This is the first time since the wars of the Yugoslav succession began that a big Balkan initiative has had no serious American involvement.

ECONOMIST: Working out the world

So far, Macedonia has been careful to stay out of the wars of the Yugoslav succession.

ECONOMIST: The Macedonian exit route

He also covered a succession of wars in the Balkans, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, numerous crises in Iraq.

CNN: Anchors & Reporters

The period from the 1950s to the 1980s was a fat time for arms dealing, with its succession of small but vicious wars in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

ECONOMIST: Samuel Cummings | The