MILOSEVIC TRIAL DISCUSSION ARCHIVE

Is Slobodan Milosevic getting a fair trial?
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• discussion archive

• Thursday January 01, 2004 at 1:59 am
  M. Donne,

  Vlajko Stojiljkovic died a hero.

  Its great that Slobodan Milosevic won a seat in the parliament, but these elections still went very badly. The SPS lost seats.

  Mr. Stojiljkovic is probably spinning in his grave. The victory of the SRS is very unfortunate. Vojislav Seselj led the charge to have Mr. Stojilkovic sacked after the 2000 general elections.

  I have been investigating information that I have received from certain SPS activists that Seselj was paid a bribe of 1 million DM so that he wouldn't hinder the October 5th Coup.

  Seselj's behavior from the elections on September 24, 2000 through the coup of October 5, 2000 and all the way up to the sacking of Stojiljkovic on October 9, 2000 indicate that he was not only *not* hindering DOS, but that he was actively helping them.

  It was Seselj himself who put the motion to sack Stojiljkovic before the Serbian parliament on October 4, 2000.

  On September 28, 2000 the Yugoslav electoral commission released the eletion results, and said that a runoff was to be held on October 8, 2000.

  Seselj didn't accept the election results. On the same day as the results were released, Seselj accused Milosevic of trying to steal the elections, and he accused Stojiljkovic of abusing his post in order to help Milosevic steal the elections.

  According to Seselj, Kostunica won outright in the first round. On September 30, 2000 Seselj even offered his support to Kostunica.

  It was the misguided belief that the Government was falsifying the election results that got the people into the streets on October 5th, and Vojislav Seselj was actively promoting that lie together with DOS.

  It wasn't until October 9th when Stojiljkovic actually got sacked (and it was already too late to do anything about it) that Seselj "discovered" that a coup'd etat had taken place, and decided to wash his hands of the whole thing and denounce DOS.

  Seselj went from accusing Milosevic of stealing the elections to feigning disbelief at how quickly DOS managed to take control of the police, when it was him who had led the charge to sack the interior minister all along.

  The Serbian Radical Party also backed the privatization bill of June 27, 2001. The merciless privatization and selling-out of the country is what is driving down the standard of living in Serbia.

  The more I learn about the SRS the worse that party looks. Vojislav Seselj is not a good guy. October 5th has his fingerprints all over it.

  In June of 1994 Seselj told Tanjug that "everything that is wrong in Serbia is the fault of president Slobodan Milosevic."

  And in a court of law, after he had been arrested for starting a fist fight in the Serbian parliament together with a group of his deputies Seselj told the judge that "Slobodan Milosevic is the biggest and chief criminal of Serbia."

  Now the SRS is coming right out into the open. It says that the *only* party it wants to form a coalition with is Kostunica and the DSS.
  
  Andy Wilcoxson
  Washington, United States

• Thursday January 01, 2004 at 9:09 am
  

  Andy,

  All very well and done, but why then will the NATO put Sesejl in jail?

  
  
  Gogol Charlemagne
  Shangri-La

• Thursday January 01, 2004 at 3:53 pm
  Gogol Charlemagne,

  If you remember Seselj put himself in NATO's jail. He surrendured himself to the Hague.

  As for his imprisonment. Howcome Seselj, who has the same communications ban imposed on him as Milosevic does, has been able to use the phone twice since the ban was imposed in order to call his party end even the media, while Milosevic is denied even a visit with his daughter-in-law and his three year-old grandson?

  From an economic standpoint the SRS is very similar to DOS. Before DOS came along the SRS was the leading force for privatization in Serbia.

  The only party that provides a viable alternative to DOS, and will improve the people's standard of living is the SPS.
  
  Andy Wilcoxson
  Washington, United States

• Thursday January 01, 2004 at 5:28 pm
  Andy you are splitting hairs when you write that Seselj gave himself up to NATO. You know and I know that the quislings in Belgrade would have found the way to sell him for thirty pieces of silver. Seselj did not give them the opportunity to put him in chains and deliver him like a sack of potatoes to the inquisition.

  Noticed on BBC the other day that the Bosnians are experiencing nostalgia for Tito and Titoism. The BBC reporter qualified his report by saying that looking to the past is not the answer for B&H.. What the BBC seems to be good at is criticizing others for looking back while Blair places Viceroys in Bosnia and Kosovo and instead of using chlorine and mustard gas against the Iraqis, like Churchill did at the end of WWI, he is gone modern and uses cluster bombs and depleted uranium weapons in the name of colonialism.

  Druze Tito ljubicice bela tebe voli omladina cela

  I am nostalgic for him as well.
  
  Walter Trkla
  Kamloops BC
  Canada

• Thursday January 01, 2004 at 7:31 pm
  

  Lets sing!
  
  Gogol Charlemagne
  Shangri-La

• Thursday January 01, 2004 at 7:40 pm
  Walter Trkla,

  My problem with Seselj is the fact that he helped DOS to mount the coup against Milosevic.

  Seselj, who was the deputy Prime Minister at the time, publically accused Milosevic of falsifying the election results.

  All of those people came into the streets on October 5th because they believed that the Government was trying to falsify the election results.

  The fact that even the Deputy Prime Minister was accusing the authorities of electoral fraud probably brought people out into the streets who would have otherwise stayed home. That type of accusation meant much more coming from a government official like Seselj than it did coming from somebody like Djindjic.

  As for Seselj going to the Hague, you are probably right that he would have been arrested and sent there anyway. What I am observing is that the communication ban seems to only apply to Milosevic and not to Seselj.

  Why is Milosevic denied a visit with his grandson and his daughter in law, while Seselj is allowed to use the phone to contact his party and the media?
  
  Andy Wilcoxson
  Washington, United States

• Thursday January 01, 2004 at 8:21 pm
  Andy

  You ask; Why is Milosevic denied......?

  because the War Party is terrified of him.

  The methods with which the War Party uses to smother President Milosevic illuminate how scared they are of their lies being exposed.
  
  AP V
  NY
  NY

• Thursday January 01, 2004 at 9:31 pm
  
  The Pantomime

  In England the pantomime season is now in full swing traditionally starting up after Christmas Day. Pantomime in ancient times was a pure mime form of theatre but has developed in Britain into a spoken genre where the British refer to it as “Panto”. These Panto plays are based on fairy stories told with much farce and spectacle and with a good deal of audience participation.

  For the past two seasons traditional titles such as Puss in Boots, Aladdin, Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk, Peter Pan, Mother Goose and Cinderella have been added to by ‘The Trial of Milosevic’. However to attend its performances British theatre goers must visit the aptly named Nether Netherlands where it is showing at The Tribunal Theatre in The Hague.

  Being made an offer he could not refuse, although cast in the role of villain, Milosevic - between recurring bouts of farce and slapstick afforded by the supporting cast - repeats over and over again “Oh no I’m not a villain” while British audiences coached by Bliars compliant media respond in Panto tradition with the mantra “Oh yes you are”. Other roles are worthy of examination:

  Tony Blair is the principal author of this his most famous fairy tale. He is renowned for his command of nonsense in which he writes and speaks fluently. Some examples of his many fairy tale successes are in order:

  In his most recent work of fiction he convinced the British parliament that British interests were under immediate threat of attack by Iraq’s non-existent Weapons of Mass Destruction. A self-described man of justice, committed to upholding the rule of law, he launched an illegal British attack on the sovereign state of Iraq without a UN mandate. And this in spite of the fact that the British forces did not have sufficient chemical suits necessary to protect all of them from Iraq’s imaginary Weapons of Mass Destruction. What a joker! Either Blair knew that Iraq posed no threat or he knowingly placed British servicemen in mortal danger!

  Incidentally ‘No’ David is the answer to your question ‘Had I seen the particular article you mention’ but I have seen many similar articles and the Hutten Enquiry is due to report on what is essentially the same matter later this month: ‘Did Blair deliberately mislead the British public in order to pursue his war in Iraq?’.

  The integrity of Britain’s institutions will be tested by this report: I suspect we are due for another large bucket of whitewash thrown in the good old Panto style? Another work of Blair’s fiction is his consistent references to Milosevic as a Dictator: a man elected many times: most recently last Sunday. Blair whose party was voted for by less than 1 in 4 of Britain’s electorate and deceives in order to pursue illegal wars is in no position to lecture others on democracy.

  Perhaps Blair’s first major work of fiction was his portrayal of the KLA as a legitimate terrorist organization: a contradiction in terms if ever there was one. Photographs of a smiling Blair seen hob knobbing with KLA big knob Hashim Thaci are now an embarrassment to the gyroscopically propelled Blair as are his once much vaunted copies of the Koran: Especially as Thaci is accused of multiple murders by compatriots, for example by Bujar Bukoshi.

  The wicked witch, another prominent Panto role, is played by Carla del Ponte. Annually she promises to bring much needed justice to Kosovo and the KLA leaders responsible for thousands of murders. Shown photo’s of grinning New Variant KLA members of Kosovo’s police force clutching the severed heads of Serbs and stuffing them into bags she runs around the stage squawking “I have no evidence. I see no evil”. But we say “Oooh yes you do”.

  The pompous fool is played admirably by Judge May, President of the Court, a New Labour associate of Tony Blair would you believe. He has difficulty keeping up so he frequently brings proceedings to a dead halt by switching off Milosevic’s microphone. Secret sessions where he can go to sleep without general embarrassment are his tour de farce. His admission of hearsay evidence is a quaint modification to revolutionary UN jurisprudence.

  Walk-on parts of note go to the mad mathematician Patrick Ball, General Nauman of Operation Horseshit fame, Paddy Pantsdown the clown and The Perumed Prince, General Clark. This is really hilarious stuff:

  Patrick Ball it seems was born with crystal balls. He uses these in a magical display to determine that Milsosevic’s forces slaughtered “10,356” Kosovo Albanians: In spite of the fact that only 4,500 victims have been found in a period of five years and most of these are victims of the KLA. Ball’s magic figure just happens to correspond with Nato’s final revised imaginary figure for slaughtered Kosovars. Revised down from a million to hundreds of thousands, from hundreds of thousands to tens of thousands and now down to ten thousand: And all this in spite of Ball’s work having been commissioned by ‘friends of the court’. Isn’t that wonderful folks. Give Patrick’s crystal balls a good hand.

  General Nauman’s part is a scream. He has a mad cat that walks on a pot of hot pea soup before it wanders into his garden and goes among the peas and leeks.

  Paddy plays the rear end of the pantomime horse that no great Panto should be without. Because his Panto pants keep falling down showing his bare faced cheek this brings tears to his eyes. “Its behind you” we scream referring to his discarded pair of Panto pants. Trying desperately to contain his mirth tears begin to trickle again even down his legs.

  The Perfumed Prince performs grandstanding speeches reading out testimonies to show how grand he really is. Killing thousands in Serbia with standoff misguided bombs and dumb cluster bombs released three miles above civilian areas he accuses Milosevic of disproportionate force. This is rich irony: such polished perfumed performances never come cheap.

  Costing hundreds of millions this theatrical event is worth every pound of your hard earned taxes wasted on it. No show trial would be complete without such a magnificent gravy train to display.

  Of this Pantomime in The Hague ‘The Trial of Milosevic’ we may truly declare that it is Entertainment: comedy, farce, spectacle, a fairy story: “Oh yes it is”

  But as for Justice: we must all keep pointing out in the best tradition of Panto:

  “Ooooh no it’s not”.
  
  Peter Taylor
  Herts/UK

• Thursday January 01, 2004 at 9:33 pm
  
  
  HTML Correction
  Hopefully

• Friday January 02, 2004 at 8:53 am
  Andy

  The timeline for the coup posted on your website; while accurate in its depiction of Seslji's 'useful idiot' role, distorts via omission exactly what happened.

  Perhaps you can write up a timeline which shows how DOS institgated the instability and hysteria which obscured their methodical coup d' etat on Thursday.
  
  AP V
  NY
  NY

• Friday January 02, 2004 at 1:53 pm
  

  JUST IN

  Permanent Commission with respect to western war crimes (PC)

  Marskant 71

  7551 BT Hengelo

  The Netherlands

  tel/fax 0031.74.243.887

  hans.hupkes@planet.nl

  www.natosued.org (in preparation

  WE GOT THEM!

  DUTCH WAR CRIMINALS CONCERNING THE WAR AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA ABOUT TO MAKE THEIR FORCED ENTRY INTO COURTROOM!

  IMMUNITY AND IMPUNITY FOR LEADERS OF NATO'S WAR OF AGGRESSION AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA ARE COMING TO AN END!

  FORMER DUTCH POLITICAL LEADERS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF THE NETHERLANDS IN NATO'S WAR OF AGGRESSION AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA BOUND TO ACCOUNT IN COURT FOR THEIR ACTIONS!

  FORMER DUTCH TOP POLITICIANS PRIME MINISTER KOK, MINISTER OF DEFENCE DE GRAVE, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS VAN AARTSEN AND CHAIR OF PARLIAMENT VAN NIEUWENHOVEN SENTENCED TO APPEAR IN COURT IN PERSON, IN ORDER TO GIVE TESTIMONY TO THE LEGALITY OF THE DUTCH PARTICIPATION IN WAR ACTS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA!

  On the eve of NATO's war of aggression against Yugoslavia at the beginning of 1999 the newly established Dutch organisation the Permanent Commission with respect to western war crimes (PC) sent out a solemn statement to all leading politicians in the Dutch administration and in Dutch parliament in person, holding that, if they would dare to realize their criminal aspirations and would wage a war of aggression against Yugoslavia, efforts to bring them, in person, into courtroom would continue till the very end, no matter how long it would take.

  Since if they would make themselves war criminals, they would never be able again to remove this mark for the rest of their lifes.

  It took five years. Five years of fierce legal combat on behalf of various groups of Yugoslav victims of NATO's aggression and in close co-operation with these victims to pave the way for this first goal: to force this former political top to appear in court in person. In order to account for their war crimes.

  Now the Yugoslav victims of two of the most serious war crimes committed during this war of aggression against Yugoslavia, the cowardly nocturnal bombardment of the RTS-studio in Belgrade and the dreadful clusterbomb attacks on Nis, view the outcome of these legal undertakings: those leading Dutch politicians, who openly praised these horrible war crimes, committed in concerted NATO actions, eventually are bound to appear in court and to give account for these actions.

  6 March 2003 the Hague Court of Appeal delivered a verdict stating that former Prime Minister Kok, former Minister of Defence de Grave, former Minister of Foreign Affairs Van Aartsen and the former Chair of Parliament Van Nieuwenhoven should give evidence with respect to the following question:

  "Are violated, with respect to the bombardment of the RTS-studio in Belgrade and the clusterbomb attacks on Nis, principles and norms of international humanitarian law for which the State of the Netherlands might be hold responsible ?"

  Two years earlier the Amsterdam Court of Appeal had already wiped the floor with the pretexts hold by the Dutch administration and the majority of the Dutch parliament in a concerted and deliberate travesty of justice that NATO's aggression against Yugoslavia should be considered legitimate, since "Security Council Resolution 474 was sufficiently justifying recourse to military force against Yugoslavia". The Amsterdam Court of Appeal rejected this pseudo-juridical reasoning unambiguously and pointed out that the State of the Netherlands seems to have violated the prohibition of force under international law and that Kok, Van Aartsen and de Grave seem to be responsible for this.

  That exposure took place in legal undertakings by other groups of Yugoslav victims of NATO's aggression, ending up in the verdict by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal in the case Dedovic c.s. v. Kok, Van Aartsen and de Grave.

  Nearly a year long the Hague District Court, that always rabidly has resisted the possibility that former members of the Netherlands government and MP's migth be forced to appear in court for their role in the war against Yugoslavia, succeeded to delay the performance of these hearings, ordered by the Court of Appeal. But eventually, after the District Court itself had been threatened with summary proceedings against its clear acts of sabotage, the court decided to back down and fixed a date for this hearings: January 26th 2004. The testimonies will take the whole day.

  Kok, Van Aartsen and de Grave meanwhile announced that they will comply with the order of the Hague Court of Appeal and that they will appear. Van Nieuwenhoven, however, strongly refuses to subdue herself to interrogations in court. And immediately we see the Hague District Court manoeuvring to support her in this refusal. So at the moment a new legal battle is rising in order to force also Van Nieuwenhoven to comply with the unambiguous order by the Court of Appeal and with her legal duty to appear in court. A battle she certainly will loose!

  Important questions, among countless others, to be answered by Kok, Van Aartsen, de Grave and Van Nieuwenhoven during the hearings are the question whether there has been a warning by NATO before the bombardment of the RTS-studio and the question why Dutch war planes employed clusterbombs on a huge scale and why they didn't stop with that earlier than after the catastrophic clusterbomb bombardment on Nis.

  The forced appearance in court of Kok, Van Aartsen, de Grave and Van Nieuwenhoven in person reflects the prominent principle with respect to war crimes: the principle of personal responsibility and liability. A principle firmly established since the Nuremberg trials, recorded as:

  "Crimes against international law are committed by man, not by abstract entities, and only by punishing indiviuals who commit such crimes the provisions of international law [can] be enforced." (Annual Digest, 13 (1946), p. 221)

  The forced appearance of the four leading western politicians and war crimes suspects in court is a step of extraordinary and historic importance. Never before in history, since the Nuremberg Trials against leading Nazi's, any Western political leader ever has been called to account in person standing before a court. So this certainly is a milestone in history!

  The so-called Yugoslavia Tribunal has always carefully avoided to prosecute the western perpetrators of NATO's war of aggression and the countless war crimes committed during this war against Yugoslavia. And already by this position alone this pseudo-court exposes itself clearly as no more than an extension of the U.S. foreign policy, only serving as an instrument to establish the CNN-thruth about the dissolution of Yugoslavia and to distract the attention of NATO's aggression and massive war crimes committed against Yugoslavia. Like the former president of Yugoslavia Milosevic is evidencing, day after day.

  The PC will frame this historic event with a manifestation in front of the Hall of Justice in the Hague.

  The PC calls upon organisations, political parties, human rights bodies and committee's all over the world which resisted NATO's war of aggression to support this manifestation and to send messages of solidarity.

  The PC also appeals to all people anywhere who have the opportunity to be present at January 26th, 2004, to take part in this manifestation.

  The PC especially calls up also Dutch political parties, organisations and individuals, opposed to the war of aggression against Yugoslavia and outraged about the seeming immunity and impudity of western war criminals to mobilize their supporters and invites them to take part in the organisation of this manifestation. In order to make this manifestation an event!

  JOIN THIS MANIFESTATION ! IN ORDER TO GIVE THOSE LEADING DUTCH POLITICIANS AND WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS A WARM WELCOME AT THE MOMENT THEY SHALL HAVE TO MARCH INTO THE PLACE WHERE THEY BELONG: THE COURT BUILDING.

  Place: Hall of Justice, Prins Clausweg 60, the Hague (directly behind the Central Station). Date: 26 January 2004. Time: the whole day starting from 9.30 h.

  1 January 2004

  the PC

  
  
  Pera Bora
  Ottawa
  Canada

• Friday January 02, 2004 at 2:06 pm
  Thanks Pera, I was just about to post the same thing.
  
  Dan B
  Ottawa
  Canada

• Friday January 02, 2004 at 4:00 pm
  As I thought SPS vote went down and Radicals went up. G17 did not get as much as they wanted (thank God). Something we should all be happy about. Dusan Mihajlovic is politically dead with only 0.5 ! He stupidly tried to bring indicted suspected war criminals. Problem is that he forgot he was part of government that sent war criminals to the Hague. I'm sure Vera (and Milosevic) is happy this idiot is gone forever.

  Probably we in Serbia will have national government now that wont be able to do anything which is not such a big change. The alternative is DOS in new clothes (G17, DS, DSS, Ilic). They wont be able to do anything also. After about 9 months there would be another election. Radicals will win more votes next time but still not enough to rule with SPS.

  Its a joke. For so long SPS, Radicals, Democratic Party of Serbia said elections will make everything clear and problems would be solved. But look now the situation is that everyone Really everyone will be unhappy. In worst situation sanctions could come back. I dont believe stupid talk that Serbia will be bombed again or that Serbia will go to war for Kosovo. Whole reason why Serbia didnt 'win' recent Balkan wars is because most its citizens wanted peace. They still want peace. But situation is more desperate now than before DOS took power.

  What Serbia misses is a democratic party of the left. OTPOR was also a joke.

  Andy I would be interested to hear what you think about statements made by SPS that they would arrest all those in DOS they suspect. I know you hate DOS because they gave away Milosevic and so on but at least DOS did not committ revengism. I would be frightened to think that our society could go backwards again. Any violence would be last straw. If people dont already think Serbs are violent by nature they will if there is return to assasination / threatening of journalists, and people working in civic society.

  Talking about violence Stojilkovic was a cowardly, egotistical maniac. Coward because he gave up the fight, egotistical because he killed himself in front of parliament. I am against violence. It makes me sick when people glorify it. They should go to a battlefield before calling people hero's to see how they really behave.

  Stojilkovic gave his suicide letter to member of the Radical party. SPS would join coalition with SRS like before. Andy you still dont get it. Nobody believes in anything in Serbian politics. They are all pragmatists. Unless you are prepared to also be a pragmatist you will be disapointed by SPS. I promise you.

  You are right about privatisation in Radical party program. You are wrong about Seselj supporting October 5th. He waited like clever man to see what would happen. When he saw majority were with DOS (or actually against Milosevic) he didnt go against. If he saw majority were with Milosevic he would have made another alliance with Milosevic - man with who he did business.

  What can happen next in country where they tried everything? War, Capitalism, Socialism, Communism and everything failed? Anarchy?
  
  Arandjel Pasic
  Jug

• Friday January 02, 2004 at 4:45 pm
  Why not? Read Bakunin, anarchy is the best thing for yugoslavia and its proud citicens. Socialism by direct demokracy, not yug. directed by USA,WTO and EU,s neoliberal fascistregime of so called "democracy". Anyway we russian people love our brothers and sisters in the south, first we have to deal with the oligarcs and the privatization then we come for you, Be ware! the russian bear is about to wake up.
  
  Admiral Kuznetsov
  Severomorsk

• Friday January 02, 2004 at 5:46 pm
  

  The fact that Russia was ruled by the west playboy Yeltzin made the NATO criminal war against Yugoslavia all the easier for the West. Because under Mr. Milosevic Yugoslavia resisted for 82 days NATO reached a crisis point, Russia (Yeltzin) intervened to save NATO at the expense of Kosovo. Christmas of 1999 Yeltzin had to resign appointing KGV Vladimir Putin as his successor, the turning point for Russia Western relations.
  
  Gogol Charlemagne
  Shangri-La

• Friday January 02, 2004 at 5:52 pm
  AP V,

  The timeline I posted only pertains to Seselj and his roll in the coup. It isn't supposed to be a timeline of the whole coup, just one man's roll in it.

  I'm not saying that Seselj singlehandedly brought the coup about. I'm just saying that he helped to make it happen.

  Arandjel Pasic,

  If I remember correctly the SPS main board president Ivica Dacic said that those who sent Milosevic to the Hague would be put on trial in Serbia if the SPS won the elections.

  I think that's great. The people who sent Milosevic to the Hague did something illegal. They should be put on trial, convicted, and sent to prison. They're criminals and they belong in prison.

  Furthermore, I don't think that you can call putting a criminal on trial and sending him to prison vengance. It isn't vengance it's justice.

  When DOS supporters vandalized and trashed the headquarters of the SPS on October 5th, when they physically assaulted SPS members, and when they sacked the members of the SPS from their jobs -- that was vengance. It was most certainly DOS who was engaging in revengism.

  Mr. Dacic was only talking about initiating some normal legal proceedings. He wasn't talking about any form of illegal revenge, or lynchings, or anything like that.

  Seselj supported October 5th before the fact, and then he was against it after the fact.

  Prior to the coup Seselj in effect told the people that they had no alternative other than violent rebellion.

  On September 29, 2000 Seselj went on TV Palma in Belgrade and said that the elections were irregular, and that the court system couldn't be trusted.

  If the elections were stolen, and the courts were corrupt, then what other choice did the people have other than to violently revolt against the government? If proper legal recourse was cut-off by a corrupt court system then there was no other choice for the people.

  At best Seselj was a useful idiot for DOS, but I don't think he's that stupid. I think he was collaborating with them in order to overthrow Milosevic.
  
  Andy Wilcoxson
  Washington, United States

• Friday January 02, 2004 at 6:20 pm
  While I was watching an American financial show on TV today, the person being interviewed was asked the question, “Is now the time to invest in defense/war industry stocks?”

  In response, the individual said, “Yes. We have depleted our stock of weapons and we are the world leader. We need other countries to know that.”

  This economic guru knows that this USA government will choose “guns” over “butter.” As a result the average American citizen will be asked through taxation to help purchase a significant re-investment in assault vehicles, automatic weapons, planes, bombs, and missiles, but will not see a similar investment in medical care, education, environmental protection, or care for the elderly. It seems a shame.

  Also I was reading today that US was ready to invade the Middle East in 1973 during the OPEC oil embargo. According to Lizette Alvarez and declassified British government documents made public yesterday. The top secret document indicates that Nixon was ready to invade Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi. The document reveals that oil was the primary target. The content of this document was summarized in the Washington Post as well.

  So tell me George it was not about oil.
  
  Walter Trkla
  Kamloops BC
  Canada

• Friday January 02, 2004 at 6:26 pm
  Vodka stuffed Yeltzin was the best thing ever hapened to the U.S after the sale of Alaska , Serbia was a consecuence of a chronical hangover and a withhold of some 7 billion IMF loan to Yeltzin's Community of Independent? States , but there isn't such thing as the "perfect crime" all that shines isn't gold and the copper has started to show , President Milosevic has done a fantastic job fighting like an upside down cat , our only wish will be for him to hold on and for his health not to make a bad pass on him . As per Russian politician , be careful you know what hapens when regular citizens get pissed . World order hasn't writen last chapter yet
  
  M P
  Panama

• Saturday January 03, 2004 at 6:52 am
  We dont know much about Wladimir Putins intentions in the long run, but Oligarc-parasites behind bars is a very good thing. I read that western politics are "concerned" and "worried" about the political development in russia they should be, what they really mean is the fact that this strong gesture makes it impossible to sell out the oil recources to american multinational murdercompany. other actions will follow i hope. About this articel furder up "JUST IN" -is it a wishful dream or is it really true? Wonderful news if that´s so, the western neoliberalcapitalist"pravda" will not mention it of course but we should spread the good news around! (and yes, Yeltsin,s job is done lets forget the funny marionette)
  
  Admiral Kuznetsov
  Severomorsk

• Saturday January 03, 2004 at 7:05 am
  Andy Wilcoxson. Did Seselj tell his supporters to support the coup or not?

  I hate to be so literal but the man was sitting to see how the wind was blowing. He was crazily jealous of the support the anti Milosevic coalition was getting. The only thing he could do was try to look as if he (kind of) supported it. What he didnt realise and you dont realise now is that he didnt make impact. The crowds were coming anyway.

  Why would a politician collaborate with political party that wont put him in government? There is no logic.
  
  A Pasic
  Jug

• Saturday January 03, 2004 at 8:16 am
  Andy

  The nature of the timeline is undoubtedly clear to me and other 'dedicated' readers.

  However, I fear that neutralist surfers may not quite understand what you are trying to depict.

  keep up the good work !!!

  
  
  AP V
  NY
  NY

• Saturday January 03, 2004 at 1:27 pm
  Mr. Kuznetsov, The article Just-In addresses a real thing. The court hearing will happen. What will happen next and what will be decided nobody can tell. Andy will post an interivew on his site with the lead lawyer in the case Mr. Nico Steijnen. Please visit Andy's site URL:

  http://www.slobodan-milosevic.org/

  At the end of his post:

  PRESS RELEASE: WAR CRIMINALS COMPELLED TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE DUTCH COURTS ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN THE NATO AGGRESSION AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA

  you will find more details,

  
  
  Pera Bora
  Ottawa
  Canada

• Saturday January 03, 2004 at 2:41 pm
  Peta Bora - many thanks for the good news. I am going to ask the ombuds of my 'preferred' newspapers why are they ignoring the event while pumping out ironies about the last Serbian election.
  
  John North
  Canada

• Saturday January 03, 2004 at 5:31 pm
  I agree and will do the same, thank you mr. Bora, and again - WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!!
  
  Admiral Kuznetsov
  Severomorsk