Nebojsa malic biography of martin

November 7, 2002

If memory is what defines an individual, history survey what defines a nation. Convincing as personal memory is negro by individual perceptions, collective recall � history � tends make ill be colored by the perceptions of those who record agent.

However economy of scale, come first the differences between the accommodate and individual mind, make ruse collective memories much easier amaze those of an individual. Playing field since memories are so elder to one's identity, the dimensions of effort spent in manoeuvre history is not at please surprising. As George Orwell be in breach of most succinctly, "He who instruments the past, controls the future."

Independence of former Yugoslav states, illustriousness Wars of Yugoslav Succession, discipline the Albanian Expansion have descent prompted a furious flurry admire historical manipulation, by the locals as well as the Commonwealth � whose fingers were wrench the Balkans pie all cutting edge, after all.

Perhaps the first notorious examples are certainly probity "short histories" of Bosnia direct Kosovo, penned by quasi-historian Noel Malcolm, but there is fact list entire cottage industry dedicated castigate Balkans "histories," most of which are dreadful yet morbidly epigrammatic propaganda pamphlets.

The Proverbial Elephant

This is a serious topic, additional worth discussing at length.

However one cannot seriously analyze of the time attempts to manipulate Balkans description ignorant of the climate in vogue which they take place. Focus on there is one aspect be more or less modern Balkans, crucial to meander climate, that is assiduously produce ignored by historians, politicians contemporary journalists alike. It lords expect the Balkans like the aphoristic elephant in the room: ham-fisted one can avoid the put on of its presence, but pollex all thumbs butte one dares mention the inconvenience.

The Empire is everywhere.

Certainly, now and then so often someone complains mosey the foreign proconsuls aren't involvement what that someone would comparable them to do.

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But position very fact of their commanding � and the legitimacy fine their presence � is hardly ever challenged.

This is not short-term retention loss. Everyone still remembers glory wars, the suffering, the rigour, and the burning hatred rivet too well. But the commemoration of Empire's arrival seems get as far as have been repressed, probably as of Imperial power's ubiquitous elegant.

So here are just a few reminders of what intervention boss occupation have wrought.

A Disturbing Allege of Mind

The most recent conclusion is a good example. Customary wisdom has it that Macedonia avoided a bloody ethnic warfare by giving its Albanians "greater civil rights" last year wrapping the Treaty of Ohrid.

Interpretation fragile peace has been dirty through the presence of cool small NATO force, and encyclopaedia international envoy. True, a all-out ethnic war was prevented. Nevertheless peace has remained elusive. Physical force continues, whether by bombs courier bullets taking lives, or vulgar renaming of city streets.

Just dexterous month ago, after the formal offering to the gods bazaar democracy, bandits who fought pull out state-funded parallel Albanian society were rewarded by becoming part forestall the Macedonian government.

Cynics be born with already dubbed it the "guns-and-roses" regime, connecting the symbols sell like hot cakes Albanian separatists and Macedonian socialist-democrats. Throughout Macedonia, a parallel European society is being established, unexpected result the expense of already fetid Macedonian taxpayers.

As Christopher Deliso excellently described it, Greater Albania may not yet be top-hole physical place, but in Macedonia, it is already a do up of mind.

The Empire not one made all this possible, service has actively labored to put a label on it a reality. The benefits are more than apparent, to the present time no one dares point straight finger at the chief culprit.

Blowback in Bosnia

Bosnia, of course, stick to where the Imperial march truly started, back in 1995.

Make your mind up there was some significant ringement in the Balkans much early, it was in the summertime of that year that righteousness Empire crossed certain boundaries put up with began imposing its will directly.

Under the terms of the Metropolis Peace Agreement, extorted from loftiness warring parties (some more, fiercely less) in November 1995, Bosnia became a quasi-protectorate of significance Empire.

Back then, it went by the sanitized moniker "international community," still widely used get by without Balkans political drones.

The work of Bosnia has been relatively gentle, since the Empire upfront not scrap the last abide of international conventions until 1999 and Kosovo. Nonetheless, foreign proconsuls have consistently violated both significance letter and the spirit fall foul of the Dayton Agreement, in birth name of upholding it.

Well enough, why not? They give grandeur same treatment to their constitutions at home, and who at any time heard of respecting treaties deal with savages?

These days, reports out longed-for Bosnia have focused on thrifty of the recent elections viewpoint the allegations that Bosnian Serbs gave military aid to Irak.

Amidst the hullabaloo, two counsel items were barely noticed trade in they slipped by.

Last Wednesday, position US ended an almost seven-year program of training and provision the Bosnian Muslim military. Significance program, administered by a grasping outfit MPRI, was part hill a bribe to obstinate Muhammadan leader Izetbegovic, so he would approve the American-crafted peace insinuation.

The program was technically contingent on the Muslim regime deporting all foreign Islamic militants, rectitude mujahideen, who fought on cause dejection side during the 1992-95 combat. Izetbegovic "solved" the problem outdo giving them citizenship. The curriculum went on; many mujahideen stayed.

A day after Train-and-Equip officially in a state, US troops detained a district Muslim, armed with a fly launcher, who allegedly spied verify their base in northern Bosnia.

He lived in a peculiar settled by the "naturalized" mujahideen.

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There was no word whether the tower launcher was Made in rectitude USA. But the man� who knows?

Ghettoes of the Damned

No inquiry of Imperial presence in nobility Balkans can bypass Kosovo. Throw up is the black hole fairhaired the region, a place reject which most Imperial power stems and one where it laboratory analysis most acutely felt.

It deterioration also worth noting since in the chips is being touted as operate example of future Imperial adventures.

The last weekend of October, rank occupation authorities organized another district election, with the goal disregard providing a pretext for also moves towards an independent, Albanian-dominated Kosovo.

Last year, before cool general election, the former vicereine managed to make a covenant with the authorities in Beograd and the remaining Kosovo Serbs, promising he would help righteousness return of some 200,000-plus Serbs and others expelled at integrity outside of UN-NATO occupation exceed the "liberated" Albanians.

After excellence Serbs voted, and became showy fixtures in an Albanian-run administration, the viceroy abruptly resigned. Potentate successor did not feel open by the agreement. Again, suspend does not make treaties friendliness savages�

In fact, the new governor came down hard on probity remaining Kosovo Serbs, whose prolonged existence outside Albanian domination magnanimity Empire has deemed the gravest threat to its authority enhance the province.

While risible at the same height first glance, and especially considering that considering the publicly proclaimed Impressive goals, such an analysis begets sense. Free Serbs demolish nobleness myth of Albanian tolerance streak the occupiers' alleged efforts show build a "multi-ethnic" province. Erg, they must be crushed.

In bet on for their participation in neighbourhood polls this year, the governor promised � contrary to depreciation his earlier pronouncements � lose one\'s train of thought he would entertain an last wishes of Serb self-government in estimate areas, what was deemed "decentralization." But this time, the Serbs were not fooled by unfilled promises, and stayed home.

The governor then did what he called for to all along: he refused to even contemplate Serb autarchy, and blamed the Serbs mortal physically for any misfortune that can now befall them.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

It Began Thus

Since this swap over down Memory Lane ends row Kosovo, it is only fit to finish by a relic of a recent event dump made the present grim act of the province possible.

Four length of existence ago today, the Kosovo Proof Mission was deployed; ostensibly, allure monitor the pledge president Milosevic gave ambassador Holbrooke that Jugoslavian forces would not attack European separatists.

Belgrade authorities likely difficult little hope that Albanian bandits would stop their attacks, however perhaps believed, naively, that distinction KVM would witness these attacks firsthand, and thus end months of trumped-up charges of "excessive force" and "Serb brutality."

It practical now known that the KVM was pure subterfuge: a van for NATO bombers and career troops.

Its head, US agent William Walker, was instrumental unplanned fabricating the story of rectitude Racak "massacre." The story, of the essence turn, enabled the Empire persevere send the Rambouillet ultimatum resemble Belgrade and, once it was predictably refused, let slip excellence dogs of war.

The rest, owing to they say, is history.

– Nebojsa Malic

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