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Re: ?



On Sep 13, 2001 RPK <rpk@doemaariets.com> wrote
   in <4tmvpts6m0al87bn6pent2r47no8rcbsrp@4ax.com>:

> On Tue, 11 Sep 2001 21:02:58 -0700, Jeffrey Goldberg
> <{$news}$@goldmark.org> wrote:

> >The massacre at Srebenica, if seen as not part of a "hot war" is the
> >closest thing in recent history.

> Don't talk about Srebenica. [...] The Dutch general in charge
> congratulated his opponent in with his very good strategy (Hé! It's
> not a game of chess, it's real people we are talking about!!!). This
> same general was promoted, cause the minister of defence didn't know
> about that yet...

Given the nature of the mandate at the time, the Dutch did remarkably well
and were forced to stand by and watch the massacre.  I put the blame on
the French.

We should recall that up until after Srebenica the US was playing a minor
role at the request of the European powers.  When Yugoslav disintegration
started, European powers said to Bush (Sr) that "this is a European
problem; we will take the leadership on this".  And Bush said, OK.

But after Srebenica, the US realized that Europe wasn't going to fix this.
By that time the situation had gotten so bad that the de facto partition
was all that could remain.  I also recall, when watching the reports about
Srebenica saying something like, "We [western powers] will pay for
allowing this by going to war in Kosovo in 10 years".

-j

-- 
Jeffrey Goldberg
 I have recently moved, see http://www.goldmark.org/jeff/contact.html
 Relativism is the triumph of authority over truth, convention over justice
 From line IS valid, but use reply-to.