Washington cuts off aid to Serbia (the blackmail continues)

BBC ^ | Wednesday, 31 March, 2004, 18:27 GMT 19:27 UK

[konijn]

Washington cuts off aid to Serbia

The US wants Ratko Mladic handed to The Hague The US has suspended its aid to Serbia, saying Belgrade is not fully co-operating with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague. The decision means Washington will not disburse the last $25m of a $100m assistance package set up three years ago to help Serbia reform its economy.

The package was tied to Belgrade's relations with the Hague tribunal.

The US has expressed concern at the new Serbian government's reluctance to hand over people accused of war crimes.

A State Department spokesman on Wednesday urged Serbia to extradite a number of suspects - particularly former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic, who is believed to be hiding in Serbia.

If such action was taken, Adam Ereli said, Secretary of State Colin Powell was prepared to review the decision.

The BBC's Nick Hawton in Belgrade says that although the suspension of US aid will have no immediate impact on the Serbian economy, the decision could have longer-term consequences.

The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and private investors may be discouraged from extending any more loans, our correspondent adds.

In December Serbia elected a new parliament with nationalist sympathies.

Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica has said extraditing war crimes suspects to The Hague is not one of his government's priorities.

[A. Pole]

Do you know what $33 million a year means to a country, even one as small as Serbia? Absolutely nothing.

But it means a lot to the the few corrupt quislings like Djindjic or Djukanovic. Kostunica will not or does not want to be bribed.

[A. Pole]

My side is America, Konjin.

I thought that you are on the side of Albanian Muslims.

[Hoplite]

The group that committed the majority of the crimes in the former Yugoslavia is whining the loudest because they have the most indicted individuals. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

Croats, Bosnian Muslims, and Kosovar Albanians have all been arrested by either NATO or UN forces - and they, like their Serb counterparts, have taken to using the "It's not fair!" line of defence.

The difference between them and Serbia, however, is that with the possible exception of Gotovina, whos location isn't apparent at this time, none of those three other nations have gone through the exceptional effort to aid and abet their indicted personnel - Serbia has indicted personnel who the government is actively protecting from justice in the Hague.

So no economic sanctions have been applied to them - though they are still a possibility and are mentioned to the respective governments on a regular basis.

Look - you're not interested in the facts of the matter any more than anybody else on these threads. You just want to whine about Slavic or Orthodox victimization or whatever and have a good time with your brats plucking the Eagle's tailfeathers.

[Hoplite]

I thought that you are on the side of Albanian Muslims.

You thought?

I had no idea you were capable. Still, if that's the case, perhaps you can "research" and then "think". Doing so would vastly improve the quality of your posts.

[Andy from Beaverton]

And how many billion are we spending on Iraq with no strings attached???

[Oplenac]

In order to be in the "good" favor of the US, a country Must Accept the Money, must submit to the strictures of the IMF and the World Bank. Yes, the Serbian economy is in shambles, but what to do? Even complete submission will not satisfy the US State Dept, as it fronts for the corporate pillagers that control America. Serbia must try its own criminals, knowing that it can surpass the American model which absolved Calley of his My Lai crimes and currently lauds the war criminal Sharon as a "man of peace. Is it the American writer Emerson who said: "I cannot hear what you are saying because what you are thunders so loudly." This is the problem when the US attempts to exert moral pressure on another country. It was not always that way.

[Tamodaleko]

You would think that the G-17 technocrats, the finance wing of Koshtunitsa's cabinet, would be most disturbed about the missing loans. Nope, they've been very quiet. Actually they are a lot louder about collecting taxes from privateers (i.e. Karic's huge chunk)

Seselj, why is Radical Party not obeying the courts order to leave the Zemun's building?

[kosta50]

First, even the scumbag DOS government didn't satisfy dominatrix Carla's dungeon appetite, so this is not the reason for aid blackmail. Washington is unhappy with democracy in Serbia and, specifically, with the new government. So, this is the expression of their distaste and punishment of Serbian voters for expressing their free will. The aid withdrawl has absolutely nothing to do with the Hague. It's a convenient excuse, that's all.

Second, the new government, including G17-Plus realize that the aid that was given to the DOS did nothing to better Serbia's economy. So, the $100M meagerly pennies thrown into DOS's beggar hat did next to nothing. Perhaps the DOS sluts didn't think they were worth more, but obviously other people in Serbia have higher standards than their five-dollar whores.

Third, perhaps the Radikals are appealing the court decision, in which case they can stay until the court proceedings are finalized. Why is that important?

[DTA]

I 've just found that alleged $100 Million of aid lost is just one more big fat lie. The decission will affect only $25M of aid.

Finacial assistance to assorted NGO whorehouses (run by Licht, Biserko, Kandic et al.) is not affected. Nor is aid to Kosovo.

The figures do not lie but liars think we can not figure it out.

The fact that U.S. spends 3/4 of aid to assist a handful of NGO whores and 2 million Albanians and only 1/4 to assist other 8 million people is disgusting.

[Tamodaleko]

>>>perhaps the Radikals are appealing the court decision, in which case they can stay until the court proceedings are finalized. Why is that important?<<<

off topic q. for Seselj. My understanding Kosta is that the appeal was dismissed and that the court ruled in favor of Zemun. Obviously Nikolic thinks the Radikals are above the Law when he says (according to glas javnosti): "winners don't have to leave the building" (winners of the election). Don't you think that by reviewing Radikal's record while in power in Zemun could be politically damaging to them? I would think.

[vooch]

exactly, foreign aid is nothing worth chasing........far better to take the Singapore approach of the 1950's and tell foreign aid donors to stuff it

[vooch]

The group that committed the majority of the crimes in the former Yugoslavia is whining the loudest because they have the most indicted individuals

You mean those enablers of liberal foreign policy elites who are now whining the loudest

[kosta50]

Glas is a sensationalist newspaper to begin with. I would like to see the whole interview. Not that I doubt what you are saying -- just so I can put in the context of what transpired.

But you still did not explain why is this important in the context of this post? If you are trying to impress that there is now lawlessness because of the Radikal victory, think again. The DOS broke every statute of the (Miloshevich-era) Constitution (which DOS used to its own less than complimentary advantage) in their witchunt for criminal elements, arresting and keeping without charges or red cross visits some 8,000 plus Serbian citizens, mostly political opponents. And, in America, the relatively recent example of complete disregard for law comes to mind in the person of Justice Moore, who was in contempt of a superior federal judge who ordered Moore to remove the Ten Commandments from the courthouse.

Not to mention the violation of the international law that took place when Yugoslavia was attacked by NATO, or the fenagled war we are currently in -- both being inspire of the UN opposition to them.

If thumbing one's nose at the law is somehow the propensity of those Serb people you dislike politically, I would think again before I cast another stone in that direction. Why, the same sknuks may be roaming openly in your own neighborhood.

[Tamodaleko]

Yes Kosta, so I thought off topic I throw some dirt on Radikals. Why? Why not! Radikals deserve a fair share of criticism as well in this forum. And what better than pointing out their dirty and criminal record while in power in Zemun.
And here's another Radikal biser: walking out from supporting the recent S&M resolution for Kosovo & Metohija, just because minister Svilanovic had the word in the S&M parliament. Wow, how patriotic.

[Robert Drobot]

Please add me to your list.

[Robert Drobot]

Serbia should tell us they'll hand over Mladic once we've handed over Clinton [ Albright and Clark ].

[graycamel]

We don't owe them anything. In fact, we don't owe any country anything whether or not we agree with their policies.

[kosta50]

If you have an ax to grind, that's your prerogative. But, as for criminal activities while in power, one DOS deputy PM was giving away state secrets to a US military attache, and was caught red-handed (that's treason, my friend). The DOS also used Legiya when it suited them, when he was doing the dirty work of arresting and handing over a Serbian citizen to a cangaroo court that no American would ever agree to send his or her relative to, no matter what the charge. And what about poor little narcoman Cheda Yovanovich and his Surchin gang links? The laundry list is impressive, Tamodaleko.

Shall we start with the laundry list at home? I don't know what your personal beef is with the Radikals. I really don't care. But no one is spared. Everyone has dirt under the nails. Politics is a dirty business, always has been and always will be. That's why moralizing by politicians and invoking "moral high ground" as hypocritical as it gets.

The only difference is -- some of us see dirt everwhere; others only in those they don't like.

[kosta50]

If you have an ax to grind, that's your prerogative. But, as for criminal activities while in power, one DOS deputy PM was giving away state secrets to a US military attache, and was caught red-handed (that's treason, my friend). The DOS also used Legiya when it suited them, when he was doing the dirty work of arresting and handing over a Serbian citizen to a cangaroo court that no American would ever agree to send his or her relative to, no matter what the charge. And what about poor little narcoman Cheda Yovanovich and his Surchin gang links? The laundry list is impressive, Tamodaleko.

Shall we start with the laundry list at home? I don't know what your personal beef is with the Radikals. I really don't care. But no one is spared. Everyone has dirt under the nails. Politics is a dirty business, always has been and always will be. That's why moralizing by politicians and invoking "moral high ground" as hypocritical as it gets.

The only difference is -- some of us see dirt everwhere; others only in those they don't like.

[Tamodaleko]

>>>>The only difference is -- some of us see dirt everwhere; others only in those they don't like.<<<<

Precisely my point!