Remembering the Storm

Anniversary of a Victorious Crime In the early morning hours of Aug. 4, 1995, on the heels of an incessant artillery and air bombardment, some 200,000 Croatian troops moved in to “liberate” Krajina, a stretch of mountains inhabited by Serbs who had rejected Croatia’s secession from Yugoslavia four years prior. Overrunning the token UN observation … Continue reading “Remembering the Storm”

Footprints

Imperial Policy in Action Judging by news coming from the Balkans this past week, the usually languid days of summer were anything but. Bosnia underwent another major centralization effort, while Serbia-Montenegro signed a treaty giving free passage through the country to the alliance that bombed it just six years ago. There is talk of fresh … Continue reading “Footprints”

The Price of Empire

Holbrooke Proud of Balkans "Victory" By all rights, Richard Holbrooke ought to be a has-been. His 15 minutes of fame were under Clinton, when he emerged from the dark shadows of the American "foreign policy elite" to spearhead a military and political blitz that ended the Bosnian War on Washington’s terms. Less stellar was his … Continue reading “The Price of Empire”

Smokescreen

Using Srebrenica The deafening din of propaganda surrounding the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica reached its crescendo Monday, on the 10th anniversary of its fall to Bosnian Serb troops during the 1992-95 war, as an ostentatious ceremony was held at the memorial site in nearby Potocari, with reportedly 50,000 people and dozens of domestic and … Continue reading “Smokescreen”

The Mask of Power

Atrocity Porn, Human Rights, and Empire Three weeks after it went public, the video of Serb militiamen shooting six Muslims in the mountains of Bosnia has turned into a media monster. The supposedly "irrefutable" evidence of Serbian involvement in the Bosnian war or the "genocide" in Srebrenica is nothing of the sort, but that has … Continue reading “The Mask of Power”

Snuff Reality

Killers of People and Truth Almost two weeks since the airing of the controversial atrocity video, whose purveyors claim it represents proof of Serbian war crimes against the Muslims of Srebrenica, many questions about the horrifying film still remain open. That has not stopped the vast majority of the mainstream media from declaring the video … Continue reading “Snuff Reality”

Death, Lies, and Videotape

Behind the "Srebrenica" Atrocity Video Several minutes of video footage made public late last week pushed the issue of Kosovo out of the Balkans limelight and focused it firmly on Bosnia. A film showing the execution of six men in civilian clothing by a paramilitary group known as "The Scorpions," procured by a notorious purveyor … Continue reading “Death, Lies, and Videotape”

Battle for Bosnia

The Forgotten Balkans Flashpoint When French voters rejected the EU Constitution this past weekend, among the loudest defenders of the EU were leaders of the Balkan countries that aspire to eventual annexation by the bloc, assuring their subjects that the road to untold riches and unimaginable prosperity still led through Brussels: "In every Balkan capital … Continue reading “Battle for Bosnia”