CROWN - Croatian World Network

Croatia's Gordan KozuljWon

Croatia's Gordan Kozulj won the men's 200m backstroke in 1:58.70 to retain his title ahead of Austrian Markus Rogan and Croatia's Marko Strahija while Austria's Mirna Jukic won the women's 200m breaststroke ahead of Germany's Anne Poleska and Sweden's Emma Igelstrom.

Op-ed

Anybody alse Croatian?

NB

Van Almsick world 200m record
August 04, 2002

BERLIN: Germany's Franziska van Almsick has set a world record of 1min 56.64sec for the women's 200m freestyle at the European swimming championships here to put her tribulations of recent years firmly behind her.
The previous mark of 1:56.78 was set by the 24-year-old at the world championships on September 6 1994 in Rome.

Van Almsick's career had appeared to be on the wane in recent years after she shot to fame as a 14-year-old, missing a freestyle 200m gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

She similarly missed out four years later at Atlanta and at the the 2000 Games in Sydney she left the arena in tears when she failed even to qualify for the semi-finals of the 200m butterfly.

There, she also failed to reach the women's 200m freestyle final and went home having failed to add a first gold to a total of seven individual Olympic medals.

Indeed, until these championships, she had gone seven years without an individual title.

But "Franzi" was smiling again after edging out Romania's Camelia Potec and Alena Popchanka of Belarus.

Her success gave her a fourth title here after the 100m relay, the 4x100m and 4x200m.

She was tearful at the end and said she hadn't even enjoyed the experience.

"I felt bad the whole day," she told fans after mounting the winner's podium. "Everyone was talking about the record except me."

Van Almsick will now target more success in the 4x100 medley which would take her European gold medal total to 18.

In 1993, she won six disciplines. Thomas Rupprath gave Germany another success in the men's 100m butterfly, beating Ukrainians Andriy Serdinov and Denis Sylantyev to the line.

Rupprath timed 51.94sec to take the title by 0.23sec and add to his earlier win in the 50m backstroke.

Croatia's Gordan Kozulj won the men's 200m backstroke in 1:58.70 to retain his title ahead of Austrian Markus Rogan and Croatia's Marko Strahija while Austria's Mirna Jukic won the women's 200m breaststroke ahead of Germany's Anne Poleska and Sweden's Emma Igelstrom.

For Igelstrom it meant she waved goodbye to the chance of a hattrick having won the 50m and 100m titles.

The German men's 4x200m relay team failed to add to their country's haul as the Italian quartet pipped them to the line with Greece taking a surprise third place.

Russian star Alexandre Popov set the best heat time in the 50m freestyle with the final his last chance to keep up his run of always managing at least one gold at the Euros.

Agence France-Presse Š News Limited

Ivan Ljubicic, fromCroatia, WINS

Ivan Ljubicic, from Croatia, reacts after he upset tenth-seededRoger Federer, from Switzerland, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, in a first-round match at theTennis Masters Series Cincinnati tournament Monday, Aug. 5, 2002, in Mason,Ohio. (AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)

Distributed by CroatianWorld

Mr. Gallagher´s Commentary - www.antegotovina.com

30.7.2002

The Big Story

Brian Gallagher

In 1995, a documentary was screened in the UK regarding Croatia`s Operation Storm. The
documentary had an anti-Croat bias, and detailed American assistance to Croatia in a
disapproving manner. Amongst many pieces of information, a former deputy commander of the
US army in Europe informed us that Croatia would not have taken its actions without "explicit"
approval from the United States. It was also alleged that a meeting was held on Brioni island
between a Croatian General and a representative of Military Professional Resources Incorporated
to discuss MPRI`s role in the upcoming Operation Storm as well as confirmation from General
Martin Spegelj of US involvement. Further, the bias of the documentary raises questions about
why the UN were portrayed in a sympathetic light, despite their known pro-Serb stance.

The Croatian World Congress (CWC), a UN affiliated NGO, recently submitted a p! aper to the
Carla Del Ponte - the Hague Prosecutor - and the UN, outlining much evidence from the media
about US support for Operation Storm. The CWC thesis is that if General Gotovina is guilty of
ethnic cleansing, then so is the United States. The CWC pointed out that it believed that neither
the United States nor General Gotovina or indeed Croatia itself was guilty of any such crime.

The document is comprehensive. However, I was surprised that there was no mention of the UK
documentary "Secret Warriors", part of the then documentary series "The Big Story" which was
screened in 1995. Fortunately, I have a video copy of this documentary. Viewing it, it was clear
that there is much evidence here of US military and intelligence assistance to Croatia that appears
to have been overlooked.

The documentary begins by detailing American spy plane activity. It relates how Americans
appeared on Brac in November 1994, guarded by plain clothes Croat policemen. A tourist hotel
was specially opened for them. A daily routine was described of the Americans travelling to the
local airstrip. GNAT 750 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) flew from the strip. David Fulghum of
Aviation Week, considered this to have been a "Tier 1" CIA observation programme.

A former US Marine Colonel, Lt.Col. Roger Charles, who had a military intelligence role in the
Pentagon co-ordinating the US UAV programme, also gave his opinions on the matter. He stated
that given the Croatian involvement in helping the American team on Brac, there could be no
doubt that the Croats were receiving intelligence themselves from the UAV programme. Such
intelligence would be vital to the Croatian military.

Former Croatian Defence minister Martin Spegelj also took part. He sated that he could almost
guarantee that such information was made available to the Croatians and Bosnians, which, with
their own information was used for Operations Lightning and Storm.

The documentary then turned its attention to the role played by Military Professional Resources
Incorporated (MPRI), the private US company which provides top level military advice to clients
by retired elite US military personnel.

MPRI apparently were based in a building in the Croatian Military Academy in Zagreb. The Big
Story team were shown around the academy. That MPRI`s activities were in line with US policy
was shown when the Big Story asked the Colonel guiding them about the MPRI area. The Colonel
- secretly filmed - informed then that they could not be allowed into the building because "it
would have to be cleared by Ministers Susak and Perry". Perry being the US Secretary of Defence
at the time.

The Big Story also claimed that top MPRI representative, Carl Vuono, a former US Army Chief of
Staff, met with General Zvonimir Cervenko, - described as the architect of the Croat offensive - on
the island of Brioni a few weeks before Operation Storm. It was alleged that the purpose of the
meeting was to see how MPRI could support Operation Storm. The source of the meeting
information was, apparently, from within the Zagreb academy, which seems curious.

The importance of American involvement was underlined by two of the documentary`s
participants. Martin Spegelj stated that MPRI assistance to Croatia was "fundamental to
everything". Extremely significant, were the words of General Charles Boyd, former Deputy
Commander US Army Europe 1992-95. He clearly stated that the Croatian offensives could not
have taken part without the "explicit" approval of the US Government.

The documentary did not mention General Gotovina at all, which is a bit odd given the Hague
prosecutor`s apparent belief of his masterminding - with "others" - all the crimes he is charged
with.

Regardless of the anti-Croat tone of the documentary, all the above does confirm that Operation
Storm was effectively a joint operation with the United States, who gave it the nod. If the
Operation Storm was used as an ethnic cleansing exercise, than logically the US was directly
involved. Such an allegation is absurd of course. It is very well known that the Serb leaders
organised the evacuation of their own people in order to shore up the Serb position in Kosovo and
Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Hague tribunal is very well aware of this - the prosecutor mentioned
the plan in the opening of the Milosevic trial.

Something must be said about the tone of the documentary, which was highly anti-Croat. Crimes
against Serbs - which indeed are to condemned - were detailed. The United Nations peacekeepers
were regarded as impartial, kindly people. There was no mention of the fact that one third of
Croatia was occupied. No mention of the ethnic cleansing of over 200,000 Croats or the slaughter
of up to 20,000 of them that Serbian forces had committed. Nothing of how the Serb leadership
organised the evacuation of their own people.

There was certainly no mention of the UN`s mandate of returning refugees, of re-integrating
territory or of disarming military forces. This was no doubt due to the fact that the UN failed to
carry out its mission.

Remaining Croats continued to be ethnically cleansed and murdered under the UN`s nose. Indeed,
the UN allowed the `Krajina` Serbs to bombard Croatian cities and even to invade Bosnia to
attack Bihac - itself supposedly UN protected.

All this contrasts somewhat with the picture of the UN portrayed in The Big Story. If The Big
Story considered the US to have been involved in a `massacre`, then surely it must also consider
the UN complicit in mass murder and ethnic cleansing on far greater scale then the US? Perhaps
they missed the real Big Story.

By its use of selective facts, the programme - broadcast on a station that has a public service remit
- failed to inform its viewers of the full context of events, and thus why Operation Storm took
place. No doubt because the viewers would have sympathetic to the US actions. One also
wonders whether the Croats who gave of their time to the documentary were told it was going to
be hostile to Operation Storm.

The timing of the documentary was also curious - during the Dayton talks. Dayton was an
American affair. No doubt this chafed with many in the UN and indeed London and Paris. Their
policy was effectively to legitimise Serb gains; foiled by the Americans. One wonders who it was
who tipped off the The Big Story about US involvement, and what their interest was.

The biased tone of the documentary was demonstrated by its last words, uttered by someone
called Jeffrey Laurenti, of the United Nations Association. Of the Croats he said, "Americans now
cannot restrain them. They`ve created a little monster, and these guys are ready and raring to
go". The fact that Croatian Army has not been in action since those words were spoken
demonstrate clearly the mentality of this documentary.

Whatever the motives of the documentary, it does provide evidence of the US involvement in
Operation Storm, further demonstrating the Gotovina indictment to be a disguised attack against
the United States, as well as being supportive of the UN position - and thus effectively being in
the interest of those that wanted a Greater Serbia.

(C) Brian Gallagher

Yugoslavia says it will not withdraw its forces from the border with Croatia

STORM 2003 ?

Op-ed

Are they asking for another Storm? Croatia should take it's own land as soonas possible. War REPARATIONS would stop them in EVEN thinking of attackinganybody EVER. International body should make sure that Serbia (Yugoslavia), ifhaving them at all, keep their arms 75 Kilometers from Croatian border. PERIOD.They produced terror and misery in the last century, therefore should be placedin a position of military inferiority. With a law or with a force, whatever ittakes. Get a life !

Nenad Bach

CROWN

Friday, 2 August, 2002, 15:16 GMT 16:16 UK
Yugoslavia sticks to its guns

Yugoslav soldiers still patrol, seven years after the war

Yugoslavia says it will not withdraw its forces from the border with Croatia despite calls for the area to be demilitarised.

Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic was responding after an appeal by Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan for troops to be removed.

This follows an incident where Yugoslav soldiers fired on a boat carrying Croatian officials towards a disputed island on the River Danube.

The island is controlled by Yugoslavia, but Croats have property claims there.

Sarengradska Ada - an uninhabited island of forests and fields covering about 900 hectares (2,220 acres) - is one of a number of disputed border areas.

Yugoslavia is planning to replace its troops along the border with a new security force, but this has been delayed.

Correspondents say Sunday's incident is an indication of how tense relations between the two countries remain, despite a recent diplomatic thaw.

Stalled plans

The Yugoslav foreign minister rejected a call for troops to be removed from the Sarengradska Ada area, saying that in line with regulations it will be secured by the army.

Ivica Racan: Not satisfied with personal apology

Mr Svilanovic said plans to replace the army with a special force, perhaps border police, had been put on hold while negotiations continue over the future of the two republics which make up Yugoslavia - Serbia and Montenegro.

The existing federation is due to be replaced at the end of the year by a new union.
No-one was hurt in Sunday's incident, and the Croats involved were released after being interrogated. Croatian officials said they had been on their way to the island on a trip pre-arranged with Serbian representatives.

Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic phoned his Croatian counterpart to offer a personal apology for the incident, but Mr Racan said this was not enough and demanded a public apology.

Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, leading to a bitter conflict with Serbs within Croatia who were opposed to the secession.

Croatia also backed forces opposed to Serbia in the Bosnian war.

Yugoslavia has controlled Sarengradska Ada since war broke out, but people from Sarengrad, in eastern Croatia, say it belongs to Croatia.

Better Humor Then Tumor

Bolje Humor Nego Tumor

Moj najveci doprinos koji sam dao arhitekturi je da se istom ne bavim.
My biggest contribution to the architecture is that I never worked as an architect.

Oto Reisinger

STORM OLUJA

1995 - 2002

4. kolovoza 1995.
Digla se "Oluja"

U zoru, u pet sati, digla se oluja koja je pomela "krajinu" u samo cetiri dana. Hrvatska vojska i redarstvo poceli su oslobadjati tzv. sektore Sjever i Jug na bojisnici dugoj 700 kilometara, dok su elektronski mediji prenosili poruku predsjednika Republike Hrvatske dr. Franje Tudjmana gradjanima srpske nacionalnosti kojom im se jamce sva prava, a pripadnike paravojnih postrojbi poziva na predaju, nudeci im amnestiju. Hrvatske gradjane srpske nacionalnosti poziva se da ostanu kod svojih kuca i docekaju hrvatsku vlast.

5. kolovoza
Oslobodjen je Knin

Oko podneva objavljena je vijest: hrvatske postrojbe usle su u Knin! Knin je oslobodjen! Na kninskoj se srednjovjekovnoj tvrdjavi konacno zavijorio dvadesetmetarski hrvatski stijeg, javio je Hrvatski radio u vijestima u 12 sati.

6. kolovoza
Predsjednik Republike Hrvatske dr. Franjo Tudjman u Kninu

KNIN, 6. kolovoza (Hina) - Predsjednik Republike Hrvatske dr. Franjo Tudman stigao je danas u 16 sati i 30 minuta u stari hrvatski grad Knin, nakon nesto vise od 24 sata koliko je proslo od velicanstvena ulaska hrvatskih vojnih i redarstvenih snaga u srediste Knina, izvijestila je Hrvatska televizija (HTV) u vijestima u 18 sati. Predsjednik Tudman pozdravio je i nakratko porazgovarao s pripadnicima svecano postrojenih postrojba 7. i 4. brigade Hrvatske vojske koje su prve usle u Knin.
Prije nego se zaputio u obilazak grada Knina, predsjednik Tudman je, komentirajuci velicanstvenu pobjedu Hrvatske vojske, izjavio:
"Oslobadanje Knina znaci vise negoli samo osvajanje hrvatskoga podrucja i hrvatskoga grada. Znaci stvaranje uvjeta za stabilnost hrvatske drzave za stoljeca unaprijed."

U Predsjednikovoj pratnji su, javljeno je, njegova supruga Ankica Tudman, ministar obrane Gojko Susak, general pukovnik Ante Gotovina te zapovjednik kninskoga Zbornog mjesta general pukovnik Ivan Cermak, potpredsjednici hrvatske vlade, predsjednik hrvatskoga Sabora dr. Nedjeljko Mihanovic te brojni drugi hrvatski duznosnici.
7. kolovoza

ZAGREB, 7. kolovoza (Hina) - Vojna operacija "Oluja '95" u bivsim sektorima 'sjever' i 'jug' je zavrsena, a ustavno-pravni poredak i nadzor nad tim hrvatskim podrucjima danas u 18 sati potpuno su uspostavljeni, izjavio je ministar obrane Republike Hrvatske Gojko Susak na vecerasnjoj konferenciji za novinstvo Informativnog stozera Politicke uprave hrvatskog Ministarstva obrane, sedmoj od pocetka operacije. Akcija je pocela 4. kolovoza u 5 sati i za 84 sata Hrvatska vojska i policija ostvarile su svoj zadatak i stale na medunarodno priznate granice Republike Hrvatske, izjavio je ministar Susak.

Source: NYCROATS.com

Student widens her horizons in Croatia

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/July/29-2107-news3.txt

July 29, 2002

Student widens her horizons in Croatia, Italy and Greece

MOHAVE VALLEY - The valedictorian from River Valley High School's class of 2000 found out this summer that she doesn't know it all.

Nichole Loman, 20, said "I learned that the world has a lot more to offer than the tiny world that we grew up in, it was interesting to see how different people live and their cultures."

Loman learned these things while studying abroad in Croatia, Italy and Greece for five weeks this summer. She took the opportunity to study abroad with Arizona State University (ASU) honors program, earning six upper divisions honors credits.

"I really wanted to study abroad and I needed the honors credits, so I thought why not get credits and see the world," she said.

Loman paid for the trip by herself, waitressing between classes to earn the money.

The two topics of the classes for the 28 ASU students were the "memory and identity in the modern Mediterranean and "encounters with the divine, ancient and medieval Mediterranean."

According to Loman the classes weren't set up in a college-like structure.

"We had our classes in museums, parks, churches and archeological sites. They (the professors) would teach us about the history of the area we were in, the Christianity and how the country came to power," she said.

Classes were held two days a week for two hours a day. Throughout the trip the students had to write four responsive essays. Before receiving a final grade each student has to write two ten- pages essays that are due during the up coming school year.

Besides studying, the students were encouraged by the professors to explore the countries.

"It was so nice to have long weekends to experience the culture and the people. We never had to go and do tours, we got to choose what we wanted to see and do," she said.

Loman took the opportunity to see ancient sites including the Parthenon, Delphi, St. Peters Basillica, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Spanish Steppes, the Vatican and Pompeii.

According to Loman one of the highlights of the trip was the food.

"We ate a lot! All the food was really good - expect for the food in Greece. It didn't have a lot of flavor so we had to squeeze lemon on everything there to taste good," she said.

After visiting the three countries, Loman said Croatia was her favorite.

"Croatia was very different than I expected. I thought it would be like the images I saw on TV; a war torn country with poor people in the street. It was so beautiful, it had gorgeous beaches and the people were so nice. It was so relaxing and not at all what I was expecting," she said.

After making friends, seeing new places and learning about cultures very different from her own, Loman has plans to study abroad again soon.

"I have plans to go back in the spring to study a semester over there. I am hoping to study in either Glascow, Scotland, or Dublin, Ireland, so I can eventually earn my international business certificate," she said.

Loman will be a junior at Arizona State University this fall. She is majoring in business and is planning to pursue a career in international marketing.

ALKA

Croatia

New Country

Old Civilization

Sun Aug 4, 2002

Croatian knight Denis Gugic celebrates after winning at the 287th traditional Alka Festival at
Sinj, Croatia, Aug. 4, 2002. The Alka Festival involves competitive knights jousting at high speedin this colourful and folkloric celebration, to the support of thousands of spectators. This annualfestival dates back to a victory against the Turkish invading army in 1715. (AP Photo/BozidarVukicevic)

Croatian knights stand in line before they start to run the Alka competition at the 287th
traditional Alka Festival in Sinj, Croatia, Sunday Aug. 4, 2002. Alka involves competitive knightsjousting at high speed in this colourful and folkloric celebration, to the support of thousands ofspectators. This annual festival dates back to a victory against the Turkish invading army in1715. (AP Photo/Bozidar Vukicevic)

Na 287. Alki u Sinju na 4. kolovoza 2002. godine okupila se ponosna, pobjednicka, prkosna,europska / civilizacijska, viteska Hrvatska. Kazu (mediji), desetak tisuca dusa. Najprominentnijipocasni gost bio je princ Karl von Habsburg s obitelji. Mnogi oporbeni politicari i saborskizastupnci, hrvatski generali, zupani, gradonacelnici, dr. Zvonimir Separovic... Mnostvonovinara, od poznatih Josip Jovic, Josko Celan, Jeffrey Kuhner... I puno lijepoga svijeta.

Viteski je Sinj jako jako lijep gradic. Otkrice, u svakom pogledu.. U malom parku pored crkve isamostana osim drazesne fontane nalaze se i tri biste istaknutih Sinjana: s jedne je strane bistapisca Dinka Simunovica, s druge akademika Stjepana Gunjace, a u sredini bista Dusana Zanka,istaknutog kulturnog djelatnika (1904.1980.) Iz Sinja je i Miko Tripalo, ali i dr. fra Mirko Covic,Mikin gimnazijski profesor, kasnije becki emigrant, koji je nenadano umro u Becu na dan Titovasprovoda!) Grad, vitesko natjecanje, konje ... to treba vidjeti i dozivjeti.

(ra)

Announcing: Traditional Lace from the Island of Pag!

    During the summer of 1979, Pam Kelley and Melissa Obenaufhad the privilege of living on
the island of Pag for a short period of time while they were studying dance andfolklore through
the Ljetna Skola Folklora. The idyllic town of Pag with its centuries oldbuildings, juxtaposed
against the azure blue of the Adriatic Sea and the white stone, formed deep andlasting
impressions on the two women. They saw many of the women of Pag sitting outsideof their
houses, engaged in the art of making lace---exquisite lace which is renownedthroughout the
world, lace that has been referred to as comparable to or even better than, thefine lace of Brussels.
This needle lace, which it is also known as, is made on a small, blackcushion with ordinary
mending needles. It is always geometrical, and it is always created without adraft or plan,
making each piece unique and different, the product of the lace-makersimagination. Each piece of
this lace requires endless hours to make, an unending reserve of patience, akeen eye, and steady
hands.
    Each lace-maker first defines a small circle, and tiny holesare then made that are situated
several millimeters apart. The thread is then pulled through each of the littleholes, and 8 thread
sticks are then spread diagonally across the pillow. After the base or circle isset, then small
circles and triangles (called mendulice) are created outward from thiscenter. Pag lace is
characterized by its firmness; in fact, it seems as if it is starched---and itdoes not lose this
firmness upon washing it.
    Our exquisite lace from the island of Pag is presented underglass against a dark background
and is framed, ready to hang. We also include a description of the art of Paglace-making on the
back of this framed work of art.

Visit us at www.croatiagifts.com to find out more about this new item at our webstore!
Heart of Croatia also has many other fine Croatian products available.Visit us soon!

Melissa Pintar Obenauf
obenaufm@alink.com
www.croatiagifts.com
Toll Free: 877-906-8314

Izrael i SAD na strani generala Gotovine

Israel and USA DefendsGeneral Gotovina

SUD I POLITIKA: HRVATSKI ZAPOVJEDNIK OPTUEN
U HAAGU STEKAO SAVEZNIKE KOJI TIME BRANE I SEBE
Izrael na strani generala Gotovine
Tko bi mogao donedavno i pomisliti da ce Izraelci i Amerikanci cvrsto stati iza haakog bjegunca generala Ante Gotovine, daleko jace i intenzivnije nego to je iza njega stala vlastita drava. Svima je jasno: i medunarodno pravo je relativna stvar
Poznato je da je politika stvar interesa, a kad se interesi udrue, nacija i drava nemaju nikakve veze, cak i neke nespojive stvari postaju i te kako zajednicke. Tko bi mogao donedavno i pomisliti da ce Izraelci i Amerikanci cvrsto stati iza zasad jedinoga hrvatskoga haakog bjegunca generala Ante Gotovine, daleko jace i intenzivnije nego to je iza njega stala vlastita drava.
Svima je bilo jasno da je pitanje medunarodne pravde relativna stvar, a sada bi domacim politicarima trebalo postati jasno ono to je svakom pravniku poznato jo sa fakulteta: da je i medunarodno pravo takoder relativna stvar.
Pitanje je aktualizirala polarizacija interesa oko stalnog medunarodnog kaznenog suda, ali i mogucnosti da osim vojnika budu procesuirani americki politicari u sklopu sadanjeg suda za ratne zlocine na podrucju bive Jugoslavije u Haagu.
Obrana iz The Jerusalem Posta
Mogucnost procesuiranja na Stalnom kaznenom sudu osim Amerikanaca muci i Izraelce koji ratuju vie od tri desetljeca, a prema svemu sudeci nastavljaju rat do daljnjega. Tako The Jerusalem Post opravdava izraelsko odbijanje stavljanja autograma na ratifikaciju Rimskog statuta za stvaranje Medunarodnog kaznenog suda (MKS) i to rijecima:
"Ako jo itko sumnja u to da je izraelska vlada postupila mudro kada je odbila ratificiranje, onda bi trebao zapamtiti imena Ante Gotovine i Jonathana Randala, dvojice veoma razlicitih mukaraca koji imaju veoma slican problem".
Isti list za ilustraciju objanjava kako je Gotovina general HV-a koji je vodio operaciju Oluja koja je ucinkovito okoncala srbijansko-hrvatski rat, a Randal je umirovljeni reporter Washington Posta koji je od haakog tribunala (ICTY), UN-ova tijela koje ce zamijeniti MKS, dobio sudski poziv kako bi pruio dokaze protiv jednog bosanskog Srbina. Ti slucajevi, tvrde Izraelci, ilustriraju potencijal za politicku i moralnu neodgovornost pri MKS-u.
Ono cega se hrvatski dunosnici u interesu drave nisu dosjetili da plasiraju barem neslubenim kanalima u javnost, jednostavno plasira nitko drugi do Izrael! Tako, isti list objanjava kako Gotovinu terete za zapovjednu odgovornost za napad koji je rezultirao bijegom dvjesto tisuca Srba i ubojstvom njih 150 iz podrucja Krajine.
"Znaci li to da je on proveo operaciju s ovim ciljem na umu? Teko: Gotovina nije optuen za zlocine koje je sam pocinio, a svi dokazi upucuju na to da je Operacija Oluja paljivo osmiljena uz pomoc Amerikanaca, tako da se civilnom stanovnitvu da dovoljno vremena da pobjegnu iz tog podrucja i da se tako minimalizira broj rtava.
Gotovinin zlocin je zapravo taj to je organizirao kampanju u kojoj je koritena golema vojna sila kako bi se ispunio vojni cilj", objanjavaju svijetu i nama iz The Jerusalem Posta.
Medutim, otkud vjetar interesa pue jasno je iz sljedeceg dijela teksta istog autora: "U slucaju generala Gotovine to znaci zatvor zbog toga to je bio uspjean vojni dunosnik koji je dobio svoje bitke izbjegavi prouzrociti masovne civilne rtve. Moemo samo zamisliti to bi ovo znacilo za Izrael s obzirom na nedavno provedene vojne akcije protiv palestinskog terorizma; karantenu za Izrael i stalnu opasnost od uhicenja za nae vojno osoblje i rezerviste kada putuju u inozemstvo".
Nespretni Haag
Spomenutim Amerikancima, poznatijim pod sintagmom "svjetski policajci", nikako ne odgovara mogucnost da itko od njihovih dravljana bude procesuiran izvan SAD-a, a kako se brane interesi svoje zemlje, cak i kad su u suprotnosti s bilo kakvom zdravom logikom, Hrvati trebaju uciti od njih.
Strah da ce americki dunosnici i vojnici biti procesuirani zbog sudjelovanja u UN-ovoj mirovnoj misiji nadilazi prijetnju Bushove administracije za ukidanjem mirovne misije u Bosni konstatirali su americki novinari i zakljucili kako je prijetnja samo dio spora u koji je ukljucen UN-ov Stalni Kazneni sud koji je nastao po modelu Haakog suda za bivu Jugoslaviju.
Najbolnija cinjenica je vijest kako Haaki tribunal razmatra jesu li osnovane optube protiv biveg predsjednika Clintona i njegovih suradnika zbog pomaganja i podupiranja operacije Oluja.
Cijelu lavinu pokrenuo je Hrvatski svjetski kongres (HSK) kada je glavnoj tuiteljici Carli del Ponte uputio podnesak o postojanju informacija koje ukazuju na krenje medunarodnog prava, zahtijevajuci od nje pokretanje istrage protiv Billa Clintona i ostalih visokih dunosnika njegove administracije zbog "pomaganja i podupiranja hrvatskog generala Ante Gotovine i hrvatske vojne akcije poznate pod nazivom operacija Oluja".
U to se uklopio nespretan odgovor glasnogovornice Tuiteljstva Florence Hartmann na pitanje o mogucnosti otvaranja istrage protiv Amerikanaca: "Mi radimo temeljem istrage koja je u tijeku".
Uz biveg americkog predsjednika na popisu se nalaze i imena biveg savjetnika za nacionalnu sigurnost Anthony Lakea, njegova zamjenika Samuela Bergera, veleposlanika Richarda Holbrooka i biveg americkog veleposlanika u Hrvatskoj Petera Galbraitha. U podnesku HSK navedene su uglavnom javne cinjenice koje su opcepoznate, a ukazuju na to da je Amerika pomagala i podravala operaciju Oluja.
Pet dana prije pocetka te operacije u britanskom The Observeru objavljeno je kako su americki dunosnici Hrvatima dali "zeleno svjetlo", to je i sadanji predsjednik RH indirektno potvrdio u razgovoru za njemacki Der Spiegel, 7. kolovoza 1995. godine. U istom podnesku navedeni su i clanci magazina Newsweek u kojima je objavljeno kako je CIA uspostavila svoju bazu unutar vojne baze HV-a kraj Zadra.
Odgovornost UN-a
[See the attached file]Tamo su bile bespilotne letjelice kojima je snimana cijela operacija Oluja, a videozapisi su prenaani u Pentagon. Te snimke CIA je davala upravo generalu Gotovini radi to uspjenijeg provodenja akcije.
Amerikanci su uz obavjetajnu potporu pruali i zracnu potporu akcije jer su prvog dana Oluje napali poloaje Srba u blizini udbinskog aerodroma, stoji u dopisu HSK. Ta nevladina udruga pri UN-u tvrdi kako su, ako je general Gotovina kriv, krivi i Amerikanci koji su ga pomagali i podupirali, ali je podnesak Carli del Ponte upucen s namjerom da ukine optunicu protiv Gotovine.
Taj primjer "prinudnog" solidariziranja Izraela, Amerike, i ostalih zainteresiranih strana oko slucaja Gotovina vjerojatno je samo pocetak polarizacije miljenja oko interesnih sfera vezanih uz primjenu kaznenog prava u medunarodnim okvirima.
Uskoro bi netko mogao u sklopu svojih interesa, a moda i trebao, potegnuti pitanje kaznene odgovornosti UN-ovih snaga koje su, kako svi dobro znamo, cuvale muslimanske enklave Srebrenicu, Focu i Gorade u istocnoj Bosni.
Svojim necinjenjem definitivno su pridonijeli da srpske snage neometano ubiju desetak tisuca Bonjaka. Zbog toga je, recimo u Nizozemskoj, vlada koja je bila svjesna moralne odgovornosti dala ostavku. A postoji li i kaznena odgovornost za omogucavanje zlocina, jo nitko nije upitao Carlu del Ponte.
Bisera LUIC i Neven PAVELIC

CORIC: AKO SU KRIVI NAI, KRIVI SU I AMERIKANCI
U telefonskom razgovoru za Slobodnu Dalmaciju, predsjednik Hrvatskog Svjetskog Kongresa, dr. imun ito Coric objasnio je kako smatra da ce podnesak tuiteljici u kojem se za krenje medunarodnog humanitarnog prava optuuje biva americka administracija skinuti ljagu s operacije Oluja i dokazati kako nije bila rijec o etnickom cicenju.
- Ta akcija dovela je do Daytonskog sporazuma i to je prva pobjeda protiv Miloeviceva reima. Ako su navodi iz optunice protiv Gotovine istiniti, onda nema sumnje da treba suditi i Amerikancima jer su s njime sudjelovali u istom poslu, kazao je dr. Coric i dodao kako je stav HSK da hrvatske snage i americki dunosnici ne bi trebali biti predmetom haakih optunica, jer su tom akcijom uspostavili preduvjete potrebne za potpisivanje Daytonskog sporazuma i izravno pridonijeli zavretku rata.

JEFFREY KUHNER, ZAMJENIK GLAVNOG UREDNIKA
WASHINGTON TIMESA, O HAAKOJ ISTRAZI:
Zapovjedna odgovornost za Oluju je na - Clintonu
S obzirom na to da je prvi objavio podatke o mogucnosti da Haaki sud pokrene istragu oko uloge Clintonove administracije u akciji Oluja, kontaktirali smo zamjenika glavnog urednika Washington Timesa, Jeffreya Kuhnera. On nam je precizno odgovorio kada je i kako dobio potvrdu od strane haakog tuiteljstva o pitanju provodenja istrage oko bive americke administracije.
- U petak 7. srpnja oko otprilike 1:30 poslijepodne po ovdanjem vremenu pitao sam Florence Hartmann namjerava li tuiteljstvo optuiti Billa Clintona i ostale americke dunosnike o pitanju operacije Oluja i njezin tocan odgovor bio je: Mi radimo na temelju istrage koja traje. Zatim je naglo prekinula razgovor.
Sada pak tvrdi da nikada to nije rekla, to je potpuna la. Razgovarali smo ponovno u srijedu 10. srpnja u isto vrijeme i rekla mi je da je ljudi oko nje smatraju krivom zbog komentara koji je dala. Stoga, ona sada ocito osjeca potrebu da demantira ono to mi je ranije kazala.
elim biti potpuno jasan: Mi u Washington Timesu ponosni smo na cinjenicu da radimo u jednoj od najutjecajnijih i uvaenih novina na svijetu i nikada ne bih nikoga krivo citirao ili iskrivljavao rijeci bilo koga. U potpunosti stojim iza svoje price - naglaava Kuhner.
On smatra da je podnesak Hrvatskog svjetskog kongresa stavio ured glavne tuiteljice u Haagu u svjevrsnu klopku: ako potvrde da se vode istrage oko dunosnika Clintonove administracije, navuci ce na sebe bijes slubenog Washingtona. Ako, pak odbiju istraivati ulogu americke administracije oko americke pomoci akciji Oluja, onda ce mnogi od americkih saveznika u Europi biti uznemireni jer ce biti vidljivi dvostruki standardi.
- Kljucna uloga Washingtona u davanju politicke i diplomatske pomoci u operaciji Oluja nije javna tajna samo u Washingtonu, nego i u svim europskim metropolama - tvrdi americki komentator.
Na temelju njegova istraivackog rada, a tu ukljucuje i razgovore s visokim hrvatskim casnicima, americkim dunosnicima, Srbima iz Knina i djelatnicima hrvatskih nevladinih organizacija, Kuhner pojanjava da postoje vrlo jasni problemi oko optunice za generala Antu Gotovinu.
- Teorija da general Gotovina moe biti optuen na temelju zapovjedne odgovornosti predstavlja presedan za americke kreatore vanjske politike. Jer u krajnjoj liniji, Clintonova administracija dala je zeleno svjetlo za pokretanje akcije Oluja. Ako itko nosi tu krajnju "zapovjednu odgovornost", onda je to Clintonova administracija - rezultan je americki novinar.
- To predstavlja znacajan rizik za americke nacionalne interese i sposobnost slubenog Washingtona da ostvari svoje ciljeve. Takoder, akcija Oluja nije bila samo legitimna obrambena operacija hrvatske vojske da bi vratila podrucja koja su okupirali Srbi, nego je u velikoj mjeri pridonijela ostvarivanju americkih interesa u regiji, poraavajuci Miloevicevu ideju o stvaranju etnicki ciste velike Srbije - procjenuje Jeffrey Kuhner.

THE GAZETTE - MONTREAL - MONDAY, JULY 22, 2002

U.S. backed Croatian general's offensive
JEFFREY KUHNER
_____________

General Gotovina is not a war criminal, but a patriot who helped to secure Croatian territorial integrity.

ZAGREB - Croatia is in the midst of a political and economic crisis. The current rulers, a center-left coalition elected in early 2000 on a platform of economic reform, have been a disappointment to most Croat voters. The popularity of Socialist Prime Minister Ivica Racan has dropped dramatically in recent months, leaving many analysts here predicting that early elections will be called this fall or next spring at the latest.

Many observers hoped that the election of Racan's leftist coalition would lead to a Quiet Revolution in Croatia. The current government was swept into power, riding a wave of popular enthusiasm that sought to end the country's growing international isolation during the 1990s, when it was governed by the late President Franjo Tudjman.

But Racan's regime has failed to implement the free-market reforms needed to stimulate the sluggish economy. In fact, the economic situation has worsened since the Tudjman years. Unemployment has doubled to nearly 25 per cent, foreign investment has dried up and the government has failed to scale back the bloated bureaucracy.

But more important for many voters has been the coalition's decision - not yet implemented - to hand a Croatian General over to the Balkans war-crimes tribunal in the Hague. General Ante Gotovina's case has been largely overshadowed by the trial of former Serb strongman Slobodan Milosevic, but it could in the end be far more consequential.

It has already caused mass outrage here and triggered a political crisis, and it raises the possibility that former president Bill Clinton and other top U.S. officials will be facing war crimes charges as well.

Gotovina was indicted in June 2001 by the prosecutor's office at The Hague on charges that he exercised "command responsibility" over a 1995 military operation that resulted in the expulsion of 150,000 ethnic Serbs from Croatia. On Aug. 4, supported by the Clinton administration, Croatian forces launched a massive, three-day military offensive known as Operation Storm, which recovered territories that had been occupied by rebel Serbs after the Croatia's drive for independence in 1991.

Gotovina is not accused of committing or ordering war crimes, but simply of being in charge when alleged atrocities were committed. By this standard, the United States, which provided military and technical assistance to Operation Storm in order to deliver a decisive defeat to Milosevic's genocidal goal of forging a "Greater Serbia," is also guilty.

Washington's involvement in the operation was not only legitimate, but significantly advanced U.S. interests in the region by putting an end to Serbia's expansionist ambitions. Yet American support and approval for the military offensive means the indictment against Gotovina could lead to the prosecution before The Hague tribunal of Clinton and other high-ranking U.S. officials on charges of having command responsibility for alleged war crimes that were committed during the operation. The prosecutor's office is now examining whether to investigate Clinton and former ambassador Richard Holbrooke for their role in Operation Storm.

The Bush administration has become increasingly concerned with the implications of the Gotovina case for U.S. officials. They are now urging that the tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla del Ponte, send back cases involving Croatian military officials to the domestic courts in Zagreb. But Del Ponte has refused to co-operate, demanding that Gotovina be arrested and sent to The Hague. That would be a mistake.

Gotovina is not a war criminal, but a patriot who helped to secure Croatia's territorial integrity from the clutches of Serbian revanchism. Even Serbian human-rights activists who have looked into Operation Storm believe that the indictment against the general is unjust.

Most of the crimes that were committed - the murder of 500 civilians, the looting of property and the burning of 400,000 homes and barns - happened after the operation, when the recovered territories fell under the control of local police forces. Moreover, the local Serbs who remained behind after the operation have testified that most of the crimes were perpetrated by returning civilians - not by the Croatian Army.

Contrary to its expectations, Zagreb's decision to hand Gotovina over to the tribunal has not bolstered its pro-Western credentials; rather, it has shaken the Croatian public's confidence in the government's ability to defend the country's war heroes. Vowing to protect the general at all costs, nationalist parties have been making substantial gains in the polls in recent months. Racan would be wise to reverse himself and demand that Del Ponte drop the Gotovina indictment. If not, he faces the possibility of spending the rest of his political career on the opposition benches.

Jeffrey Kuhner is an assistant national editor at The Washington Times.