On one Croatian forum were people discussed about article from news "Croatia can help Serbia...Heaven Can Wait" I found this comment:

Heaven Can Wait

It is not about your neighbor being weak, or a Marshall plan working or not working. It is about self-respect. That is why I always insisted on War Reparations. Once it is in the process of paying, first, guilt is official, not a wishy washy idea of who did what to whom. Once Serbia pays $100 Billion to Croatia for the material and other damages, then, we can "help" their economy even more. Fact is that leaders should listen to the people's whishes and I know that people do not want to see Kostunica and Tadic parading in front of our troops, especially when their guns are facing vertically. Any Serbian president / premier or what and whoever, MUST bow to "Ovcara", "Jasenovac 1945 - 1948" etc. Kneel down, apologize not just for the last war, but all the manipulations, killings and prosecutions for the last 80 years including a killing of Radic and our delegation in Belgrade in the parliament, go back where they came from and couple of times like that, before any discussion is opened. The fact that Tadic can be in Knin and demand a glass of water, not to mention what he said, is UNACCEPTABLE. Period. There is no price for it. "Heaven (EU) Can Wait" Business? Business is always operating. It did even during the war, so let business people do what they have to do.

Fact is that it is easy to criticize and not know all the facts. Being in a position of a country leader is known only to those who are there. Talent for running for the office is not the same talent as governing. Pressures of things that we even do not imagine exist, so our solution is not just to criticize but do something. Organize in a leverage that is undeniable. Having said that, I still think that the history should teach us something, otherwise, we are doomed to repeat it. History doesn't repeat itself. People do. Collective memory is too strong to change the course of the nation, as steering ocean liner in a shallow water. Fact is that all the (E)Unions we entered, we couldn't wait to get out of them. Read the history books and that is all you need to know. Listen to our proverbs, like Croatian expression: Dala baba grozd da udje u kolo i dva da izadje, and you should be able to get to some conclusion. Yes, we need help in implementing civilized laws and that should be the focus, as well as production in Croatia. Our people are extremely talented and entrepreneurial so, if the government doesn't stand in the way, our talent will flourish. See Croatians around the world. Extremely successful. It is not different humidity or that maybe the sun shines differently or the moon beams change when you cross the border. It is the political system and the will of the leaders to create the environment in which we as a people have a realistic chance to develop ourselves and others around us in a way that we can become leaders of the so call free world. How about energy policy? How about Vjetroelektrane, Windmills, solar energy, hydrogen? We can become country that is completely energy independent. soon, not in the next generation. Give people a chance and they will do it. How about cultural exports. The Beatles have been the biggest export for the UK for many years. Film and Music industry for US? You better believe it...and we can go on and on.

Wounds are too fresh to be irritated. They bleed and create new violence. Didn't we have enough? Aggressor parading in front of us is salt and insult to the wound. Do you think differently or the EU bureaucrats who are sitting in Brussels didn't attend the history class... or they support military complex who is the only one to profit in these continues wars?

You tell me !

Nenad Bach,
New York, July 22, 2006