Arkan.

This is coolbert:

"Men who want to wage war without good reason, who seize other
people without prior warning and without any good cause and rob
and steal from them, wound and kill them ... who use arms
(dishonorably) behave like cowards and traitors" - - Geoffroi de Charny

Here is an instance of the criminal become military man. The results catastrophic for all involved.

Željko Ražnatović. Better known by the nom de guerre of Arkan! The leader of a Serb nationalist irregular force [White Tigers] which saw much combat action during the latest series of Balkan wars [Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo]!



"Željko Ražnatović . . . was a Serbian career criminal and later a paramilitary leader who was notable for organizing and leading a paramilitary force in the Yugoslav Wars"

Željko Ražnatović. A man best described as a murderer, rapist, arsonist, pillager, assassin, bank robber, jailbird, purse snatcher!

Željko Ražnatović. A man leading a "military unit" of murderers, rapists, arsonists, pillagers! A "combat unit" comprised of men primarily of Slavic origins - - identifying themselves with the Christian Orthodox faith! Men, White Tigers, also having criminal backgrounds.

[Arkan had strong contacts among the European criminal underworld. The Tigers were primarily but not exclusively Slavic? Arkan could call upon the services of a whole host of villains?]

"Arkan's Tigers, a paramilitary force he created . . . saw action from mid 1991 to late 1995 . . . It is reported that his irregular military unit consisted of up to 10,000 well-trained fighters equipped with modern weapons, including a few tanks and helicopters."

The White Tigers resemble greatly the bashi bazooks of the Ottoman period or the janjaweed of the Darfur conflict? "Troops" engaging in combat with the prospect of becoming rich through pillage?

"Arkan personally led most of war actions, and rewarded his most efficient officers and soldiers with ranks, medals and eventually the products of the lootings."

And "troops" for which the perpetration of atrocity is commonplace and EVEN ENCOURAGED!!

[the White Tigers under the command of Arkan conducted themselves in a manner similar to the chevauchee of Edward the Black Prince!?]

Generally speaking, criminal elements period just DO NOT MAKE GOOD SOLDIERS!! NOT having the desired degree of discipline - - mainly motivated by the most base and evil of all reasons!

As you well might expect, Arkan make a whole lot of enemies based upon his "military service". It was not surprising therefore when Arkan met his fate, at the hands of an assassin. Missed in some quarters, not mourned in others.

Keep in mind that the tradition of the bandit/irregular/guerrilla within the domain of eastern Europe and the Balkans is very strong. Arkan was merely following an ancient tradition that always will be?

coolbert.