-Caveat Lector- TRUTH IS FIRST CASUALTY OF WAR ============================== (CNNS, 04/11/99) -- At the end of the second week of NATO bombing, London's Daily Independent published an article by Philip Hammond, assessing mass media coverage of the war. Major news outlets, he wrote, "have generally been careful to keep the debate within parameters of acceptable discussion, while politicians have stepped up the demonization of the Serbs to try to drown out dissenting voices." [1] This narrowing the range of "acceptable debate" is a technique well analyzed by Noam Chomsky in a book he co-authored, "Manufacturing Consent." "Acceptable debate," in the current Yugoslav context, means "debate" over whether or not NATO -- and especially the U.S. -- should or should not commit ground troops into the region. Excluded by this narrow framework is the question of whether USA/NATO should be involved at all. Examples of excluded or barely-mentioned news, given little or no attention by the corporate mass media: ** Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov says that "NATO may be using a new type of weapon with radioactive components during the bombardment of Yugoslavia. Ivanov says measurements in several parts of Kosovo have shown high levels of radiation in both air and soil near bomb targets." [2] The A-10 "Warthog" jet "carries a GAU-8/A Avenger 30 millimeter seven-barrel cannon capable of firing 4,200 rounds per minute." [3] The Warthog cannon fires "30 mm rounds reinforced with depleted uranium, a radioactive weapon." [4] The use of these depleted uranium (DU) shells may be a major cause of the mysterious "Gulf War Syndrome," an illness suffered by many veterans of the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War. "There is solid scientific evidence that the depleted uranium residue left in Iraq is responsible for a large increase in stillbirths, children born with defects, and childhood leukemia and other cancers in the area of southern Iraq near Basra, where most of these shells were fired." [5] According to Sara Flounders, a contributing author of the book, "Metal of Dishonor: Depleted Uranium," "The use of Warthogs with DU shells threatens to make a nuclear wasteland of Kosovo. The Pentagon is laying waste to the very people--along with their children--they claim to be saving..." [6] ** A report in CounterPunch by Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair tells how Amnesty International and other human rights groups have been co-opted by the U.S. State Department into cheering on the NATO bombing raids. Harold Koh, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, reportedly persuaded leaders of the groups that the then-starting NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was a humanitarian action and that if they'd play along, they'd be compensated with a later, personal meeting with Secretary of State Madeline Albright. The entire CounterPunch story is reportedly available at www.counterpunch.com Amnesty International was previously suckered into accepting and promoting the false "Iraq's Incubator Babies" propaganda during the Persian Gulf War. ** "Kosovo refugees are throwing away U.S.-donated humanitarian rations by the thousands and have even burned some to keep warm, complaining that the food is inedible and has made people sick." [7] "We don't eat it because the children get a fever and throw up and are going to be poisoned," said one of the refugees. [8] ** Regarding the Yugoslav tinderbox, former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark warns that "the potential for the conflict to spread to involve Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, Greece and Turkey is enormous. It could readily come to involve Slavs and Muslims from other regions in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, fighting in the Balkans and on their own soil." [9] ** Demonstrators in Yugoslavia apologize that, "Sorry, we are still singing." That is a frequently seen sign carried by rock-and-roll Yugoslavians in Belgrade. They gather every day in downtown Belgrade and their morale is high. In a parody of Roberta Flack's hit record, "Killing Me Softly With His Song," a large yellow banner reads, "Killing Me Softly With This Bomb!" [10] ---------------------------<< Notes >>--------------------------- [1] Qtd. in "American Journalists Have No Reason To Be Smug," by Norman Solomon. [2] "Russia: NATO using radioactive weapons," UPI, 4/9/99. [3] "Radioactive weapons used by U.S./NATO in Kosovo." Report by International Action Center, 4/1/99. Contact: Sara Flounders or John Catalinotto, 212-633-6646. [4] Ibid. [5] Ibid. [6] Ibid. [7] "Kosovo Refugees Spurn U.S. Rations As Inedible," by Matt Spetalnick. Reuters, 4/11/99. [8] Ibid. [9] "Letter from former Attorney General Ramsey Clark to each member of the Security Council," 4/5/99. [10] "NATO Attacks On Yugoslavia Update: April 5, 1999." International Action Center. -- CNNS (Conspiracy Nation News Service) is an INDEPENDENT news outlet, not owned by anyone. (But of course, we would say that, wouldn't we?) BEWARE THE CFR! BEWARE THE CIA! BEWARE THE KNIGHTS! http://www.shout.net/~bigred/cn.html http://www.shout.net/~bigred/cnns.html DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! 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