You see it in Kosovo and you see it in Taiwan -- indeed it is everywhere. International disputes are shaped by disputes about blood. Sometimes, as in Kosovo, the argument is that Serbs and Albanians cannot live together because they are deeply divided by blood and resulting ethnicity. Sometimes, as in the China-Taiwan dispute, the appeal from one side is that unity is imperative because of blood ties. But no matter the form, this is a dangerous and increasingly antiquated way to settle disputes. People who put blood first stand much less chance of prospering and living at peace in the modern world.

Sadly, the language of blood has come back into vogue. Most often we hear about the virtues of partition based on supposedly natural divisions of people. Although Western powers and indeed the international community formally support a multiethnic Kosovo or Bosnia, the reality is an increasing tolerance of division. Kosovo is headed in that direction and Bosnia is already well on its way, supported even with U.S. military aid to non-Serb factions. This is the logic of a now independent Slovenia and Croatia.

It is also the logic of Russia's fringes _ first the breakup of the Soviet Union and now further splintering in Chechnya and Dagestan. There has already been a split between Czechs and Slovaks, Greeks and Turks still struggle in Cyprus and even the Northern Ireland peace process looks fragile. In Asia, East Timor is slipping toward independence and other parts of Indonesia such as Aceh may follow. Kashmir is vivid proof of intense blood politics.