[Jim O]

I would take it even a step further. I have argued that the battles that began after the incident in Sarajevo were the beginning of an almost century long war in Europe. The twenty year pause between the two world wars was a technicality.

Even if you see the two World Wars as completely separate events, the battles in the Balkans after the death of Tito should be seen as the last of the battles of World War II. Yugoslavia was a creation of World War I. Its disintegration was only delayed because the Serb population respected what Tito, a Croat, had done for them in World War II. The ethnic tensions never disappeared, and the fighting was predictable. In fact it was predicted by those with a knowledge of the region and its history.

Kosovo's recent declaration of independence is not yet recognized by most of the world. Whether more fighting will occur before the last battle of the war is fought remains to be seen.