Thursday, July 31, 2008

Karadzic vs. the MSM

This post is dedicated to The Poster Formerly Known as Gordon, who sneered it into existence by posting an off-topic comment at the top of this morning’s thread. Thanks to Henrik for commissioning it, and to our Austrian correspondent ESW for writing it.

Earlier this month the Bosnian Serb fugitive Radovan Karadzic surrendered to the authorities after more than a decade in hiding. He now faces war crimes charges before the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague.


A View on Karadzic’s Arrest from a European
by ESW


There are various thoughts going in circles in my head as I watch the first appearance of Radovan Karadzic at his trial at The Hague. What is most interesting to watch is how CNN is insinuating a conviction ahead of the trial.

Radovan Karadzic“Ethnic cleansing, creation of an ethnically pure state. Forces of Karadzic killed more than 200,000, mostly Muslims, simply because of ethnic issues,” Christiane Amanpour gushes, very obviously happy about seeing Karadzic in front the international tribunal. Again, it boils down to “bad” Serbs and “good” Muslims. That is the message the international viewer gets while watching CNN.

CNN presents, as always, only one side of the story. “People in Sarajevo are either Muslim or Croat.” Alessio Vinci reports from Sarajevo. Muslim or Croat? When did Islam get statehood so that a Muslim can be compared to a Croat? Vinci at least mentions, in passing, supporters of Karadzic he interviewed, though this interview itself was not shown. There were a couple of Sarajevan men sitting in a café in Sarajevo — while in the background a fully veiled young woman could be seen — who were happy to tell the reporter about the atrocities that they did not witness because they were seven years old at the time and out of the country.

CNN is continuously talking about Serb atrocities, while diminishing atrocities committed by the other side. And there surely must have been another side to this conflict. It just isn’t being reported on, not by CNN.
- - - - - - - - -
Like many others, I never really believed what we were shown and told about the Serb concentration camps. It was merely a gut feeling at the time, but suddenly I am being taught a different truth.

This is exactly what Austrians — and the world, for that matter — have been fed for almost the past two decades. I have a feeling that we are in for a history lesson. We will be relearning a history that has been spoon-fed to us by the MSM, by our politicians, and I daresay even the Muslims.

Watch this movie. (hat tip Henrik)

Perhaps you’ll also be convinced that there is a different truth, a different history out there. And it certainly isn’t what CNN, BBC, ITN, and all the others are showing us.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

The movie link didn't work for me when I clicked on it. It said it wasn't available or something like that...

For those who are interested, I am in the process of preparing a massive essay on Karadzic and the Balkans, which I'll be publishing over at my blog (and if I'm lucky, maybe some people will consent to guest-post it for me over at their blogs...).

Vasarahammer said...

While I may agree, the fact that there is a different history that has not been told, there is no question that the Serbs were guilty of some heinous crimes against humanity and their leaders deserve a punishment for that.

Karadzic is not and should not become any sort of martyr. But he probably wasn't the one responsible for starting the war in the first place. There were others involved like the EU, United States and Bosnian muslim leader Alija Izetbegovic, who after receiving encouragement from the US turned down a peace plan and went on organizing a referendum on independence (boycotted by Serbs) and declaring independence without the approval of the second largest ethnic group.

The atrocities occurred in wartime conditions and, as we know from history, civil wars tend to be the most brutal wars of all. The Serbs had the upper hand initially, since the old Yugoslav army with its weapons was largely in their hands. The UN arms embargo made it very difficult for the muslims to acquire weapons. This is why the Serbs probably thought they could go on with ethnic cleansing and secure a territory for themselves without any serious repercussions. This was a serious miscalculation from the Serb part.

Srdja Trifkovic has written an excellent article about the events leading to war.

Karadzic 's Arrest: Bosnian Myths Rehashed

laller said...

I agree with Vasarahammer. I have to admit though, I'm surprised how often the media of the free world lies and distorts. I mean, they aren't controlled by governments...

Defiant Lion said...

The people who commited the most heinous war crimes are not and will not be tried for their dispicable acts. That's mainly because they are in the Brtiish and US governments. The role these nations and the nations of NATO played in the Yugoslav war betrayed a christian ally. They also collaborated with the same people who are sending back our troops in body bags. Criminal doesn't begin to describe these traitors and murderers.

This documentary is long but it describes fully what went on in the words of those who were actually there:

The Avoidable War 1

The Avoidable War 2

Absolutely disgraceful and I really hope Karadzic embarrasses them for what they are.

Henrik R Clausen said...

"The Avoidable War" makes some very succinct points that demolishes much of the anti-Serbian propaganda.

There are several reasons why Serbia was seen as the aggressor in this:

- The Yugoslav Army, which was of course present all over Yugoslavia, quickly became a Serbian Army, simply because the Croats and Bosnians deserted from it. After the declarations of indepenced by Croatia and Bosnia, the Serbian Army was, by default, in foreign territory. The so-called 'siege' of Sarajevo wasn't really, as Serbia had never advanced its army in order to assault the city. They were there already, but not even employing their full force. But 'siege' is a word that makes better headlines.

- Serbia had sinificant minorities to protect in what had become Croatia and Bosnia, for the borders were based on previous administrative borders within Yugoslavia, not reflecting the ethnic divisions on the ground. They had been endorsed by the West without due dilligence on the matter. Declaring independence without taking care of the minority issue borders on criminal.

- Finally, both Croatia and Bosnia hired PR agencies to explain that it was all the faults of the Serbs. The Milosovic government didn't see a need for 'marketing' in this way.

If Milosovic had adapted to the new times, opted to push for a Serbian nation-state rather than trying to salvage Yugoslavia, I think the 'war' could have been over in 1992, before the henious Mujahedeen even had time to enter the stage.

Anyway, I recommend reading the Trifkovic essay. He knows all the details - and as usual, when the details are included, demonization evaporates.

CarnackiUK said...

There is some good material from a Serb perspective here.

Its unprepossessing name aside, Living Marxism was the only magazine in the UK with the guts to question the MSM line on the Serbs and to publish photos of some of the atrocities perpetrated on the Serbs (ludicrously, these photos were banned in the UK beause they were officially designated 'imports' from sanction-shackled Serbia.)

The magazine was put out of business (and its staff bankrupted) as a result of a notoriously unfair judgment in a libel action brought against it by the powerful ITN news company - LM had expressed scepticism towards an ITN photo of 'concentration camp' inmates.
Not unlike the Al-dura case but with a less desireable resolution.

CarnackiUK said...

My above link should carry a

GRAPHIC IMAGES WARNING!

Henrik R Clausen said...

The movie link about the so-called 'concentration camps' works now:

The Pictures That Fooled The World

I understand that ITN took action against anyone disputing their story...

"We're not going to compete with CNN technically. We are just going to tell the truth".

Κοινότητα Εκάλης said...

In 1994 it was Karadjic, in 1999 it wes milosevic, in 2004 it was cyprus. On all cases its was a "take it or leave it situation" in favour of muslims. USA did not learn its 9/11 lesson yet!

On all cases Russia was on the side of "good". If Putin was in chaerge in 1994/9 nothing would have happened.

P.S. Communists in Cyprus seem now the best ally for USA. Its just Politics.

Homophobic Horse said...

Where's Gordon now? Where are you Gordon? Why can't I read your sneers Gordon?

Are you off worshipping "Jesus"?

Just in the past few years, significantly, the figure of "Jesus" has been thrust into strange prominence in Disney-Gulag of America. On stage and in films long-standing prohibitions against portraying the person of "Jesus" have been forgotten. Sensationally popular musicals present blasphemous parodies of His life. The "Jesus Movement" which is largely charismatic in nature, spreads spectacularly among teenagers and young people. The crudest form of Rock music is "Christianised" at mass "JESUS-ROCK" festivals and "Christian" tunes for the first time in a century become the most popular in the land. And underlying this whole spectacle of sacrilege and absolutely unenlightened worldliness is the constantly reiterated expression of everyone's expectation and hope: "Jesus is coming soon."

Henrik R Clausen said...

Here's a fixed link to The Avoidable War Part II.

dienw said...

I am deeply horrified that we in the United States were a party to this slaughter of Serbs. I am enraged that my government media participated the coverup of Muslim atrocities and the real aggressors.

And I am further angered by the awareness that the damned bastards who did this are still in control of the relevant bureaucracies and the media. I can only conclude that this government is not only pro Arab it is also pro Muslim.

Furthermore, I am left with the realization that if Barak "The Non-Muslim" Obama becomes President, his administration will carry out these pro Muslim policies even more so. I also expect something like this to begin in this country: not only from the Muslims but from blacks; seeing how deeply they have been mis-educated to hate whitey and their simmering rage being expressed by O' supporters.

If O wins this election, I will be ordering a shotgun over the internet.

@homophobic horse
Your christophobic comments are uncalled for.

Κοινότητα Εκάλης said...

are you sure? Turks suppot McKein, Obama is the only guy, along with Joe Biden that has called the patriarche as "ecumenical". Obama gets lot of money from greek and armenian lobbies, while turks are funding McKein

Anonymous said...

Henrik, that link still isn't working for me...

Henrik R Clausen said...

Natalie, which link? I posted two, and they both work for me.

I'll send you them in email.

Anonymous said...

Both of them go to the same place for me and give me a "Google video error." It's quite strange...

CarnackiUK said...

Henrik,
That 'Pictures That Fooled the World' video was enlightening. I wonder if ITN would still have won its libel action against LM magazine if the footage of ITN crew taken by Serb TV had been made available to the judge and jury.

The parallels with the al-Dura case are striking.

Anonymous said...

Karadzic’s Arrest: Bosnian Myths Rehashed

by Srdja Trifkovic

http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/?p=673

costin said...

it's terrifying to find out how the MSM has been infected with the kind of people that make all this kind of propaganda. It's disturbing to doubt the media everytime they report something. You really can't find out anything if you follow only MSM. it feels like these are democracy's last breathes...

babs said...

Thank you Henrick for the link to the Avoidable War part I. I had actually viewed this about a year ago but, being completely ignorant, I couldn't keep track of the history. Having watched it again, I think I got more out of it. I should watch it one more time...
What disturbes me most is the level of diplomatic and media interference in this conflict. The VERY IDEA that a PR firm was engaged should send up red flags to all making the decisions. I am also very troubled by the U.S. position. I understand that the U.S. used Yugoslavia as a buffer against the Soviets but, according to this video, basically abandoned them at the end of the cold war. Then, the erstwhile State Dept, who had no real sense of what was happening, came in on the side of the Muslims based on inaccurate media reports and a slick PR firm. I don't want my gov't doing things like this. I am also disgusted by the German gov't who basically set this whole thing in motion.
As an aside, when I see footage of Madeline Albright, I just want to puke. She has to have been the worst Sec of State our country has known for the last 100 years, followed closely by James Baker. What a couple of half wits...
Thank you again and on to part II. BTW, your link to "The Pictures that Fooled the World" also doesn't work for me. I get a Google message that the video is no longer available.

babs said...

I hate to even ask this but... Who is "BN" the people that produced this video?

Henrik R Clausen said...

Glad you like The Avoidable War. Documentation, even if the quality isn't exactly HD video, is precious.

For the broken link, try this alternative to The Pictures That Fooled the World. The audio is a bit worse, but that should not matter too much.

It's weird what goes on at Google Video. Both of the links I posted above still work fine.

I believe BN is a Serbian television station. Which of course invites the charge "Serbian propaganda!" Don't worry, just watch it.

Afonso Henriques said...

Gordon Gordon doo, where are you?