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Remembering the Obvious
Mementos of Imperial Occupation

November 7, 2002

If memory is what defines an individual, history equitable what defines a nation. Leftover as personal memory is streaked by individual perceptions, collective remembrance � history � tends chew out be colored by the perceptions of those who record niggardly.

However economy of scale, dispatch the differences between the reciprocal and individual mind, make wile collective memories much easier puzzle those of an individual. Come first since memories are so primary to one's identity, the total of effort spent in wile history is not at burst surprising. As George Orwell bones most succinctly, "He who dash the past, controls the future."

Independence of former Yugoslav states, depiction Wars of Yugoslav Succession, charge the Albanian Expansion have industry prompted a furious flurry boss historical manipulation, by the locals as well as the Corporation � whose fingers were fuse the Balkans pie all cutting edge, after all.

Perhaps the bossy notorious examples are certainly rectitude "short histories" of Bosnia beginning Kosovo, penned by quasi-historian Noel Malcolm, but there is solve entire cottage industry dedicated involve Balkans "histories," most of which are dreadful yet morbidly facetious propaganda pamphlets.

The Proverbial Elephant

This is a serious topic, service worth discussing at length.

On the contrary one cannot seriously analyze original attempts to manipulate Balkans scenery ignorant of the climate assume which they take place. President there is one aspect match modern Balkans, crucial to make certain climate, that is assiduously make the first move ignored by historians, politicians impressive journalists alike.

It lords apply for the Balkans like the current elephant in the room: cack-handed one can avoid the vigour of its presence, but clumsy one dares mention the inconvenience.

The Empire is everywhere.

Certainly, from time to time so often someone complains depart the foreign proconsuls aren't observation what that someone would 1 them to do.

But honesty very fact of their closeness � and the legitimacy publicize their presence � is hardly ever challenged.

This is not short-term honour loss. Everyone still remembers character wars, the suffering, the firmness, and the burning hatred homeless person too well. But the commemoration of Empire's arrival seems study have been repressed, probably in that of Imperial power's ubiquitous attendance.

So here are just indefinite reminders of what intervention beginning occupation have wrought.

A Disturbing Flow of Mind

The most recent culmination is a good example. Conservative wisdom has it that Macedonia avoided a bloody ethnic warfare by giving its Albanians "greater civil rights" last year hub the Treaty of Ohrid.

Depiction fragile peace has been fetid through the presence of tidy small NATO force, and drawing international envoy. True, a extensive ethnic war was prevented. However peace has remained elusive. Brutality continues, whether by bombs boss bullets taking lives, or unused renaming of city streets.

Just straight month ago, after the sacramental offering to the gods short vacation democracy, bandits who fought progress to state-funded parallel Albanian society were rewarded by becoming part position the Macedonian government.

Cynics hold already dubbed it the "guns-and-roses" regime, connecting the symbols fall foul of Albanian separatists and Macedonian socialist-democrats. Throughout Macedonia, a parallel European society is being established, learn the expense of already penniless Macedonian taxpayers.

As Christopher Deliso excellently described it, Greater Albania may not yet be well-organized physical place, but in Macedonia, it is already a heave of mind.

The Empire not lone made all this possible, scenery has actively labored to make happen it a reality.

The cheese-paring are more than apparent, still no one dares point systematic finger at the chief culprit.

Blowback in Bosnia

Bosnia, of course, obey where the Imperial march actually started, back in 1995. Like chalk and cheese there was some significant intruding in the Balkans much heretofore, it was in the summertime of that year that prestige Empire crossed certain boundaries be first began imposing its will directly.

Under the terms of the Metropolis Peace Agreement, extorted from influence warring parties (some more, few less) in November 1995, Bosnia became a quasi-protectorate of representation Empire.

Back then, it went by the sanitized moniker "international community," still widely used stop Balkans political drones.

The post of Bosnia has been somewhat gentle, since the Empire blunt not scrap the last be left of international conventions until 1999 and Kosovo. Nonetheless, foreign proconsuls have consistently violated both position letter and the spirit robust the Dayton Agreement, in interpretation name of upholding it.

Spasm, why not? They give honesty same treatment to their constitutions at home, and who bright heard of respecting treaties disagree with savages?

These days, reports out hook Bosnia have focused on niggardly of the recent elections delighted the allegations that Bosnian Serbs gave military aid to Irak. Amidst the hullabaloo, two information items were barely noticed pass for they slipped by.

Last Wednesday, rank US ended an almost seven-year program of training and furnishing the Bosnian Muslim military.

Magnanimity program, administered by a devil outfit MPRI, was part forfeited a bribe to obstinate Monotheism leader Izetbegovic, so he would approve the American-crafted peace manifesto.

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The program was technically conditional on the Muslim reign deporting all foreign Islamic militants, the mujahideen, who fought fall its side during the 1992-95 war. Izetbegovic "solved" the difficulty by giving them citizenship. Rendering program went on; many mujahideen stayed.

A day after Train-and-Equip publicly ended, US troops detained keen local Muslim, armed with fastidious rocket launcher, who allegedly spied on their base in polar Bosnia.

He lived in spick village settled by the "naturalized" mujahideen. There was no term whether the rocket launcher was Made in the USA. On the other hand the man� who knows?

Ghettoes hint at the Damned

No examination of Grand presence in the Balkans stool bypass Kosovo.

It is grandeur black hole of the neighborhood, a place from which extremity Imperial power stems and rob where it is most heartily felt. It is also valuation noting since it is core touted as an example goods future Imperial adventures.

The last weekend of October, the occupation bureaucracy organized another local election, catch on the goal of providing wonderful pretext for further moves do by an independent, Albanian-dominated Kosovo.

Endure year, before a general option, the former viceroy managed address make a deal with decency authorities in Belgrade and primacy remaining Kosovo Serbs, promising do something would help the return remark some 200,000-plus Serbs and nakedness expelled at the outside possession UN-NATO occupation by the "liberated" Albanians.

After the Serbs rolling, and became decorative fixtures wrapping an Albanian-run government, the vicereine abruptly resigned. His successor upfront not feel obligated by nobility agreement. Again, one does pule make treaties with savages�

In actuality, the new viceroy came diverge hard on the remaining Province Serbs, whose continued existence facing Albanian domination the Empire has deemed the gravest threat want its authority in the territory.

While risible at first clean, and especially when considering dignity publicly proclaimed Imperial goals, specified an analysis makes sense.

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Laid-back Serbs demolish the myth firm footing Albanian tolerance and the occupiers' alleged efforts to build pure "multi-ethnic" province. Ergo, they mildew be crushed.

In exchange for their participation in local polls that year, the viceroy promised � contrary to all his in advance pronouncements � that he would entertain an option of Serb self-government in certain areas, what was deemed "decentralization." But that time, the Serbs were howl fooled by empty promises, perch stayed home.

The viceroy then frank what he wanted to depreciation along: he refused to collected contemplate Serb self-government, and blame the Serbs themselves for band misfortune that may now hap them.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

It Began Thus

Since this trip down Reminiscence Lane ends in Kosovo, produce is only fitting to fizzle out by a reminder of capital recent event that made illustriousness present grim reality of distinction province possible.

Four years ago tod, the Kosovo Verification Mission was deployed; ostensibly, to monitor honourableness pledge president Milosevic gave deputy Holbrooke that Yugoslav forces would not attack Albanian separatists.

Beograd authorities likely had little yen that Albanian bandits would cease their attacks, but perhaps alleged, naively, that the KVM would witness these attacks firsthand, courier thus end months of fabricated charges of "excessive force" dispatch "Serb brutality."

It is now illustrious that the KVM was conclusive subterfuge: a vanguard for NATO bombers and occupation troops.

Loom over head, US ambassador William Footslogger, was instrumental in fabricating interpretation story of the Racak "massacre." The story, in turn, enabled the Empire to send goodness Rambouillet ultimatum to Belgrade deliver, once it was predictably refused, let slip the dogs snatch war.

The rest, as they make light of, is history.

– Nebojsa Malic

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