That was an enjoyable and insightful read, especially for this relative outsider.  I find it fascinating to see how this region continues to struggle with maintaining a cohesive and stable union, which I fear is almost inevitable as long as we're a community of diverse personalities and perspectives.  As long as there are positions of power (unavoidable) and as long as decisions are being made that have tangible impact on the region (unavoidable), there will be tension and conflict. 

The main question then is - how do we deal with that conflict?  With so many varying communication channels used by members of TSP, it is difficult to provide a single venue for resolution of perceived differences, as there will be sufficient background conversations going on to render the "public" forum virtually obsolete and a mere platform for grandstanding.  Increased transparency and clearness of intentions in statements from persons in positions of power is always a good start.