Posted on 02/14/2007 1:20:08 AM PST by Bokababe
Dear Michael:
Addressing you as one American to another, I want to tell you that I was moved by Your February 10 letter published in the Voice of Public [Glas Javnosti] in response to the article by Mr. Ivan Koprivica, but I was also considerably disappointed to see that you were able to refute nothing. Your Excellency, you shall be entered into the history books as the first ambassador of the world's greatest power to have engaged in debate with a citizen of a tiny, powerless country and to have emerged from that debate with absolutely no success. And you did this with someone from a newspaper which is neither the "oldest", nor the "most influential" one in the Balkans.
In terms of propaganda, Your effort was a truly charming undertaking in an effort to shift the public opinion in Serbia positively toward Kosovo-Metohija independence so that this ripoff could appear more "democratic". In the same spirit, You would even wish us to believe that you bombed us especially because you love us!
Your superior, Mr Daniel Fried also wishes to believe that Serbia's public opinion is shifting toward Your advantage, and he came to that brilliant conclusion based on one single article in what he called, the the Balkans "oldest" and the "most influential" newspaper.
Is the State Department really starting their day by reading Politika? And are you beginning yours, with reading the letters published in the Voice of Public? If so, then my hat's off to You!
However, it does raise a slight concern with me that You are forming your opinions based on the opinions of a child of a communist general, such as this Politika colleague. And yet you obviously choose to ignore other intended commentary like the middle finger sprawled across a the frontpage of a Belgrade tabloid.
You of all people should know that nothing is sacred to communists and that an apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And yet, Your chosen darlings and Your trustees of Serbia are just that -- the children of communism -- disguised as "democrats".
We are both naturalized Americans. You were born in Austria, while I was born in Croatia. But believe me, Mr Polt, even if I was born a Papuan, seeing what You are doing to the Serbian people would turn me into a Serbian! Because, if what You are attempting here are the supposed ideas of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln -- then one of us is not "an American" -- I refuse to believe that it is them or me. Is it that you truly find your nostalgia for the Austro-Hungarian Empire just a little too overwhelming to cope with?
You are telling Serbs that they should give up the cradle of their spirituality, history, faith and state -- but perhaps these are concepts that are incomprehensible to You. Yet , would You really expect to give up Southern California, New Mexico or parts of Texas with such ease? I know, You'll say: That's completely different and Kosovo is "an exception". Your reasoning is totally pragramtic: on the one hand there are warmongering Albanians who are threatening renewed violence and bloodshed unless their demands are fullfilled, and on the other hand there are the disunited, disoriented, humiliated, bitter, powerless and helpless Serbs. Therefore Your choice, with the help of local communist generals' sons and daughters, seems easy. But do take care that You are not deluding yourselves.
One more thing: quit blaming the politics of Slobodan Milosevic for the present situation in Kosovo-Metohija. While in Pristina in July of 1999, I held in my hand - and have republished - the leaflet that Ibrahim Rugova and KLA used to call on the Albanians to exit Kosovo in order to stage the phony "humanitarian catastrophe", and return under the safety of NATO's wings. If you wish, I will gladly pass that document on to You. You might also wish to review the Hague testimony given by the former KLA officer Bislim Zirapy in November. As You are fully aware, Yugoslavia was not destroyed by Serbians -- but rather by Croat, Slovenian and Muslim separatists who were wholeheartedly supported by you.
Instead of facing the truth, You are issuing an ultimatum to Serbs: "Take our hand and choose the road to success, or withdraw into the past filled with rage that offers you no future..."
Do You understand that the hand that is stealing their Kosovo away from Serbs will forever be the hand of a thief and a robber?
I do hope, Your Excellency, You do not find yourself bored in Belgrade, because you definitely have nothing in common with the Marquez's hero that had no one to write to him. But at least turn away from the favors of communist generals' children, because Your Excellency, you must remember that these are also the same children who betrayed their own parents, too. Not everything and everyone can be bought in this life, Your Excellency.
IN A TIME OF MADNESS,
VJEKOSLAV RADOVIC
(translation by Svetlana Novko and Melana Pejakovich)
"if what You are attempting here are the supposed ideas of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln..."
WASHINGTON -
"Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in the exclusion of religious principle…"
"You do well to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are. Congress will do everything they can to assist you in this wise intention."
"The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man will endeavor so to live as becomes a Christian soldier defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country."
JEFFERSON -
"The practice of morality being necessary for the well being of society, He [God] has taken care to impress its precepts so indelibly on our hearts that they shall not be effaced by the subtleties of our brain. We all agree in the obligation of the moral precepts of Jesus and nowhere will they be found delivered in greater purity than in his discourses."
"A nation that expects to be ignorant -and free- …it expects what never was and never will be."
LINCOLN -
"This nation can never be conquered from without. If it is ever to fall it will be from within."
"Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came."
"Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed."
"Stand with anybody that stands RIGHT. Stand with him while he is right and PART with him when he goes wrong."
...unless I'm missing something, attempting their ideas is exactly what he's NOT doing.
And speaking in regards to public sentiment, have there been any recent polls/surveys taken in regards to Kosovo recently? It seems more people realize what is actually going on there, but I wonder where the majority currently sides.
Since I'm not as good with words as the author is, I can only say "Piss on the Clinton-Bush United States Policy Towards Serbia, Kosovo and the Balkans.
He is a diplomat...advised by State department careerists. "Nuff said?
"He is a diplomat...advised by State department careerists. "Nuff said?"
I know...it's just that sometimes my occasional optimism blinds me. I actually expect some logic outta these guys from time to time.
*slap to the head*
Another cup of coffee...I'll be back to reality any second now.
save
Would you happen to have a link to Mr. Zirapy's testimony transcripts? I have Mr. Hutsch's, and Zirapy would be a nice add to my collection.
I actually don't but if I find it, I'll send it on.
BB
Serbia: Daily newspaper shut down
Police sealed off the offices of the independent daily "Glas Javnosti" on 30 September and slapped a 15-day ban on the publication of the newspaper, AP reported. Police said the shutdown was due to "financial irregularities." Editor Vjekoslav Radovic, however, stated that the ban was in connection with the leaflets printed by the paper and distributed at opposition rallies. On 1 October, police also surrounded the offices of the Alliance for Change, reportedly to detain Ceda Jovanovic, the publisher of the leaflet "Promene" (Changes). Jovanovic told Reuters that he and several others had barricaded themselves in the office. He said the attempt to arrest him was "expected."
Radio Free Europe, 1 October 1999 http://ww1.transparency.org/newsletters/99.4/reports.html
BUMP
Here you go: http://www.sense-agency.com/en/stream.php?sta=3&pid=8781&kat=3 Actually it turns out that the piece of Hague testimony in question was actually referred by an earlier post on FR! http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1734770/posts
Amazing...thank you, Boka.
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