Baja tucked his tail because Burns wasn't the Trojka: Dodik awaits a letter from Washington to start a game of Russian roulette at the end of his political story!

By: Rasim Belko @rasimbelko

The political monster that has been threatening peace in the Balkans, stability, and prosperity in Bosnia and Herzegovina for decades, yesterday showed its metamorphic skills, the kind only possible in fairy tales where the wolf becomes a lamb until it gets its prey.

Milorad Dodik, the political leader of Bosnian Serbs, known for decades as “Baja,” a boor and a political megalomaniac, has yesterday become like a hunted animal turning into a pet. And the comparison to a fable is not accidental, because thanks to Dodik, we are far from a fairy tale, and political life is most similar to that fable.

I don't know what Željka Cvijanović conveyed to Dodik after the meeting with CIA Director William Burns, but I know that Dodik was close to saying he wasn't even a Serb, because he told the entire BiH public that he wasn't a separatist, even though he's been talking about the secession of Republika Srpska for decades. The real question is whether only Željka Cvijanović brought messages to Dodik, or if someone else specifically went to report to Burns, far from public view. The message he received must have been so terrible that it frightened the political boor who sovereignly rules 49 percent of BiH territory and has significant influence in the rest.

Admittedly, it's not the first time Dodik has demonstrated his chameleon-like ability to slip into the skin of a progressive politician. However, each time before, Dodik emerged from that chameleonic skin with a profit, given to him sometimes by the Americans, sometimes by the Europeans, but recently mostly by those representing Bosniaks. Because few have been fooled by Dodik's chameleon skills as much as the Trojka, who even called him the European Dodik, only to soon realize that he was a political pragmatist with a medieval worldview, dressed in the guise of a Russian man and a Serbian son chosen to complete Karadžić's mission.

“The fight against terrorism is an obligation of the entire free world, and in that context, the visit of the CIA Director, Mr. William Burns, to BiH is significant. Republika Srpska is committed to this fight and welcomes any cooperation in this area. Republika Srpska has never disputed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH in accordance with the Dayton Agreement, and secession has never been our policy. But Republika Srpska has the right to political struggle for its status, in accordance with the letter of the Dayton Agreement. BiH is a community of two equal entities and three constituent peoples, therefore, Mr. Burns' statement that the responsibility for the functioning of the country lies with all ethnic communities is encouraging,” Dodik stated in one breath on Twitter.

Interestingly, he is pleased by the message from the head of the CIA, while for months he has been “shooting” insults from all political and boorish arsenals at the American ambassador who represents the administration in which Burns is one of the key figures.

That political dung-throwing by Baja from Laktaši was disgusting even to those who agree with Ambassador Murphy on very little. And the leader from Laktaši thought that such treatment of Ambassador Murphy could last forever.

However, it is evident that yesterday he received a message that made his knees buckle, making it clear to him that it is too late for apologies and a change of policy. Instead, the old political fox offered exactly the paradigm that Westerners in Bosnia and Herzegovina want to hear.

He tried to present himself as a constructive segment, denying the separatist political mantra, even though until yesterday he was talking about offering the Federation a plan for separation from Republika Srpska. The message he received from Cvijanović or someone else was clearly a signal to Dodik that the devil had taken the joke seriously. And in this case, the devil is the most informed and one of the most influential people not only in the US but also in the West.

It is not impossible that Dodik knows he could soon receive a letter from Washington with an invitation he cannot refuse. And when the invitation arrives, the final act of Dodik's too long and too difficult political career will begin.

It will be the most dramatic act in which Milorad Dodik will be forced to play Russian roulette. Because, the Americans have clearly had enough, and it is expected that they will invite him and demand that Baja retire and politically retire the Dodik family, to make way for more progressive forces.

But leaving will be harder for Dodik than staying in power. Because now he knows that he can end his dealings with the Americans by leaving. But he is also aware that there is only one way to leave the embrace of the Russian bear. And there is no doubt that the fear of the latter caused him to tuck his tail to appease the former.

Because, time is the least attainable currency for Dodik, and he needs it the most to ensure he sails into peaceful post-political harbors. The only question is how much time the Americans will give him and how much the Kremlin will observe his attempt to withdraw.

In any case, Dodik is caught between two world powers, and whatever he chooses, he will make a mistake, but it will be the right choice for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Only the Trojka will regret it, because they will never be able to explain to the citizens or anyone else that they saw the European Dodik while the developed world was trying to get rid of him!