Here’s a comment I have posted on the Serbian hardcore Novi Standard website where lots of effort is being devoted to bewailing the arrest of Ratko Mladic:

Not sure I understand the point here. Why is Serbia or the wider Serbian idea weaker if Mladic is finally brought to face the serious and well-founded charges against him?

These arguments remind me of the arguments I’d sometimes hear in Republika Srpska to the effect that "Of course most Muslims are really Serbs anyway!" To which I’d say "In that case, why were you so pleased to see them killed?". I never got a sensible reply.

Mladic was a serious and skilled soldier, yet he took part a leading role in a number of well documented and utterly shameful actions: his very seniority and undoubted leadership qualities require him to answer for that behaviour. Shame on him for not accepting that responsibility. Compare his embarrassing attempts to hide with Seselj, who almost rushed to the ICTY to denounce his accusers. 

Serbia should be delighted that this dark, lonely man at last can face justice – and perhaps find the redemption he denied to thousands of his fellow-countrymen with their Serb DNA whom his forces mercilessly killed.