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24 Юли 2001 11:25
A Bad Omen
by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX)
Address Given Before the House of Representatives
July 17, 2001
http://www.antiwar.com/rep/paul6.html
Mr. Speaker, the trial of Slobodan Milosevic threatens U.S. sovereignty. The
fact that this trial can be carried out, in the name of international
justice, should cause all the Americans to cast a wary eye on the whole
principal of the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal. The prosecution of Milosevic, a
democratically elected and properly disposed leader of a sovereign country,
could not be carried out without full U.S. military and financial support.
Since we are the only world superpower, the U.N. court becomes our court
under our control. But it is naive to believe our world superpower status
will last forever. The precedence now being set will one day surely come
back to haunt us.
The U.S. today may enjoy dictating policy to Yugoslavia and elsewhere around
the world, but danger lurks ahead. The administration adamantly and
correctly opposes our membership in the permanent International Criminal
Court because it would have authority to exercise jurisdiction over U.S.
citizens without the consent of the U.S. government. But how can we, with a
straight face, support doing the very same thing to a small country, in
opposition to its sovereignty, courts, and constitution. This blatant
inconsistency and illicit use of force does not go unnoticed and will sow
the seeds of future terrorist attacks against Americans or even war.
Money, as usual, is behind the Milosevic's extradition. Bribing Serbian
Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, a U.S.-sponsored leader, prompted strong
opposition from Yugoslavian Prime Minister Zoran Zizic and Yugoslavian
President Vojislav Kostunica.
A Belgrade historian, Aleksa Djilas, was quoted in The New York Times as
saying: "We sold him for money, and we won't really get very much money for
it. The U.S. is the natural leader of the world, but how does it lead? This
justifies the worst American instincts, reinforcing this bullying
mentality.''
Milosevic obviously is no saint but neither are the leader of the Croats,
the Albanians or the KLA. The NATO leaders who vastly expanded the death and
destruction in Yugoslavia with 78 days of bombing in 1999 are certainly not
blameless. The $1.28 billion promised the puppet Yugoslavian government is
to be used to rebuild the cities devastated by U.S. bombs. First, the
American people are forced to pay to bomb, to kill innocent people and
destroy cities, and then they are forced to pay to repair the destruction,
while orchestrating a U.N. kangaroo court to bring the guilty to justice at
the Hague.
For all this to be accepted, the press and internationalists have had to
demonize Milosevic to distance themselves from the horrors of others
including NATO.
NATO's air strikes assisted the KLA in cleansing Kosovo of Serbs in the name
of assisting Albanian freedom fighters. No one should be surprised when that
is interpreted to mean tacit approval for Albanian expansionism in
Macedonia. While terrorist attacks by former members of the KLA against
Serbs are ignored, the trial of the new millennium, the trial of Milosevic,
enjoys daily support from the NATO-U.S. propaganda machine.
In our effort to stop an independent-minded and uncooperative with the
international community president of a sovereign country, U.S. policy was
designed to support an equally if not worse organization, the KLA.
One of the conditions for ending the civil war in Kosovo was the disbanding
of the KLA. But the very same ruthless leaders of the KLA, now the
Liberation Army of Presevo, are now leading the insurrection in Macedonia
without NATO lifting a finger to stop it. NATO's failed policy that
precipitated the conflict now raging in Macedonia is ignored.
The U.N. War Tribunal in the Hague should insult the intelligence of all
Americans. This court currently can only achieve arrest and prosecution of
leaders of poor, small, or defeated nations. There will be no war criminals
brought to the Hague from China, Russia, Britain, or the United States no
matter what the charges. But some day this approach to world governing will
backfire. The U.S. already has suffered the humiliation of being kicked off
the U.N. Human Rights Commission and the Narcotics Control Commission. Our
arrogant policy and attitude of superiority will continue to elicit a
smoldering hatred toward us and out of sheer frustration will motivate even
more terrorist attacks against us.
Realizing the weakness of the charges against Milosevic the court has
quietly dropped the charges for committing genocide. In a real trial,
evidence that the British and the United States actually did business with
Milosevic would be permitted. But almost always, whoever is our current most
hated enemy, has received help and assistance from us in the past. This was
certainly the case with Noriega and Saddam Hussein and others, and now it's
Milosevic.
Milosevic will be tried not before a jury of his peers but before a panel of
politically appointed judges, all of whom were approved by the NATO
countries, the same countries which illegally bombed Yugoslavia for 2 1/2
months. Under both U.N. and international law the bombing of Serbia and
Kosovo was illegal. This was why NATO pursued it and it was not done under a
U.N. resolution.
Ironically, the mess in which we've been engaged in Yugoslavia has the
international establishment supporting the side of Kosovo independence
rather than Serbian sovereignty. The principle of independence and secession
of smaller government entities has been enhanced by the breakdown of the
Soviet system. If there's any hope that any good could come of the quagmire
into which we've rapidly sunk in the Balkans, it is that small independent
nations are a viable and reasonable option to conflicts around the world.
But the tragedy today is that no government is allowed to exist without the
blessing of the One World Government leaders. The disobedience to the one
worlders and true independence is not to be tolerated. That's what this
trial is all about. "Tow the line or else,'' is the message that is being
sent to the world.
NATO and U.S. leaders insist on playing with fire, not fully understanding
the significance of the events now transpiring in the Balkans. If policy is
not quickly reversed, events could get out of control and a major war in the
region will erupt.
We should fear and condemn any effort to escalate the conflict with troops
or money from any outside sources. Our troops are already involved and our
money calls the shots. Extricating ourselves will get more difficult every
day we stay. But the sooner we get out the better. We should be listening
more to candidate George Bush's suggestion during the last campaign for
bringing our troops home from this region.
The Serbs, despite NATO's propaganda, will not lightly accept the
imprisonment of their democratically elected (and properly disposed)
president no matter how bad he was. It is their problem to deal with and
resentment against us will surely grow as conditions deteriorate. Mobs have
already attacked the American ambassador to Macedonia for our inept
interference in the region. Death of American citizens are sure to come if
we persist in this failed policy.
Money and power has permitted the United States the luxury of dictating
terms for Milosevic's prosecution, but our policy of arbitrary interventions
in the Balkans is sowing the seeds of tomorrow's war.
We cannot have it both ways. We cannot expect to use the International
Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia when it pleases us and oppose the permanent
International Criminal Court where the rules would apply to our own acts of
aggression. This cynical and arrogant approach, whether it's dealing with
Milosevic, Hussein, or Kadafi, undermines peace and presents a threat to our
national security. Meanwhile, American citizens must suffer the tax burden
from financing the dangerous meddling in European affairs, while exposing
our troops to danger.
A policy of nonintervention, friendship and neutrality with all nations,
engagement in true free trade (unsubsidized trade with low tariffs) is the
best policy if we truly seek peace around the world. That used to be the
American way.
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) Sigurno vojni bazi shte ostaviat za Koshtunica