TiM Readers' Forum - January 2000 (Jan. 12, 2000)

logolittle.jpg (9114 bytes)

TiM GW Bulletin 2000/1-4

Jan. 13, 2000

January 2000

TiM Readers' Forum

Your Turn...

California U.S. Taxpayers to Shell Out $100 Billion for Middle East “Peace?”

NETHERLANDS, Jan. 9 - We received the following feedback from Herman de Tollenaere, a TiM reader in Netherlands, who enclosed a report on the Grdelica train bombing by "NATO used doctored video to justify bombing of passenger train," by Ute Reissner. It appears that the crew of that U.S. F-15E had plenty of time to "miss" the passenger train, if that's what their mission orders were. Here's an excerpt:

"First, the video film sped up the actual sequence by a factor of at least three. Second, the fighter plane used in the attack—type F15E—had a crew of two, a pilot and a weapons systems officer. The pilot played no role in directing the bombs and could not have been diverted by that task. In this type of plane the bombs find their own way to the target as soon as the target co-ordinates have been set by the weapons systems officer, who can, however, intervene to stop or divert them.

Festerling (Amd - the Frankfurter Rundschau reporter who broke this story), pointed out that status signals giving technical information and a running clock normally shown on such videos did not appear on the videos shown to the press public by Clark. Festerling explained:

“According to the video 2.3 seconds elapse from the time the train clearly enters the field of vision to the time the bomb strikes home. This implies the train was travelling at 300 kilometres per hour. If one assumes, for the purpose of making calculations, that the train was actually traveling at 100 kilometres per hour (a figure which is probably far too high, bearing in mind the antiquated state of the Serbian rail system) the video [shown by Clark] is running at least three times faster than real time. This means the weapons systems officer had at least 6.9 seconds to react, instead of 2.3 seconds—which Clark, in his presentation, had reduced to ‘less than a second'."

TiM Ed.: "At least 6.9 seconds" is also an understatement. A 100 km/hr speed in such a mountainous terrain as is the Grdelica Klisura [Klisura means CANYON (!) in Serbian], is indeed grossly exaggerated (as you can see from the next TiM reader comment). Which means that the F-15E weapons systems officer had several orders of magnitude more time on his hands before firing the missiles, than Gen. Clark had asserted. In other words, it seems that the Grdelica train strike was a case of PREMEDITATED MASS MURDER. One of many. But read on, and then form your own opinion about that…

SERBIA, Jan. 9 - We received the following comment from Dejan Veselinovic, a TiM reader from Serbia, whose wartime exploits the TiM readers also had a chance to see during NATO's bombing of Serbia (see S99-98, Day 72, Update 1, Item 5, June 3). Mr. Veselinovic is an expert on use of computer technologies' for TV and video purposes, and is a columnist on such IT topics:

“I read with interest the transcription of the news conference regarding the speeded up films used by NATO… Well, I've heard some BS stories in my time, but this one gets the cake! In essence, those crackpots tried to hoodwink the reporters by technical mumbo-jumbo. Now, that's to be expected, but it's also to be expected that what they say should at least measure up to the truth in some points - as it is, it's a whole lotta bunk!

At one point, one guy says the speed-up occurred because the footage was played at normal speed, but was previously compressed and frames were dropped. Rubbish! In compression, frames are NEVER dropped. Compressed, yes, colors reduced, yes, pixels dropped, yes, but frames? Never, ever!

Basically, you cannot drop frames because if you do, you loose the basis for reconstructing compressed frames. What will you use to recreate previous and subsequent frames? How will you recreate anything, if you miss date in the bit stream?”

TiM Ed.: Mr. Veselinovic also enclosed some technical-looking images in support of his assessment. But the best thing for the ‘video techies’ among our readers is to just visit his (Serbian language!) Web site - http://www.profibajt.co.yu - and then check them out for themselves.

SERBIA, Jan. 9 - We received the following comment from Peter McCallum, a TiM reader from Australia:

“Thanks for the article Bob ( On the speeded up film). Clinton and Blair are the enemy of all English speaking people. They are making enemies of our allies abroad, and conducting gross treason at home in the UK and US. The media are the reason they are able to remain in power. The world will not be safe until they and their kind are removed from office permanently.”

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 - We received the following comment from Darren G. Sarvis, InfoEdge PC (Political Corruption), a long-timeTiM reader, who sent our report on to his own followers:

“If you read 3 of the 10 (some get 100 messages a day like myself a while ago until I trimmed this thing out) things you receive on the Net, make this material below by Bob Djurdjevic, the top reading. Flag this message if you need to get back to it later. Thanks to Bob for his persistence to get the truth out to all. If this is a duplication, excuse it and send the duplication to a friend.”

CALIFORNIA, Jan. 9 - We received the following comment from Angie Carlson, a long-time TiM reader from California:

“NO WORDS, NONE, to describe the emotions of such a grieved mother. She did her best, but her pain is deeper than her words. As a mother of three, right now, I have none. I have known several mothers who have lost loved ones in diabolic conflicts. I could only listen in silence, in deep sadness--no words of consolation are ever adequate. There are no sufficient words in any language, to describe this evil of the U.S. against the world. But the chickens are coming home to roost as we speak. The U.S. will not escape her awful sins, her murder against the people of the world.”

CALIFORNIA, Jan. 9 - We received the following comment from Ron Seibel, also a long-time TiM reader from California:

“The letter from Stela was quite moving. Now she should do something AMERICAN. SUE SOMEBODY! Find a Serb-friendly attorney in USA and bring suit against the US Forces, Bill Clinton, NATO, the usual shotgun approach.

They might just try to settle out of court. What basis? The train was not a military target. Civilians were bombed. Just an idea.”

“I'll pass on your message, Ron. But we doubt that Stela can afford to be "American." She is barely able to feed herself and her two kids on her TV reporter's salary. But I have some other ideas about how to get some justice at least, which may involve some "pro bono" lawyers, too.

And just think, Ron. Stela's was just one story. There were over 2,000 such civilians killed by NATO's bombing, plus 524 Serb soldiers, and 33 who are reported missing. That's a lot of computer icons...” (to paste up on a lot of Pentagon and NATO computer screens).”

U.S. (state not known), Jan. 9 - We received the following comment from Barbara Zelwer, evidently a new TiM reader:

“Stela's letter was forwarded to me by a friend. That you for making it available. It is strong and very beautiful - as well as terrible. I would like to tell Stela that she and her daughters will be in my thoughts and prayers. Thank God for people with souls!”

MINNESOTA, Jan. 6 - We received the following comment from Heli North, a TiM reader from Minnesota:

“Bob, you said that 85% of the Russian people hate the US* (and I presume that to be the government of the US). You need no clue as to how many people here in the US hate the same government. The only people who don't are those who are in ignorance of the truth or those who are profiting from their cozy criminal relationship therewith. Therefore it might be said that enlightened Americans have more in common with Russians who practice mental hygiene than they ever could with the minions of the NWO. Truth will (come) out, and when it reaches critical mass those traitors of the highest order will run for cover on a scale heretofore unknown to mankind. Happy New Year.”

TiM Ed.: *Actually, that’s what a Russian TiM reader said whom we quoted in the subject piece. With that as a preamble, here’s our reply:

“Amen to all you've said below, Heli. That's what I've been also preaching around the world: ‘Patriots of the world unite.’ The enemy is not another patriot from a different culture - all of which we respect and admire, as long as it is not FORCED upon our culture. The enemy is our abusive, plutocratic NWO governments. They don't want us to have or be proud of our culture. Only work as obedient slaves in a globalist world which they get to control. Well, they've got another think coming...”

GERMANY, Jan. 12 - The following is an excerpt from a letter we received from Ronald (surname withheld, but known to TiM), a TiM reader from Germany:

“First of all a happy New Year to you, Mr. Djurdjevic! As you correctly prophesized, there was no Millennium Bug. Some of my peers did indeed expect strange things could happen perhaps Russia nuclear arsenal could go black. But nothing happened not even to my 486 computer running Windows 3.11.

Why am I writing? Because I believe that through Vladimir Putin's nomination, a great change would happen in balance of power. Because in Germany you also get similar distorted media information as in other countries, I can hardly make out a picture of this new president of Russia. But his visit to his troops in Chechnya on the first day after New Year's Eve left a strong impression upon me.

To me who is an admirer of great leaders like Frederick the Great, I think Putin is the personification of Russia's resurrection. Similar hopes I had previously laid on General Lebed, however this man has somewhat disappointed me at the end.

I also have hopes that (Pat) Buchanan may become the next President. He is a hard worker and one of very few honest and Christian politicians. I am so sorry that we don't have any of that sort in Germany, only corrupt liars in the SPD and CDU pointing fingers at each other. Germany is not that democratic, because people who come to the point are ‘appreciated’ by NWO's hate press, and lawsuits are filed against them. That is Germany 2000!

Why would a 22 year-old student of computer sciences, living in Germany be interested in Russian politics and the Kosovo problem? Well, I have actually had a connection to the Russians when I was still living in Bangkok, as a student at the International School. When I was 13, there was a Russian boy in that school, about two years younger than me, the son of the Soviet cultural attaché. The American kids and others liked to call him “a Russian bastard,” and beat him up. Once I went and helped him, which made me quite unpopular at school.

(Afterward), I learned the friendliness of the Russian people, (which) certainly contradicted the Hollywood stereotype of the communist robots… My father who made it to a highly decorated Waffen-SS Obersturmführer (Lieutenant) in World War Two, faced the Russians in many mortal and gruesome battles, and later took part in the Normandy Offensive (against the Brits). He certifies the Russians’ very high courage. These people will never go down. The Serbs, as a brother nation, also have these same virtues… (Is that another reason why both of these Slavic nations are in the crosshairs of the NWO - see “Two Faces of Globalism: A Tale of Yin and Yang; of Princes and Paupers" - TiM Ed.).

During that time (NATO’s bombing of Serbia, TiM Ed.), I was, thank God, out of the German army… Maybe it was Providence! But I was first of all happy that I did not have to serve these swines, like Scharping, Solana or Schröder; these draftdodgers who can only fight children, old people and women. These cowardly bastards! I was always wondering why the blue funks act most brutally and gruesomely.

I tried to volunteer to serve in the Yugoslav army, because I had intensive military training and wanted to help in any way I can. The Yugoslav consulate however then told me that he was very impressed by my intentions, however it was unquestionable that I could become Yugoslav serviceman, with German passport. But he thanked me for moral support.”

TiM Ed.: As you may recall from our wartime Special TiM Bulletins, a number of Americans, none of Serbian descent, and some of them German-Americans, had also volunteered to go and help Serbia. We are running this excerpt from a much longer letter written by this young German, in part, to show our Russian and Serb readers that honorable Germans are not their enemies; that the Slavs should no more fall for the anti-German stereotypes in their home countries, than we, in America, should swallow the Hollywood’s and the NWO media’s anti-Serbian, anti-Russian or anti-German (WW II) propaganda.

The best thing that could happen for world peace would be if the Western Europeans were were to join their Orthodox Christian brothers and sisters in Russia, Serbia, Greece, and elsewhere... and unite against a Godless, materialistic, Marxist-communist New World Order being imposed upon the free world by the anti-American Clinton administration. Lest we forget, the capital of the Evil Empire moved from Moscow to Washington during the 1990s.

AUSTRALIA, Dec. 31 - We received the following feedback from a TiM reader in Australia who is known to TiM, but who asked that his/her name not be used if we publish the letter, since that person is employed by the Australian government):

“I received your latest Truth in Media Bulletin (“Cavorting with the Enemy [Albright],”) and all I could say, it's brilliant. God bless you!

I also would like to point out two interesting news from today. Today, SBS Australia announced arrest and charge of the RS (Bosnian Serb Republic) General Stanislav Galic by ICTY (War Crimes Tribunal) for crimes against humanity and specifically shelling of Sarajevo. I visited the ICTY site and all I found are general charges, and nothing specific at all: no numbers and no names. It appears the haunt of Serbian people will continue well into next Century.

I wish to believe that Carla dell Ponte is serious in her consideration to charge NATO. Even if she is serious, we would see her departure very soon. Mr. Slimy, Jamie Shea, announced that NATO does not know anything about it.

As for the SBS they did not mention the ICTY inquiry into the NATO war crimes, but instead added more spice into the General Galic charge by showing the pictures of Markale bombing and stating that Gen. Galic is charged for that as well? ICTY site does not contain that info and I would assume that this is the one of thousands SBS inventions. SBS, supposedly TV for ethnic minorities in Australia is actually worst NWO propaganda machine which demonized on the first place the Serbs, the Iraqi people, Russia, China, Burma, of course Indonesia, and all the others that do not kneel in front of NWO communist/fascist bastards. It is the worst propaganda of all and what bothers me most it suppose to be TV for me.”

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 - We received the following feedback from Alida M. Weber & T.V. Weber, TiM readers in the Washington, DC, area:

“Readers of Shakespeare may recall the play-within-a-play scene in Hamlet, in which Hamlet, who suspects his mother and uncle of regicide, puts on a play showing a similar situation, intended to make the royal couple reveal, by their behavior, whether they are guilty of that crime.

Indeed, Hamlet's mother, with her exaggerated objections, confirms his suspicions, hence the quote, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

In that light, we present an article by Rowan Scarborough that appeared in the Washington Times on Dec. 30, 1999. The behavior of U.S. military officials in response to a "trial balloon" about a possible ICTY probe of NATO bombing during the recent attack on Yugoslavia serves only to confirm that they do, indeed, have plenty to worry about.

This article quotes retired Vice Adm. Richard C. Allen as saying that "any international investigation, if necessary, should be targeted at a country's government, not its pilots." That's a cop-out. Evidence accumulated during the bombing phase of the Kosovo war indicates not only that the NATO governments and high-ranking military are at fault (to say the least), but also that there was, and continues to be, substantial criminal behavior on the part of the rank and file, both of the NATO air attack forces and of the KFOR "peacekeepers." The fact that this misconduct is condoned or encouraged by the NATO governments and high-ranking military does not excuse anyone else who chooses to participate.

Remember, Hitler didn't use his own hands to kill people during the Holocaust. He used other people's hands, and those other people were all too willing.”

TiM Ed.: To read the full text of the Washington Times article, “U.S. denounces U.N. probe of NATO bombing,” Dec 30, 1999, by Rowan Scarborough, you may search the Washington Times archives at: http://www.washtimes.com/ .

And while you’re at it, you may find that the same reporter (Scarborough) filed another story the following day (Dec. 31): “U.N. prosecutor abandons probe of NATO strikes.” Surprise, surprise… (Not!).

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1 - We received the following feedback from Maria Dimitriadou, a journalist from Athens, Greece:

“Hello dear Bob. Congratulations for your work! (I receive your news bulletins). I forward a letter I sent to the editor of the "Globe and Mail" (in Canada). You can use it if you want. Best wishes for the new year!”

“This is a reply to your editorial titled "The world is developing a conscience" (THE GLOBE AND MAIL, Wednesday, December 29, 1999). Since you applaud the gangster-like kidnap of (Gen.) Stanislav Galic, ("the commandos smashed the window, dragged Gen. Galic out of the car and pulled a hood over his head"...) let me ask you some questions:

1. Do you really believe that NATO countries represent the "International Community"?

2. Do you believe that the USA president is some kind of international cop who must punish the "evil ones" by the Grace of God?

3. Do you believe that NATO bombed "Mr. Milosevic's Serbia" because of "his attacks on ethnic Albanians in Kosovo"?

If your answer is "yes", then please let me sell you my old 486 PC for 10,000 dollars. If you buy such fairy tales, you will sure buy my 486 at this price, too!

1. Are you aware of the prejudiced stance of Amnesty International and other so-called NGOs against the Serbs and others?

2. Have you ever wondered why "in Rwanda in 1994, the international community twiddled its thumbs as hundreds of thousands were killed"?

Keep in mind that 'at a UNFPA briefing before the European Parliament in Brussels, demographer Jan Fransen remarked that the AIDS pandemic in Africa is helping to do the work of population control.

Fransen, a former UNFPA representative, told the European parliamentarians that population growth in Africa can indeed be limited by an increase in mortality rates; but warned that no politician could campaign publicly on such a platform.

3. And, since you consider S.Galic a "little brute": What about the BIG BRUTES, like Clinton, Albright, Blair and the rest of their kind? It seems your dearest ICTY has no time to punish NATO murderers - perhaps its members are busy, digging in Kosovo, in order to find the 8.000 bodies they need to justify their calculations of "at least 10.000 dead".

4. And what about the MEDIA BRUTES? No, I don't mean these poor Serbian journalists and technicians that were murdered in the Serb TV building - for humanitarian reasons, of course. (BTW, how would you like YOUR office to be bombed? - just asking). I'm talking about the journalists described by John Swinton:

"The business of today's journalist is to destroy the truth; to lie outright; to pervert; to vilify; to fawn at the feet of Mammon, and to sell the country for his daily bread. You know it and I know it and what folly is this toasting an independent press. We are the tools and vassals of the rich and powerful behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes."

I hope these words mean something to you. Because, you see, the world is really developing a conscience concerning such "prostitutes", and this is not at your interest for sure. Unless if you decide to start developing a conscience too.”

AOL, Dec. 30 - We received the following comment from a TiM reader with an AOL e-mail address who identified himself only as “Dragan:”

“3D---->3V-vassals are on the tour around the world. Truth in Media is my best www-page 2000.”

TiM Ed.: This reader enclosed a collage consisting of images which we published with the subject TiM GW Bulletin - in the form of a Web page (see the photo). Which we suppose this reader then sent “on the tour around the world?”

CANADA, Dec. 26 - Perhaps you recall the subject TiM Bulletin, in which we reported about the Greek doctors being expelled from "Medecins Sans Frontieres" (Doctors without Borders), a French organization which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 1999? And which has just taken out a full-page ad in the New York Times titled “Chechnya” (Jan. 12 - wonder who is financing such “doctors” with a 20/20 PC [politically correct] vision, and with offices in the posh areas of New York and Los Angeles?). The MSF ad, in the form of an open letter to Bill Clinton and Madeleine Albright, lends support to the Chechen terrorists, and attacks the Russian government for its alleged “war crimes” against civilians.

But when war crimes were being committed against the Serb civilians by NATO, killing more than 2,000 people, including many children, and maiming over 7,000 others, this “humanitarian” organization remained silent. Until such time that it “spoke up” by expelling the Greek doctors who acted as real humanitarians, and tried to help the injured Serbs.

Well, we’ve received the following e-mail from a TiM reader in Canada quoting an interview with Dr. Shahid K. Siddiqui, a cardiologist from Napa, CA, published on Dec. 16 at a pro-Islamic Web site - www.iviews.com . Here’s an excerpt from that interview, which our Canadian TiM reader enclosed:

“…When I came back to Tbilisi the following day, they had arranged for a helicopter ride to the border with the health minister of Tbilisi ... Hizir Aldamoz and three leading journalists with TV cameras and everything else -- representatives of local CNN and probably Reuters. In addition there were three individuals in that helicopter with Medicins San Frontiers identification on. The journalists told me they were doctors, but when I talked to them, none of them were doctors. They had brought two boxes of supplies and were just coming along to drop them. And I asked them, "Well Doctors Without Borders are supposed to be without borders; how come they're not working here?" The only answer I, got out of them was: "That's, a very good question."…”

TiM Ed.: In other words, the MSF seem to be a fraud; a propaganda front for the New World Order “humanitarian missions.” And for that, they got a Nobel Peace Prize?

Time may have come to change the name to a Nobel Fraud Prize. There will be no shortage of qualified candidates among the NWO “statesmen,” not to mention the NWO NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organizations), such as the MSF.

California: U.S. Taxpayers to Shell Out $100B for Middle East “Peace?”

CALIFORNIA, Dec. 26 - We received the following comment from a California TiM reader who enclosed the Jerusalem Post (North American edition) Dec. 10, 1999 story which he references here:

“(Check out the) Jerusalem Post Dec. 10, 1999... ‘Picking up the tab’ story. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators assume that the US will pay the estimated $100 billion (as our) cost of a final peace agreement. But as Janine Zacharia finds, Congress may have different ideas. Republican Mark Foley of Florida, “an ardent Israel supporter” (according to the Post), says “no price could be too high." Another source claims that the Israel withdrawal from the Golan Heights will cost the US Taxpayers 20 Billion dollars...”

TiM Ed.: We’ve tried but could not locate this article in the on-line editions of the Jerusalem Post, although we do have its hardcopy version on hand. Maybe because its in the “North American Edition?” Whatever the reason, you may have to hit your local library if you wish to read the rest of it.

MASSACHUSETTS, Jan. 4 - We received the following comment from Eugene Narrett, Ph.D., a TiM reader from Massachusetts (the first paragraph is a quote from the TiM Bulletin):

<< Serbs have an UNDISPUTED legal right to Kosovo, too. And to their centuries old ancestral lands in Bosnia and Croatia. But how much good did that do them, when the NATO gangsters ganged up on them? >>

“I know they do, and I have written many, many columns to this effect, and to the rights of the Serbs, their history and the vicious way they've been screwed after defending their homeland so bravely for many centuries. My columns, and numerous visits on radio to discuss this history and our govt's brutal bad faith helped get my column terminated (in the Metrowest Daily News), and helped make me, first, a ‘persona non grata’ at the College where I was teaching (Framingham State College, Mass.), and then get fired ("non-renewed").

And so the thugs use somewhat different methods and timing in Israel. What the Brits did to them in grabbing and then betraying the Mandate, barring immigration, redemption of land, turning escapees back from Hitler, refusing to allow Jews to own arms to protect themselves from Arab attacks, is not a bombing to be sure, but it encourages Arab wars and daily terror, and the repeated rollback of every victory. Though the methods differ, the malice is the same, if not worse, because Israel, however decrepit its particular gov't (& most of them have been terrible, contemptible and treacherous) is a reminder of and testimony to God Almighty and thus a chink in the putatively seamless facade of the NWO.”

“I'm sorry I've lost the forum to continue that work. Yes, you may mention it and thus it is worth adding that my former editor, Opinion Editor, Richard Holmes, told me that among the reasons that he was firing me was that as a "local columnist" I had "no expertise" to write on foreign events like matters in the Balkans and Middle East. Only official national and international media duly primed by official spokespeople need apply, I guess. They also 'loved' my critiques of abortion, feminism, multiculturalism, the public school blob and the entire Federal octopus.”

NEW YORK, Jan. 4 - We received the following comment from Victor DeWitt, a TiM reader from the Washington area, who initially responded to our TiM GW Bulletin by saying that he’d heard William Safire had been fired because of his column, "Israel's Shame," which was the subject of our commentary, too. As it turned out, it was another New York Times columnist, A.M. Rosenthal, not Safire, who suffered that fate, as Mr. DeWitt corrects himself here:

“I stand corrected on my previous comment to you about William Safire and his (Israel)-China article. I was given an article from the weekly newspaper "The Spotlight" that stated: "Ex NY Times editor A.M. Rosenthal acknowledged in his column Oct. 22 that Israel has been arming Red China. He was promptly fired"... That was the individual that found out what he shouldn't write about too late...”

TiM Ed.: Those interested in the column because of which Abe Rosenthal was supposedly fired, its title was “The Deadly Cargo,” and it’s still available at the Times Web site, along with Rosenthal’s farewell column, published on Nov. 5, 1999 - “Please Read This Column!”.

Bottom line? You can get fired in this “land of the (former) free” merely for expressing “wrong” opinions, despite our First Amendment freedom of speech guarantee, and the Supreme Court’s ruling that there is no such thing as a false opinion, only false facts.

CALIFORNIA, Dec. 26 - We received the following comment from Penny Ferguson, a TiM reader from California:

“Your ‘Truth in Media’ has been a tremendous education for me, and I note today, mention again of Pat Buchanan fighting NWO demons almost single-handed on presidential campaign trail... Blessings to your marvelous work for a warrior in the trenches of Satan's front yard, the San Francisco Bay Area…”

MASSACHUSETTS, Dec. 18 - We received the following comment from David Davidian, a TiM reader from the Center for Regional Studies in Massachusetts:

“I have read many reports from TIM, but I have never read such a pile of falsifications as in TIM's 12/5/99 Bulletin (our correspondent is referring here to a letter from a former Russian officer which the TiM published in our December 1999 TiM Readers Forum). If required I can respond, line by line, to each charge made in this "Russian's" report. However, I will attach a human rights report dated Oct. 1992, that is neither of Armenian nor Azerbaijani origin, that addresses the entire issue.

Just as a brief response, it was Azerbaijan who asked to be part of NATO by offering a NATO base in Azerbaijan, who supports Chechen rebels, and whose oil will flow through Turkey -- not through Armenia or Russia! I urge you to read my attachment, if indeed, truth is the goal.

TiM Ed.: Since the truth is indeed our goal, we did read the very voluminous report (146K bytes!), which was actually dated Sept. 29, 1991 not Oct. 1992, as Mr. Davidian states above. The significance of these dates is that in Sept. 1991, the Soviet Union was teeter tottering but still in existence. But by Oct. 1992, the U.S.S.R. had already collapsed, and both Armenia and Azerbaijan were independent countries.

“In February 1988 in Sumgait, November 1988 in Ganja and January 1990 in Baku, pogroms were held against the Armenian communities in these cities. Over one hundred Armenians were murdered in atrocious circumstances. There is no doubt that these pogroms were partially organized, and there is equally no doubt that they could not have been organized without participation of the local authorities and the KGB. In all three occasions, the local police and available Soviet forces intervened only after several days of idleness.

The juridical follow-up of the pogroms has been highly unsatisfactory. There are claimed to have been important numbers of investigations, but their quality is doubtful. A handful of incidental malefactors have been sentenced while the responsibility of KEG- and Communist Party officials has been ignored.

-400.000 Armenians fled Azerbaijan in 1988, 1989 and 1990, as the pogroms and the refusal of the authorities to offer protection to them made it impossible to stay. No indemnization was received, nor has the government of Azerbaijan made any effort to safeguard the Armenians' return.

- In November-December 1988, after having been victim to mounting discrimination and harassment, 167.000 Azeris hastily left Armenia, having well-founded fears that their situation could not but deteriorate. During their flight, tens of Azeris were killed by Armenians. Robbed of their possessions, 63 Azeris didn't survive the crossing of the mountains in very cold conditions. Although the Armenian government has made a considerable effort to give the refugees indemnization for their lost properties, this has not been satisfactory in all cases.

The Armenian authorities acknowledge only 23 cases of murder during the flight of the Azeris. The Azeris claim 134 cases.

-Both the Armenian and the Azeri population of Mountainous Karabakh are victims of terrorism. Cars are attacked and their drivers murdered, shepherds are killed, cattle stolen and hostages taken. Ever since 1988, the authorities have deliberately refrained from protecting Armenian villages against attacks by Azeri paramilitary groups. They have taken no measures against the development of these groups and have thus provoked the formation of similar Armenian formations and promoted the generalization of the use of arms. Through their biased passivity, the authorities have undermined the possibility for law and order to exist in Mountainous Karabakh.

-Over the last four years, many acts of terrorism and banditry have been committed in the border-areas of the two republics involving the killing of dozens of people and the stealing of important numbers of cattle and sheep. Little or no cases have been prosecuted.[...]

-In May 1991, thousands of inhabitants from 23 Armenian villages in the Mountainous Karabakh district of Hadrut and sub-district of Bertazor were forcibly driven out of their houses by OMON- and MVD soldiers. There are attempts to make Azeris live in the deserted villages, but they are irregularly attacked by Armenian paramilitary groups.

-In May 1991, Soviet-troops attacked Armenia, killing 24 Armenian policemen and borderguards. Il borderguards were incarcerated in Lachin and later in Shusha. They were severely tortured and sexually abused.

-Equally in May 1991, 423 Armenians in Mountainous Karabakh were arrested during massive round-ups. They were brought to the Shusha state-prison where they suffered beating and maltreatment designed to obtain their signatures on prefabricated confessions.

-After the deportations, 47 inhabitants of Getashen and Martunashen were incarcerated in the Ganja state-prison for several weeks without any form of process. They suffered daily torture.

-Mass-media in both republics serve as propaganda instruments for narrow nationalist attitudes and make no effort what so ever to explain the feelings and opinions of the other side.”

TiM Ed.: And now here is also an excerpt from a fairly lengthy comment about the above report from our initial Russian correspondent:

“Of course, I would be glad to respond, including to this so-called "Human Rights' Watch" attachment. The same human rights' scam which accused Serbs of massive "slaughter of Albanians" (especially drug dealers and terrorists), stood as dedicated watchdog on guard for NATO's genocide, and, finally, allied itself with most disgusting Chechen banditry by singing under their tune and conducting.

Yes, the only valid point Armenian side may have it is 26th of February, 1988 massacre of Armenians (estimates tell 36 have been murdered) in Sumgait by somehow freed from the jails Azeri's criminals--this did happen and no one denies it. Yet, somehow, all previous activity in Karabakh seems to be overshadowed by this tragic accident but there is much more to it than even Sumgait's tragedy […]

By opinions of some very competent people, even the tragedy in Sumgait was not such a simple case--but this we leave to archives and consciousness of those people who could perpetrate this crime.”

“Hi BOB. Just a short one to wish the best for the new century. Reading your news features and opinions has been of the highlight of what has been a tough year for me. THANKS AGAIN! BEST WISHES from Joe.”

“Happy New Year!!! 2000!!!! May God bless you and yours in the coming new year.

I send my sincere GREETINGS for you in the coming year and would like to thank you for all you have done for our common holy cause. You have truly blessed me with your friendship. Sincerely from Siberia.”

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - From Russell Gordon, an American ex-pat now living in Argentina, who sent us this photo of the Orthodox Christmas service he had attended there, along with the traditional Serbian Christmas greeting, “Hristos se rodi!” (Christ is born!), and the following note: