Tired of Being Violent

Over eleven years ago we got involved in the Balkans as war raged. Serbs who had dominated Yugoslavia tried to retain the scraps of their small empire as non-Serbs broke away from Belgrade. Angry Serbs once slaughtered Moslems and fought Croats and defiantly waved paper targets under NATO's bombardment of Yugoslavia in 1999. The Serbs complained that they were defending Christiandom against the tide of Islam.

Now, the Serbs seem to be getting tired of constant conflict:

"I just wish we could finally move on and be a normal country again," said Dubravka Jelisic, a 46-year-old Belgrade teacher. "Even Bulgaria and Romania are ahead of us!" she exclaimed, admitting her envy of Serbia's two eastern neighbors, which joined the EU on Jan. 1.

Pro-Westerners are faced off against the old-style nationalists. The election results might be interesting. Hatred eventually can burn out. Will it in Serbia? This year?