Preface from JPM
From one of my spies in Belgrade:
1. The rioters were not only drunk (who provided the boose?)
2. and carrying maps markingthe embassies:
a. They weren't Belgraders
b. Who were the co-odinators? (Otpor?)
3. they were carrying US banknotes minted in 1999...
3. they had on them US banknotes minted in 1999...
j p maher
The Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:20:56 +0100
Dear ST Editors
Your recent article on Serbia ('Europe must confront a thug') blows the
significance of a few hours of rowdy protesting wildly out of proportion.
Out of a crowd of over 150,000 individuals assembled in Belgrade to
peacefully oppose with song, speeches and prayer the forcible break-up of
their country by the US and its allies, a very small number of intoxicated
soccer hooligans went on to independently engage in destructive behavior
including, yes, attacking the US Embassy. This is a far cry from what you
alleged to have been, cumulatatively, "Serbia's violence-filled response."
And, should you strip away the political context, you will find that when
such things occur with other drunken soccer fans in Europe, as they do from
time to time, it is over the loss of a sporting event- a far cry from the
loss of one's country. Your coverage fails to present these events in their
proper context.
Indeed, your editorial is just as ridiculously excessive in its tirade
against the Serbs as was the US government's immediate decision to
'evacuate' embassy officials and any American citizens who wanted to come in
a 35-car convoy bound for Croatia.- a risible case of Americans abroad
overreacting and panicking. However, those of us Americans who live in the
region, and who I suspect know Serbia and its people much better than does
the editorial staff of the Seattle Times, understand that they are
overwhelmingly a friendly, hospitable nation, and certainly not
'anti-American.'
Finally, it is frequently been stated that the Albanians are the
'pro-Americans' of the Balkans. That, however, has never been put to the
test. In actual fact, the Albanians love America to the extent to which
America will gang up on their own local enemies. Was America to suddenly
change its policy and oppose Kosovo independence, would the Albanian love
affair continue? Would they still wave the stars and stripes and name their
streets after American presidents? I think not.
On the other hand, the Serbs, who have suffered since the early 1990s a
succession of US enforced aggressions - crippling economic sanctions, a NATO
bombing of mostly civilian targets, and now, the forced seizure of their
historic Kosovo province - still remain open to investment, engagement and
cooperation. Can one possibly imagine a similar situation, had the shoe been
on the other foot and the Albanians been the ones to suffer NATO's wrath?
Highly unlikely.
However, what you have succeeded in doing in this poisonous and ignorant
piece is to make sure that unknowing Americans continue to fear and demonize
the Serbs. It will be a real pity if such uninformed comment prevents
otherwise well-meaning Americans from knowing who their friends in the
Balkans, both historically and in the long term, truly are. If you do not
believe me, I invite you to visit Serbia and see for yourself. Provided you
go with an open mind, you may well be in for a pleasant surprise. In any
case, you owe it to your readers to not demonize an entire nation before you
have done so.
Sincerely
Christopher Deliso, Director
www.balkanalysis.com <http://www.balkanalysis.com/>
Skopje, Macedonia
