(August 1, 2005)
[Ed. As a reminder to Letter writers: If you want your letters to be published, you must include your first and last names and your city and state of residence. Thank you.] ********** Pros & Cons: Srebrenica, Mon AmourTo the Editor: Thanks for your article on Srebrenica. I have been trying for years to get my friends to consider this view (that the standard view is propaganda), but never had the means other than asking them to read the entire books by Michael Parenti or Diana Johnstone. Your article, and the abundant links in it, should do the trick. Most of my friends, or course, see right through the propaganda that justified the war on Iraq, and understand the neo-liberal goals being pursued there, but can't seem to believe the same factors could have been at work in Yugoslavia. I'm curious to know more about Swans and the writers in it. I'm not sure where Boonville is but something makes me think it's near Eureka or Mendocino. There's an obvious literacy to the writing, which makes me think there could be some academics among you. I've never quite learned your publishing schedule, but I've enjoyed several good issues. Thanks again. Bob Wrubel Sausalito, California, USA - July 27, 2005 ********** To the Editor: I'm not getting this (as you can probably tell from my question). Are you suggesting that it's better that only 2,000 people died in Srebrenica? You mentioned "...to dare rebuke it or offer a different explanation is a sure means to embark on a trip to the ostracizing abattoir." What alternative explanation are you offering? 2,000 people are dead. Apparently (although I am open to different information), the dead were men and boys. They were separated from the women in their families. Their bodies were found in mass graves. I've tried to do as much reading as I can on the subject of Bosnia, (the SWANS website has been very helpful in this regard), but unlike you lot, I don't consider myself an expert on how the world is ostracizing the Serbian people. I have no direct connection with anyone from the Balkans (that is, I don't know any Croats or Serbs, nor is anyone in my family from that neck of the woods and the only Muslims I know are from Palestine and Pakistan), so I don't have much personal knowledge about the conflict beyond eyewitness, newspaper, and "official" accounts of the events. I believed, and still do to this day, that Bill Clinton and Wesley Clark should be tried for war crimes for the bombing to the stone age and back of that tiny region. Yet, I also think that other so-called leaders have a responsibility for the devastation and, yes, the murder (whether you choose to call it genocide or not) that went on there. Slobodan Milosevic comes to mind. Radovan Karadic, Vlatko Mladic, and maybe Franjo Tudjman, also. I guess you could say I'm asking for a more even-handed approach to your commentary about the events surrounding Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia and Albania. And, I'm still waiting for an alternative explanation that goes beyond, "The media and our politicians have demonized the Serbs so successfully, that I doubt they will ever be able to come back as a people." That's just hyperbolic nonsense. Serbs are a people with a proud history. They have a country, a language, and have not been wiped off the face of the map. Regards, Tracy L. Corral San Jose, California, USA - July 18, 2005 ********** Dear Gilles, I thought I recognized the first paragraph. I feel quite honored! And I think my words ring true. Of course you've noticed that the first number of alleged victims at Srebrenica was originally 6,000. Then came 7,000, then 8,000 and now it is OVER 8,000. One time I even saw 10,000, but that didn't take. And of course they still use 250,000 who were killed in the Bosnian war yet a 2002 BBC report put it at around forty thousand. Other experts, such as George Kenney, former Foreign Service Officer who did a 180 from his pro-Bosnian views, and David Binder, who both put the numbers at between 20,000 and 70,000. But 250,000 sells more newspapers and where did they get that number? Straight from the Bosnian Muslim government of Alija Itzebegovic and the media ran with it. I still remember when Bob Dole threw out the number 500,000 but that mud didn't stick. Good article! Best regards, Stella L. Jatras Sterling, Virginia, USA - July 18, 2005 ********** Collapsing Conspiracies Confusionists: Gilles d'Aymery's Blips #23Mr. d'Aymery: It certainly was disappointing to see your take on Popular Mechanics' March 2005 horses*** about 9/11. This story was thoroughly "debunked" on one of the web sites that I mailed to you a couple of months back [ed. see Letters, May 23, 2005]. I can only assume that you didn't bother to check it out, since if you had, it would be easy to see that PM's claims are, in fact, bunk. For the editor of a web site that continually takes (and rightly so) this fascist administration to task to call this load of manure a breath of fresh air is truly a disservice to your readers. Feel free to come out in print and call me a conspiracy kook, if you like. However, I must be blunt: anybody who actually takes the time to look over the myriad "coincidences" and easily-found facts about what really happened on 9/11, and still believes one word of the government's fairy tales about 9/11, has nothing between their ears. For Christ's sake, this is the same government that lied its ass off about every aspect of the Vietnam War, Ruby Ridge, Waco, etc., etc., ad nauseam, including every single justification (as your web site has continually pointed out) for the invasion of Iraq. And yet, you still buy this garbage from government-paid liars? A real f***ing shame, I must say . . . Maynard Peterson San Diego, California, USA - July 18, 2005 ********** We appreciate and welcome your comments. Please, sign your e-mail with your name AND add your city, state, country, address and phone number. If we publish your opinion we will only include your name, city, state, and country. Send your comments to the Editor. (Letters may be shortened and edited) |