Kurai Tsuki
17th March 2004, 01:55
This book faces an uphill battle; it reveals the nature and extent of American corruption of Eastern Europe and its media bias in covering events of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the breakaway Yugoslav republics. It then relates those to a more general worldwide agenda. It is meant to be read by those who want to see the actions of NATO in Yugoslavia for what they are, not by those who would rather pretend that America's policy of military interventionism has some sort of positive side.
After the introduction, the book begins a history of what has happened in Yugoslavia over the last half-century, such as its success in being an industrialized socialist country and having a good economy. It also discusses when the successions began, Bosnian ethnic cleansing and Albanian violence against Serbs and when the American media started to cover events in that region in a one sided way; I had no idea that there had been so much ethnic violence against Serbs, and I'm glad that Parenti wrote this book because I wonder whether anyone else would have had the courage to say it.
Parenti goes into detail concerning how the Kosovo Liberation Army began to provoke violence in Kosovo to trigger reactions from Serbs, and then how at a diplomatic meeting the United States deliberately drafted a treaty that the FRY would be forced to refuse so that there would be an excuse to attack Serbia. He then describes the brutal bombing policy in Yugoslavia and the disinformation campaign at home. Parenti does not try to claim that Serbian violence against Albanians did not occur, but he does show that an organized campaign of genocide such as the one spoken of by NATO officials was extremely unlikely. He shows that the crimes that did occur were more likely to be revenge killings for the KLA violence against Serbs, and also done while searching for such militants.
The writer not only criticizes the American government and corporate media, but also the public stations like NPR or PBS for failing to be critical of the bombing campaign. Even American left isn't spared.
Finally Parenti compares the American government's policy against a socialist Yugoslavia to its campaign of free market promotion and exploitation which takes place in the rest of the world. He reveals that Yugoslavia was a country that was hated because it put forth an alternative to this model, showing that a country can be successful in with a socialist economy.
Michael Parenti had the courage to assign blame where blame was due for the destruction that took place Serbia and Albania. I would recommend reading this book and spreading the information before the biased view of Yugoslavia that the American media and literary world has not hesitated to push becomes permanent.
After the introduction, the book begins a history of what has happened in Yugoslavia over the last half-century, such as its success in being an industrialized socialist country and having a good economy. It also discusses when the successions began, Bosnian ethnic cleansing and Albanian violence against Serbs and when the American media started to cover events in that region in a one sided way; I had no idea that there had been so much ethnic violence against Serbs, and I'm glad that Parenti wrote this book because I wonder whether anyone else would have had the courage to say it.
Parenti goes into detail concerning how the Kosovo Liberation Army began to provoke violence in Kosovo to trigger reactions from Serbs, and then how at a diplomatic meeting the United States deliberately drafted a treaty that the FRY would be forced to refuse so that there would be an excuse to attack Serbia. He then describes the brutal bombing policy in Yugoslavia and the disinformation campaign at home. Parenti does not try to claim that Serbian violence against Albanians did not occur, but he does show that an organized campaign of genocide such as the one spoken of by NATO officials was extremely unlikely. He shows that the crimes that did occur were more likely to be revenge killings for the KLA violence against Serbs, and also done while searching for such militants.
The writer not only criticizes the American government and corporate media, but also the public stations like NPR or PBS for failing to be critical of the bombing campaign. Even American left isn't spared.
Finally Parenti compares the American government's policy against a socialist Yugoslavia to its campaign of free market promotion and exploitation which takes place in the rest of the world. He reveals that Yugoslavia was a country that was hated because it put forth an alternative to this model, showing that a country can be successful in with a socialist economy.
Michael Parenti had the courage to assign blame where blame was due for the destruction that took place Serbia and Albania. I would recommend reading this book and spreading the information before the biased view of Yugoslavia that the American media and literary world has not hesitated to push becomes permanent.