Chandler Rosenberger at National Review Online takes a big picture look at US Balkan policy over the past decade and more.

I might disagree with him at various points. He offers a rather US-centric view.

But he does bring out well that while thematic, sustained and firm approaches to dealing with Bad Leaders have their ups and downs, they can eventually bring positive results.

The problem for diplomats is that they often see the realities of what can be achieved pretty well. It is politicians who do not like hitting the nasty bumps along the road, even when the road is bumpy and one has to go down it to get anywhere.

Hitting bumps on that sort of road is a sign of success, not a sign of failure.

Bottom Line for the former Yugoslavia: no-one else out here really cares what your problems are, but we do expect you to solve them nicely, which means you rooting out the worst disruptive idiots and gangsters who claim to be your leaders.

Got that yet?