Milosevic vote reflects not nationalism, but weak economy

[EdGy]

Vote for Milosevic reflects need for better reforms
BY AARON PRESNALL
[email protected]
Posted on Thu, Jan. 08, 2004

Last week, Serbian elections came close to returning Vojislav
Seselj and his partner, Slobodan Milosevic, to power only three
years after they were toppled by a bombing campaign and a U.S.- backed opposition movement. Votes for this duo in Serbia reflected disillusionment with reform, not a return to nationalism.

Contrary to media reports, opposition to the Hague International War Crimes Tribunal hardly entered the rhetorical picture. Serbs voted for national socialists because the economy is weak, not because the national ego is weak.

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This development shows that while our military is recrafting itself to face new global challenges with commendable results, our tool kit for winning the peace is dangerously outdated and unable to handle the complexities of international engagement in this new century.

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