I have been surprised that nobody has taken me to task yet for my "demonization" (although maybe such is further down my inbox). But, just for the record, I only posted that stuff because I saw it in the Russian language media out of Russia, where they are now virulently anti-NATO, somewhat less strongly pro-Serb, but distinctly ambivalent about His Excellency, being all too aware of his unpleasant personal characteristics. Indeed, the Russian media has had further insulting things to say about His Excellency that I did not reproduce.
Those reports did not come from the "imperialist press," although I have seen such stories in the US media. Barkley Rosser -----Original Message----- From: Chris Burford <cburford at gn.apc.org> To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Date: Tuesday, April 27, 1999 7:23 PM Subject: Demonizing Milosevic, NATO
>At 15:26 27/04/99 -0400, Barkley wrote:
>
>> BTW, I would ask those who criticize the "demonization"
>>of His Excellency: How would the world be different today if
>>HIs Excellency had fallen dead of a heart attack in about 1986?
>
>
>I am not sure that Barkley's comments amount to a demonization although
>they show a cordial disrespect. Generally I prefer a more austere position
>that the social, economic and political formation in Serbia has to explain
>how a fascist politics could have emerged in the name of socialism.
>
>I would also argue against demonization of NATO. Some Serb authorities have
>tried to sneer at Mad Madeleine Albright. It seems likely that she and the
>CIA were most responsible for tying western pressure to a strategy of a
>massive air bombing campaign without thinking through the consequences for
>the Kosovars. But the steps by which this occurred are not the steps of
>demons. Capitalism and imperialism are not to be explained that way.
>
>I do think that her policy, at a personal level, clearly influenced by
>being a Czech of Jewish background, is imperialist and capitalist in
>character.
>
>Chris Burford
>
>London
>
>