-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Gasper <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thursday, April 01, 1999 4:36 PM
Subject: Re: Fwd: Edward Herman on "Atrocities Management"
>Jim:
>
>Shortly before Slovenia and Croatia declared independence in June 1991, US
>Secretary of State James Baker arrived in Belgrade to insist on
>Yugoslavia's "territorial integrity". Many commentators (me included)
>believe that in effect this gave the Serb-dominated federal army a green
>light to use force in the breakaway republics. The US soon changed its
>tune, of course, but its main concern in the region has been to ensure
>"stability" (under Western domination, of course), even if this means
>ignoring the rights of national groups and minorities.
>
>Phil
>
>>I appreciate this clear, simple, and very informative summary of the
history
>>in Yugoslavia.
>>
>>Let me ask Phil for some clarification.
>>
>>One thing about his summary surprises me. That is the position taken in
>>point #1. I find it hard to believe that the U.S. *really* supported unity
>>for Yugoslavia given its general cold-war support for ethnic nationalism
in
>>the Soviet Union.
>>
>>Perhaps lip service was paid to Yugoslavian unity because
>>support for Yugoslavia was a way of attacking the greater enemy. But
>>nationalist movements must have recognized that the US would basically
>>support disintegration of all socialist countries through encouraging
>>nationalist independence movements. That general policy of support for
>>nationalism from the US preceded 1991. I don't know what vestige of
>>socialist economic policies remain in Yugoslavia but presumably the
>>conversion to capitalism is not yet whole-hearted there.
>>
>>The fall of Gorbachev and Yeltsin's break-up of the Soviet Union, also in
>>late 1991, would be the signal for nationalist forces everywhere in former
>>socialist countries -- all expecting western (especially U.S.) support for
>>their "good cause."
>>
>>That makes the thesis that Germany really started it --
>>which I have heard from others -- seem dubious to me. Of course Germany
>>appeared to have the most to gain from nationalism, in the form of German
>>nationalism. But support of nationalism in socialist countries was always
>>the basic US policy, whatever the diplomatic niceties.
>>
>>Best wishes,
>>
>>Jim Lawler
>
>
>
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