Note: Greg Elich was part of a delegation of about ten of us who travelled to Yugoslavia to investigate NATO criminal targeting of civilian infrastructure during the recent war. He is a writer who has been published, amon other places, by Covert Action Quarterly. Peace, Ken > >>From: "Gregory Elich" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Subject: Fw: Iraq food rations detailed >>Date: Sat, 29 Jul 2000 10:46:27 -0400 >> >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: Gregory Elich <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: Connie Hammond <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Sent: Saturday, July 29, 2000 10:43 AM >>Subject: Re: Iraq food rations detailed >> >> >>> [Connie] > This is a wonderful article. Perhaps we should take food >>baskets >>> to the >>> > reps. I need to press for those appointments. I didn't know that there >>> was >>> > talk of bombing in Yugoslavia again. >>> [Greg] Unfortunately, and this was not the only example. >>> >>> [Connie] I really didn't understand that >>> > article, >>> [Greg] Yes, it alludes to several things that might not be caught unless >>> one was spending all one's time reading on the subject - and how many >>people >>> have time for that? Basically, the West has continued to try and >>> overthrow the government of Yugoslavia and tear it into smaller pieces (as >>> if they haven't done enough already). So, there have been several >>> assassinations of government officials. One assassination team was >>arrested >>> and it came out they were hired by the French government. An earlier >>> assassination team involved the British, and another NATO's SFOR in >>Bosnia, >>> but most are unsolved - no doubt the US is involved. Another assassin was >>> arrested - he is a member of a right-wing opposition party. The US and >>> European Union continue to pump literally millions of dollars into the >>> accounts of right-wing opposition parties and right-wing opposition media. >>> Oh there is so much to this story, I am just giving a few bare bones >>> highlights. The US was literally organizing and coordinating >>demonstrations >>> against the government - and funding them. But the turnout was very >>small, >>> and they soon fizzled out. US leaders did not hide their dismay and >>> disappointment at the lack of popular support for their puppets. They >>have >>> been pressuring these parties to overthrow the government, something they >>> dutifully call for. I'll skip a lot of details. There are two remaining >>> republics in Yugoslavia: Serbia and Montenegro. In Montenegro, a man >>named >>> Milo Djukanovic is president (widespread reports of fraud in the election >>in >>> which he was elected - and he was financed by the US). He is involved in >>> corruption and is privatizing the entire economy in Montenegro, and giving >>> favorable tax breaks to Western corporations. On the US payroll, he over >>> and over says he wants to secede from Yugoslavia, but the population is >>> split - actually more want to stay in Yugoslavia, so he cannot hold the >>> referendum he originally talked about because he knows he would lose. So >>he >>> is trying another method. He is building a private army, about 20,000 >>> troops so far, which is armed by the US. He tried to seize the main >>airport >>> but Yugoslav troops prevented that. The US is leaning on him to work with >>> right-wing opposition parties in Serbia to overthrow the legally elected >>> government. At US recommendation, he made the official currency of >>> Montenegro the German mark! You cannot use Yugoslav currency there. And >>> on and on and on. Yugoslavia has been forced to tread lightly because of >>> NATO threats to bomb if Yugoslavia were to enforce law against the >>> secessionist Djukanovic. So what is the latest thing? Before, >>> representatives were elected, but a ruling party in Serbia could also >>> appoint a certain number of seats and so could Montenegro. The US liked >>> this last aspect, because it meant that a certain number of seats could be >>> appointed by a secessionist, despite lack of popular support. So, >>recently >>> there was a constitutional change in Yugoslavia. Now, all seats will be >>by >>> direct popular vote, and now the position of President of Yugoslavia will >>be >>> by direct popular vote, no longer elected by representatives. And >>elections >>> have been called for September 24. There is a European Union report >>> complaining that the Socialist Party and President Milosevic have enough >>> popular support to win, and I believe that is true. Djukanovic and one >>of >>> the right-wing opposition leaders in Serbia said they will boycott the >>> election. Believe it or not, Western reports have been screaming that >>the >>> constitutional changes are a violation of democracy and autocratic and >>> repressive. They really have to twist and avoid details to try and >>convince >>> the public that a direct popular vote is a violation of democracy! So, >>> Djukanovic has announced that if the election goes ahead on September 24, >>> then he will secede from Yugoslavia (no referendum - just secede). And >>> NATO has warned Yugoslavia that if it "starts trouble", that is, if >>> Yugoslavia tries to enforce the law, to prevent the further dismemberment >>of >>> its country, NATO will bomb again. I've wanted to write an article about >>> this, but events are moving very very fast. There are only two >>> publications which might (only might) publish it and they are both >>> quarterlies. The monthly or weekly publications on the left all support >>> NATO or support the further dismemberment of Yugoslavia and the >>installation >>> of capitalism (democracy they call it) in Yugoslavia, and the removal of >>> socialism. >>> >>> [Connie] but there seems to be a lot of saber rattling around Iraq and >>the >>> > Unmovic in August, too. I think the August appointments at >>congressional >>> > offices may be the best thing we can do and we should really try to >>make >>> > them count. >>> [Greg] I am not surprised to hear of more saber rattling around Iraq. >>> >>> > >>> [Connie] > Did I give you a copy of the organizing packet from EPIC? If >>not >>> I will >>> > mail it to you. The thing that Rania stressed to me on the phone was to >>> try >>> > get a business group involved. Would you have any ideas on this? >>> [Greg] I'm afraid I don't know what EPIC is, and I don't have a copy. I >>> assume this is referring to talking to representatives about sanctions. >>> Definitely it would be more effective to get business groups involved, >>> because let's face it. Elected representatives could care less whether a >>> few individuals make an appeal for the lifting of sanctions based on >>> humanitarian concerns - concerns which mean absolutely nothing to these >>> representatives. But.....get some business leaders in, complaining that >>> sanctions are preventing them from making more money, and you will >>instantly >>> get the ears of these representatives. This will be tough. Especially >>> since the essential problem is that Iraqi oil fields are nationalized and >>> there is not an opportunity for Western locusts to come in and seize these >>> at low prices. Yugoslavia remains essentially a socialist economy. >>> Although it has a somewhat mixed economy, all of the large enterprises >>> (those that remain after the bombing of a couple of hundred of factories) >>> are state-owned. The essential hostility of the West towards Yugoslavia >>is >>> the lack of opportunity to seize these assets, too. So, it may be >>> extremely hard to find business leaders who can claim that sanctions are >>> preventing them from making money. You could probably find more easily >>> business leaders who support sanctions in the hopes that the governments >>of >>> Iraq and Yugoslavia would be overthrown, so that state-owned enterprises >>> would be sold to them at below value. But maybe we could think of >>> something. >>> > > > > >------------------------------------------------------------ >Nettaxi.com in the News ((( Video by ON24 ))) >http://vuwin.on24.com/vuwindow/scripts/vuwin.asp?id=30279&type=av&ref=NTX&cb=NTX > > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------<e|- >Need a credit card? >Instant Approval and 0% intro APR with Aria! >http://click.egroups.com/1/7101/9/_/101335/_/964927637/ >--------------------------------------------------------------------|e>- ------------------------------------------------------------ Nettaxi.com in the News ((( Video by ON24 ))) http://vuwin.on24.com/vuwindow/scripts/vuwin.asp?id=30279&type=av&ref=NTX&cb=NTX _______________________________________________ Crashlist mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/crashlist
