims that anti-American riots resulted in several countries. The radical Arab newspaper Al Jazeera reported "Protests in Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Pakistan and Indonesia followed demonstrations across much of Afghanistan in the past few days in which 14 people were killed and dozens injured after clashes with police. Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria have registered displeasure at the alleged desecration."

My first reaction to this news was to go get the Koran out of my own library that was printed in both Arabic and English in Saudi Arabia and check out the number of pages. It has 2082 pages. If printed only in Arabic, it probably would be only about 800 pages. Question: have ANY of the people rioting ever SEEN a Koran? If so, how could you flush an 800 page book down a toilet?

Second, assuming you could overcome that technical difficulty and actually flush a Koran down a toilet, why is that somehow worse than burning down or blowing up Christian Churches, some of them hundreds of years old, as Muslims have done in Kosovo? There were 30 churches and monasteries destroyed, 19 people killed and 250 non-Muslim homes looted and burned in Muslim riots in Kosovo from March 17-19, 2004.

If killing people and rioting is an acceptable way to express one's concern over one's religion being desecrated, what is an acceptable way for Christians to react to hundreds of Christian Churches being desecrated or blown up? There seems to have been nothing much done in recent years following the destruction of Serbian Orthodox Churches by anti-Christian Muslim extremists. In fact, the world community is even still talking about allowing those very same Muslims to completely take over Kosovo and ethnically cleanse it of Serbs, where Serbs have lived for and built churches for hundreds of years.

The Christian Churches blown up by Muslims in Kosovo last year included:

1. Orthodox Cathedral of the Most Holy Mother of God of Ljevis, 14th century (Prizren)
   
   
2. Church of Holy Salvation, 14th century (Prizren)
   
   
3. Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr George, 20th century (Prizren)
   
   
4. Holy Archangels Monastery, 14th century (Prizren)
   
   
5. Church of St. George Runovic, 15th century (Prizren, courtyard of the Episcopate)
   
   
6. Church of St. John the Fore-runner and Baptist (Pec) with parish home
   
   
7. Church of the Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple (Belo Polje near Pec)
   
   
8. Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God (Djakovica) with parish home
   
   
9. Church of the Holy King Uros (Urosevac)
   
   
10. Church of St. Nicholas (Kosovo Polje)
    
    
11. Church of St. Catharine (Bresje near Kosovo Polje)
    
    
12. Church of St. Nicholas (Pristina)
    
    
13. Church of St. Nicholas (Gnjilane)
    
    
14. Church of St. Sava (Kosovska Mitrovica)
    
    
15. Church in Vitina (Vitina near Gnjilane)
    
    
16. Devic Monastery, 14th century (Srbica)
    
    
17. Church in Donja Slapasnica (Kosovska Kamenica)
    
    
18. Church in Brnjak near Bela Crkva (Orahovac)
    
    
19. Church of St. John the Fore-runner and Baptist (Pecka Banja)
    
    
20. Church of St. Elijah, 19th century (Vucitrn)
    
    
21. Church of St. Michael (Stimlje)
    
    
22. Church in Obilic (Obilic)
    
    
23. Church of St. Lazarus in Piskoti (Djakovica), damaged in 1999, now burned
    
    
24. Sts. Cyril and Methodius Seminary building (Prizren)
    
    
25. Episcopate — seat of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren (Prizren)
    
    

It was also reported that the Albanian Muslims are removing the ruins of the Church of the Holy Trinity (Djakovica), one of the more than 100 churches blown up in 1999.

Since 1999 Muslims have destroyed 140 Christian Churches in Kosovo. And, exactly what has been the official Muslim response from Muslims in Palestine, Egypt, Sudan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, the Gaza Strip, Afghanistan, etc to that desecration of Christian churches and artifacts? Dead silence.

Now, don't get me wrong. If, somehow, some American did in fact figure out how to flush a Koran down a toilet, I certainly believe that an apology is in order and the Koran should be immediately replaced with a new one purchased by the American who did that. So far, of course, there is no proof that such a thing happened.

On the other hand, I also believe that justice demands that Muslims who have burned down or blown up 140 Churches in Kosovo owe Christians throughout the world an apology and that Muslims need to rebuild or at least finance the rebuilding of every one of those Christian churches.

This should not be hard to do. It is something the United Nations might be capable of doing. After all, those Churches were destroyed during the time that Kosovo has been controlled by the United Nations. A just and workable solution to this situation would be to require Christians to replace the Koran for every Guantanamo Bay inmate who had his Koran flushed down the toilet in exchange for the Muslims replacing every Christian church Muslims destroyed in Kosovo and other nations.

Even Al Jazeera should be able to endorse this kind of justice pertaining to desecration of religious books and churches. After all, as the Koran says, in Sura 60:8, "Allah loveth those who are just."

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Mary Mostert is a nationally-respected political writer. She was one of the first female political commentators to be published in a major metropolitan newspaper in the 1960s. After working in President Lyndon Johnson's failed War on Poverty programs in New York state, she became a Republican. She ran, unsuccessfully, for the New York State Senate and became campaign manager for a number of candidates. She once served as the secretary of "Positive Action NOW!"--a South African women's group that sought to reduce the hostility among South Africa's various racial, religious, and political groups.

In recent years, Mary has researched, written, and edited articles for national talk show host Michael Reagan's Information Interchange on the Internet, and for The REAGAN MONITOR, a monthly newsletter that provides in-depth information on key issues. Her book, COMING HOME - Families Can Stop the Unraveling of America," was published in 1996 by Gold Leaf Press. Mary maintains a political media site, Banner of Liberty. She can be contacted at mary@bannerofliberty.com . Click here for more information.

© Copyright 2005 by Mary Mostert
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/mostert/050518

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The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Alan Keyes, RenewAmerica, or its affiliates.

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[sammy123]

I apologize for any previous comments becuase this is undoubtably wrong. I should get my facts straight. You gave me a good perspective and put me in the right track. I appreciate this type of feedback. I may have been touchy because my point was not everyone is evil. Kosovo is now in turmoil and hearing this type of events makes me sad not to mention sick to my stomach. I hope we can keep this conversation for time to come. Is there anything we can do or say to make this known to others and hopefully bring this out in the open. I wish and never would like to see Kosovo in the hands of Islamist fundamentals. They have destroyed the world for centuries. The albanians should wake up and relaize that these extremist fundamentals are going to ruin their vulnerable and future generations. This is comming from an Albanian from Montenegro and this makes me wonder how in gods name the KFOR and what ever other international agencies are not seeing or reporting this. I will talk to you soon. I will leave you with this. Osama Bin Laden and his Kronies better stay off of Kosovo and other regions of the former Yugoslavia. And I hope someone is going to do something. Let all involved pay for the wrong doings. Thanks Again

[Smartass]

Accepted.   It seems like that region of the world has been in turmoil since BC, with no let up in sight.   The latest, Bosnia is one of seven countries named as being connected with the recent terrorist arrests in Canada.