These stark realities have prompted some would-be mediators to worry less about Kosovo's long-term constitutional status and to focus instead on the short-term goal of securing a ceasefire, ideally with dividing lines clear enough for peacekeepers to monitor.
Last week on CNBC, John Silvia, chief economist for Wells Fargo Securities, asked me how, as a disciple of asset allocation, I help my clients focus on the long-term goal in the face of such dramatic short-term volatility.