Thanks to James for an interesting post.
However, I note with interest how whenever someone comes across a 'leaked'
document of this sort they seem far more ready to accpet it if it conforms
to their already held beliefs than if it contradicts them.
I have been very active in the campaign against the NATO bombing, however I
have become increasingly disillusioned with a certain section of the left
who seem prepared to swallow anything that says that 'the Serbs are really
completely okay and it's all propoganda from the KLA / NATO'.
Even Michael Chossudovsky, whom I usually regard as a worthy investigator
of Balkan (and wider) affairs seems to have become obsessed by the fact
that the KLA allegedly make much of their money from drug dealing and
money-laundering. Tha fact is you will probably find that illegal ways of
making money are ineviatbly going to be the case for any kind of violent
anti-government organisation - it's common sense. It seems to me that the
only reason for this kind of activity is to try to clear the Serbs and
paint the Kosovo Albanians in the worst light possible.
This also affects the so-called 'historical' analysis that certain people
cling to: eg: the claims that the gallant Serbs were on the 'right' side
against the Nazis against all the other reactionary peoples of the region.
Of course anyone who knows anything about WW2, knows that the situation was
far more complex. The Royal Yugolsav Army (comprosed largely of Serbs)
faught on the side of the Nazis and assisted them in their genocidal
policies, whereas Tito (himself not actually a Serb at all!) lead largely
communist resistance forces that comprised all different ethnic and
religous groups from throughout the region, that were less than 25% Serb.
Luckily most left, green and peace campaigners I know seem to realise that
the situation is just as complex now, that there is immense suffering being
caused by both sides, and that the NATO intervention is just adding to
this, and is never going to lead to a solution that is tolerable for those
ordinary people living in the region who never wanted any kind of conflict.
I would urge all academics not to lose themselves in the webs of propaganda
being spun by all sides and, if you oppose NATO's actions, as I believe we
must, not to do so on the grounds of spurious historicism or support for
Milosevic and co.
David.
David Wood
PhD Student ('The Rural Peace Dividend')
Department of Agricultural Economics and Food Marketing
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU
Tel: 0191 222 5305
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