PK(F),

Of course I don't condemn the entire Serbian Nation! I'm sure that there were many Serbs, both inside and outside Serbia, who were appalled by Milosevic and his bloody machinations. And for the record I think that Tim Judah was quite right - Milosevic was an opportunist - and a cynical one at that. What could be more cynical and opportunist than to play the nationalist card, in post-Tito Yugoslavia, without actually sharing nationalist sympathies? In many ways that interpretation of his actions is even more damning!
I also think that, however complex the situation in the Balkans, unleashing heavily armed paramilitary thugs on civilian populations was an act of extreme wickedness. Someone was responsible for such actions and Milosevic must remain a prime suspect!

I also don't buy the condemnation of Germany. I have to confess that I don't actually understand Germany's motivation in recognising Croatia's independence but I should remind you that, in the 1990s, Germany didn't murder civilians or rape and torture them or drive them from their homes or bombard cities for months on end.
I remember at the time that Germany seemed to being blamed for the chaos in the Balkans,I couldn't help thinking how ridiculous such condemnation seemed. Imagine if Scotland decided to break away from the UK and join the Scandinavian nations, and was recognised by at least one of them. Would that give the English the right to bombard Edinburgh and Glasgow, murder and rape Scottish people and drive them from their homes? I suppose that there is a possibility that something like that might happen but the hypothetical Scandinavian nation's intervention wouldn't justify or excuse it!