-Caveat Lector-
Or, Why Electing a Mass Murderer Is a Really
Bad Ideahttp://www.antiwar.com/malic/m091803.htmlANTIWARThursday,
September 18, 2003Balkan Expressby
Nebojsa MalicAntiwar.com
PHOTO: KLA leader Hashim Taqi, Viceroy Bernard Kouchner,
General SirMichael Jackson, KLA commander Agim Ceku, and General Wesley
Clark celebrate the victory of their joint enterprise; Pristina, 1999,
credit unknown It is normally not within the bounds of this column to offer
commentary on internal American issues, with the notable exception of
consistent advocating of non-intervention in foreign quarrels and stepping
back from the assumed role of World Empire. Such policies, harmful as they
are tothe very fabric of American society, nonetheless do far more damage
intarget countries, where any "help" that is proffered soon proves to be
butanother form of grievous injury.
Many a harsh word has been expended here upbraiding the
misguided andmalicious politicians of the Balkans for a veritable train of
abusesagainst the lives, liberty and property of their own people and
others. In theprocess, similar harshness has been employed against the
agents ofEmpire, who have set to remake the fractious and complex peninsular
tapestry bybrute force and power of prejudice. Now one such agent seeks to
applyhis Balkans experiences at home, here in the United States, seeking
theoffice of President ? but in truth, coveting the laurels of
Emperor.
Candidate Number TenWesley
Clark, former US Army general and Supreme NATO Commander inEurope, announced
Wednesday that he will run for President of the United Statesin 2004 as a
Democrat, joining nine other Democratic candidates vying forthe opportunity
to challenge George W. Bush.
Incongruously, Clark supporters and mainstream media seem to
purportthat he is running on an "antiwar" ticket. Only a few, including the
ChristianScience Monitor, believe that Clark could outflank Bush in
hisbelligerence.
It's as if everyone has forgotten Wesley Clark was the Bomber
ofBelgrade, the highest-ranking military official in a cabal that
systematicallyviolated international law, the NATO Charter (and with it the
USConstitution, Article 6, Section 2) and committed the greatest
crimeunder the Nuremburg principles: that against peace.
Even Michael Moore, the gut-punch filmmaker who challenged the
NATOattack (after a fashion) in his Oscar-winning feature "Bowling for
Columbine,"recently gushed over Clark. What has possessed all these people
tobelieve that the answer to George W. Bush's policy of Global Balkanization
liesin a man whose hands are drenched in Balkans blood?
War CriminalClark's BBC profile
notes the general's words at the beginning of NATO's1999 aerial aggression:
"We're going to systematically and progressively attack,
disrupt,degrade, devastate and ultimately, unless President Milosevic
complies with thedemands of the international community, we're going to
destroy hisforces and their facilities and support," he said.
Systematically, he said. Destroy, he said. Facilities and
support, hesaid. The bombing was indeed systematic ? bridges, schools,
hospitals,passenger trains, buses, refugee columns, marketplaces, anything
that could be hitexcept the Yugoslav military, which
successfully camouflaged its systemsand avoided most attacks. Apparently,
for Clark and his coterie, the"facilities and support" of the Yugoslav
military were the people and infrastructureof Serbia itself, from the roads
and bridges to the power grid and TVnetworks.
One of the Nuremberg prosecutors warned in vain that war crimes
lawsapplied to Americans also. Comfortable in their knowledge that no court
in theworld would ever touch them ? proven later on by their ICTY pawns'
abjectrefusal to even consider an investigation ? Clark and Co. committed
war crimesfreely and often.
Unlike Slobodan Milosevic, who was accused of "command
responsibility"for alleged genocide and crimes against humanity in the
Balkan Wars withouta shred of reliable evidence, there is plenty of proof in
Clark's case.That is, if there were an honest war crimes court in the
world.
Starting World War IIIDespite
the barrage of propaganda, and a tailor-made "indictment" ofMilosevic by
NATO allies at the Hague Inquisition, the campaign ofterror was failing.
Only the intercession of a Russian government envoy and the"neutral" Finn Martti Ahtisaari (later amply rewarded by
NATOsupporters) convinced the Serbian authorities to make a truce with their
attackers.No one knows whether Chernomyrdin or Ahtisaari knew that the
Alliance hadno intention of honoring the agreement, or the UN resolution
that codifiedit. Russia tried to ensure NATO lived up
to the bargain by sending troops toKosovo. When the
invading British troops encountered the Russians at thePristina airport, Clark hysterically ordered British commander
GeneralSir Michael Jackson to dislodge them by force. Jackson refused,
reportedlysaying, "I'm
