Duuno how relevant these two & their experiences are to anyone living in North America, but some folks here seem interested in their stores.... So, saw this on another site, thought I'd share it over here..
I follow both those guys >> Selco started ghost writing tons more than he ever did before - some of his Balkan War experience doesn't translate tooo directly to the US - but humanity will be human and all that is relevant ... there's a couple of guys posting from the Venezuela chaos mess - one bugged out and is in family hell in Columbia now - I find their situations more relevant than a full-scale Balkan War scenario ....
I think I have read some of this Selco guy's stuff... I do have a lot of first-hand knowledge about the Balkan wars, got there early, stayed there too long, and got a lot of stories. I have no conflict with anything he ever wrote, pretty truthful. I will tell you it was damn bad in some places and in many places it was even worse. The scenario in Venezuela is a little bit different in my opinion than the Balkans as more a lack of 'rule of law', break down of society and survival while Balkans was that and more. They added war to the mix.
I've always found Selco's writings to be a warning, pointing to how bad it can get and how fast it can be brought upon a population.
The Balkans was an out right war, including genocide! some of it was justified, but most was pure hate against each other! I still don't quite understand it all, but got to see it first hand for a little over 3 years! It was brutal none the less, and proof that humans are the most vile creatures on this earth when the rule of law no longer exists! Many mistakes were made across the board from all sides, and I think THOSE lessons need to be taught to everyone who will listen! What's happening down south may be different, but I also see parallels, and one needs to be careful to not allow it to get worse then it already is!
Yeah, me too. You know, I was so fascinated and tried so hard to understand it that I took at least 3 courses at a university specifically trying to get a grip on it, read tons of books...but truly couldn't. It really came down to age-old hatred's, one group would get on top for a while and stick it to the other group then you got the religion mix from the Ottomans and the Hapsburgs used them all against each others...it was just a mess! And, in truth, it still is! And, they talk all this BS about diversity and holding hands and singing kumbaya - well - life just isn't like that...and frankly, I don't think it will EVER be like that...there or here!
Yugoslavia wasn't anymore diverse and ethnic & religiously challenged than the US before it's break up >>> most people can't begin to realize how the US will fragment into multi shards once the unifying "pressures" are no longer applied - just look at the social & political differences between the Coasters and the Fly Overs that are already in place >>> US state borders were politically formed more than anything else - don't expect them to stand in a serious upending SHTF - even the US/Canadian border would dissolve ...
I believe this to be true also. I've been back to the states now for 5 years and nothing could have prepared me for how divided it has become - us vs. them. I think about this and the Balkans a lot and think something like the Balkans could easily happen here if it comes to blows however I think it will be on a grander scale than the Balkans of course, not talking about small villages but entire states and if one doesn't support the majority of that state be it Left or Right, Dems or Reps, Christian or non-Christian - well - you will be moved along much like what happened in the break up of India which gave birth to Pakistan. As far as the Canadian border dissolving...I cannot see that. The Canucks are a hardy, proud people and they will have a government to direct them. I think we'll have chaos for quite a while and while there might be some border hopping by groups I doubt they could stand for long on their own against Canadian forces, of course just my opinion, which isn't worth the price of a cup of coffee but think they would be enough problems without starting one with Canada... Now, the other side of the coin is would Canada, using the confusion of the times, try to grab some better farm land, oil, power land or etc...? It would be a silly move, one that I think would end badly but governments are not the brightness of bulbs.
