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Torie, my opinion is that the article is mostly ridiculous garbage and it's obvious that the author based it on the opinions of second- and third-generation members of the '40s exile community. Read the history of this exile community in the Americas (mainly Argentina, Canada and USA), how they organised themselves, etc., and you'll understand. Of course I realise my opinion doesn't count with you, as it doesn't match up with your fave authors' opinions.

As for a choice between "militant nationalists" and "communists", well, you can work that one out in your own head. Croatia was part of a communist country. Everyone in politics who came of age before 1991 was once a communist. So the pool of folks who can serve in higher political office were all once communists. Some of those communists, like Tudjman, turned militant nationalist and were heavily supported and funded by the 40's exile community and its successors (who are all militant nationalists).

There are former "communist" Croats who are truly capitalists at heart and who believe in democracy, and these may make good leaders for Croatia in future. But, right now, if they're not also nationalists the well-connected and well-funded nationalist exile community slaps the "communist" label on them. If they're not compliant enough for "the international community" they, too, slap the "communist" sign on their foreheads. It's easy to smear any politician as a "communist" because they all were once at least nominally "communists". They couldn't have got into politics otherwise.

It's just common sense. You don't need Trop or anyone else to understand it. BTW, I miss Trop too. We had some great conversations and he cleared up the 70 dead sheep question for me.