HEADLINES

Athens                     1. Greece Keeps U.S. Marines at Bay - Literally!

Phoenix                   2. Some Reader Reactions to "Communist

                                   Media - Then and Now"

Washington (state)      2.1 Light of Hope in Darkness of America

Hawaii                          2.2 How Lenin Conquered America I

Oregon                         2.3 How Lenin Conquered America II

Virginia                        2.4 "Brain Dead" Friends

Illinois                           2.5 How About a Duranty Prize?

Phoenix                 3. The Untouchables - Then and Now: Belgrade's

                                  Garbage Heroes

Phoenix                 4. Some TiM Reader Reactions to the

                                 Washington Speech

Phoenix                 5. Who's Stopping?

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1. Greece Keeps U.S. Marines at Bay - Literally!

ATHENS, June 9 - The on-again, off-again, arrival of 2,500 U.S. Marines at the Greek port of Thessaloniki is off again. The Greek government has decided to keep the U.S. marines at bay - literally - announcing June 9 that it will wait for a peace deal to be sealed before allowing the marines bound for Kosovo to pass through its territory, government officials said on Wednesday.

"The marines will be allowed to pass the minute the peace talks are completed. This force must have the character of a peace mission and nothing else," a senior official told Reuters in Athens.

The marines are on three U.S. Navy ships which were supposed to dock near the northern city of Thessaloniki on Sunday or Monday, but witnesses said they had stayed well offshore. Once the marines disembark, they will be taken on buses or helicopters across the border to Macedonia to reinforce NATO's peacekeeping force there.

A government source said Washington was putting pressure on Athens at a very high level to allow the marines through. "We have made it clear to the Americans that, if no peace is signed, there will be no more troops passing through Greece," the source said.

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TiM Ed.: The tough stance which the Greek government has adopted despite the U.S. government pressure is all the more admirable since Greece is a NATO country.

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2. Some Reader Reactions to "Communist Media - Then and Now"

PHOENIX, June 10 - We have been gratified and overwhelmed by the outpouring of appreciation and support from TiM readers to our piece "Communist Media - Then and Now" (see S99-102, Day 75, Item 2, June 6). We wish to thank all of you who have written to us, and have selected excerpts from some of your letters to share them with all TiM readers:

2.1 Light of Hope in Darkness of America

WASHINGTON (state), June 7 - "Bob, you have been the Light of Hope in the darkness of America in this 75-day struggle! You have brought to the attention of all Lovers of Freedom and Liberty in America and the World the plight of Yugoslavia in this dreadful conflict.

In my Senior year of high school in 1966, we had a Saintess of a teacher in Senior English who somehow managed to pass a curriculum by the school board in which we studied all the great national epics for the different ethnic groups. Each student had to choose a different national epic and deliver a full 50 minute oral report, with about 25 students in the class---so this lasted for weeks

In 'The Song of Roland,' (France) and 'The Niebelungenlied,' (Germany), the French stopped the Moors at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD, and Roman and German troops stopped Attila the Hun two centuries earlier. But only since this war started, I have begun to realize the Serbs contribution to European civilization in their defense of Christianity versus the Ottoman Empire.

I am no 'Turk hater', either. The primary murder investigation I was involved in as a criminal investigator for the US Army was the La Belle Discotheque bombing in 1986 (in West Berlin), in which an attractive young Turkish girl had half of her face blown off in bombing - this also taught me to hate bombs - bombers are cowards!

Your superior and exemplary journalistic work in this horrific war shines like a star in the best American tradition of the Free Press. You are the Thomas Paine and the William L. Shirer of the 1990's!"

Victor Anton Wallenius, Washington (state)

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2.2 How Lenin Conquered America I

HAWAII, June 8 - "Thanks Bob... for Then and Now!! P.S. I passed PoliSci 101 (test).

As Dimitri Manuilski, of the Lenin School of Political Warfare, so succinctly expressed it in 1933:

'War to the hilt between communism and capitalism is inevitable. Today, of course, we are not strong enough to attack. Our time will come in thirty to forty years. To win, we shall need the element of surprise. The bourgeoisie... will have to be put to sleep.

(THAT'S US, American people, too! - my input. GN).

So we shall begin by launching the most spectacular peace movement on record. There will be electrifying overtures and unheard of concessions. The capitalist countries, stupid and decadent, will rejoice to cooperate in their own destruction. They will leap at another chance to be friends.

As soon as their guard is down, we shall smash them with our clenched fist.'

Still think there is no threat to 'America' from within?"

G.N., Hawaii

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2.3 How Lenin Conquered America II

OREGON, June 8 - "Bob, thanks for your... GREAT Quiz on Communism. Have studied communism since the 50's, so I could know the enemy. You're dead on with your view of the brain-dead populace here.

Even those who know what's going on and what is wrong, are too lazy or afraid to rock the status-quo, never even comprehending that's exactly how Lenin expected to take over the U.S."

Ray Grace, Oregon

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TiM Ed.: Mr. Grace also enclosed a copy of the complaint which he had sent to the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague, charging the NATO leaders with war crimes. His complaint said, among other things:

"...Today, as a concerned American, I am obligated take a stand against International Terrorism as performed by the US led NATO forces against the former Yugoslavia. If the NATO high command is not brought before the International Justice court, to pay for this terrorism, then "International Justice" will have become an oxy-moron, and we will have to seek forgiveness from those condemned at Nuremberg.

By this letter I hereby request that the leaders of the NATO aggression, including, but not limited to W.J. Clinton, President of the United States, his senior staff, such as M. Albright and W. Clark, et al, as well as the various NATO leaders in Europe, be charged and indicted for war crimes against the civilian population of FRY (Former Republic of Yugoslavia), against other nations (and embassies) where 'errant' bombs / missiles caused death and destruction, and against the International Community as a whole.

These criminal terrorists have plunged the world into a new midnight of terrorism, in which innocent civilians are targeted by super-power nations. The purpose for such imposition of terror is obviously the coercion into slavery of everyone who fails to obey said terrorists. The ultimate end of this type of action can only be worldwide chaos and anarchy, or worldwide war and destruction on a level never before conceived."

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2.4 "Brain Dead" Friends

VIRGINIA, June 8 - Bob, I'm a regular visitor since about day #25 of the war on Serbia, and I heard you speak at both of the D.C. protest rallies (May 1 and June 5).

Your piece today on 'Communist Media Then and Now' brought tears to my eyes. I've copied it to share with friends who, though well-educated intellectuals, do fit your description of 'brain dead.'

My interest in the alternative media began with Clinton's presidency, as it was clear from the start of his first term that the mainstream press was covering for his incompetence.

Prior to the war on Serbia, I considered myself a right-wing conservative. Once the war started, and particularly after the Chinese Embassy bombing, I began reading the left-wing press and discovered that I am not really right-wing after all, but merely a common-sense person who objects to America of the multinational corporations, by the multinational corporations, for the multinational corporations. Both right- and left-wing critics of the American status quo make very valid points and deserve to be heard.

Unfortunately, despite a burgeoning information business in this country, most of the media outlets are owned by a handful of corporations tied closely to the defense and banking businesses, so the voices of dissent are either muted or completely silent.

The difference between Democrats and Republicans, I now realize, is mainly trivial. There is really no representative of either the right or the left in our mainstream political discourse.

(TiM Ed.: Also check out "Demo Farce and the American Century" - a November 1996 Djurdjevic column published by the Washington Times).

The 'bipartisan' approach to the war on Serbia and the overwhelming Congressional approval of a massive increase in military spending to assure our continuing world hegemony, illustrate that point perfectly.

We have been told that Serbia is headed by a dictatorial strongman, that people there know only what they are told through state-controlled media outlets, and that their approach to politics is not democratic. We have been told that Serbia is a brutal, repressive regime that commits atrocities against civilians. We have been told that the Serbs have the means to engage in chemical or nuclear warfare, and will do so if provoked.

Alas, it is all too clear that we - America - are talking about ourselves. America the Beautiful has become America the Terrorist Superpower. Shame on us. Thank you for your work. God bless."

Sylvia Arkes, Virginia

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2.5 How About a Duranty Prize?

ILLINOIS, June 8 - "Very good! Thanks for making the juxtaposition, and thanks for coming to America to help hold the line here.

'Samizdat.' One of my long time favorite words. A word that I have recognized as a vital necessity in America for many years. As in the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia many years ago, Samizdat is our only real hope in America. We have degenerated that far.

And, of course, you are a component of Samizdat once again. As is the Internet, talk radio, various "conservative magazines," myriad newsletters, even the British press, etc.

Clinton is NOT a political genius, he's a garden variety thug. But, he's the Major Media's boy and they will fight to the bitter end to cover for him for ANY transgression.

By the way, here's a suggestion for you -- initiate a periodic Walter Duranty memorial award. Duranty was the Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times journalist who consistently covered for one of history's greatest killers, Joseph Stalin. (I think Mao might be the only competition Stalin has for that 'honor.')

A Duranty Prize could make a lot of different and important subtle and not-so-subtle points. The idea is yours if you like; no pride of authorship on this end. Just a small satisfaction of making a small contribution to the ongoing battle."

John Howland, Illinois

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3. The Untouchables - Then and Now: Belgrade's Garbage Heroes

PHOENIX, June 8 - As you might suspect, we've also received many supportive comments about the "Communist Media - Then and Now" from the Serbs, both in Serbia and in the Diaspora. Two of them, one from Belgium and another from Belgrade, tickled this writer's old memory cells about an incident which took place during the Belgrade students' uprising in 1968. So we told them about it.

Thought you may be also interested in it as a sort of a "P.S." to the original column:

BELGRADE, June 1968 - Get a rebel talking and press the right buttons, and there will be many memorable scenes which can rush to mind from the 12 day-Belgrade student uprising in June 1968, during which at least three students were killed and hundreds injured.

Of course, neither the Belgrade nor the western media ever reported such "stealth casualties." Just as is the case today with NATO's "stealth casualties."

But perhaps the most touching scene which has been etched in this writer's memory is not a violent one. It happened on a June 1968 morning, just before dawn, outside of the College of Architecture and Engineering Buildings in downtown Belgrade.

Since we (Belgrade students) feared infiltration of our ranks by the communist government agents, we had closed off the university buildings to all outsiders, and had posted up 24-hour student guards outside each entrance. No one was allowed to enter without showing the student picture ID.

One day (I am sorry, but I don't remember the exact date), I happened have been in charge of the student guards during the night shift. As the dusk turned to dawn, the usually sleepy Belgrade did its usual thing in those days. Trucks from various food-producing companies around the city began delivering food and drink for the student guards.

Not that we were hungry or thirsty, mind you. It was just another one of those solidarity gestures, along with the honking of the horns by cab and passenger car drivers later in the day, and the ringing of the bell by the streetcars.

Suddenly, a garbage truck pulled up in front of the university building. From it emerged a man in his 40s.

"Who is in charge of the student guards around here?," he asked.

"I am."

"Here," he said, handing me some bills which then represented probably more than half his monthly salary.

"What's this for?"

"For you."

"For me?"

"No. And yes. It's for you and your friends, the students."

I tried in vain to talk this Belgrade garbage collector out of his generous donation, especially after learning that he was a father of four kids. But he was insistent.

Finally, he relented after I had told him that his intent was as valuable as the deed; that God already knew it; and that I would make sure all of my student friends did, too.

Which is what I did. And am still doing, 31 years later.

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BELGRADE, June 8, 1999 - Upon learning about the above incident, Dejan Veselinovic, a TiM correspondent from Belgrade whose "human interest" report you had a chance to read in S99-98, Day 72, Update 1, Item 5, June 3, replied:

"Even now, the garbage collectors have shown themselves to be the Untouchables, even without Elliott Ness (1903-1957 - a Chicago FBI agent who went after Al Capone, and was later glorified in the movie the 'Untouchables.'). NATO planes are buzzing overhead, dropping bombs on Pancevo, Batajnica (Belgrade suburbs), and garbage collectors are dilligently working away not only as if nothing is the matter, but even more efficiently than before, during peacetime. Makes me want to suggest to NATO leaders that, from now on, they should only threaten them!" J

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4. Some TiM Reader Reactions to the Washington Speech

PHOENIX, June 10 - We were also gratified and overwhelmed by the TiM readers' support of the Washington, DC, speech delivered on June 5. Here is a small selection of some of the comments...

"Bob: Bravo! Your Pentagon speech was magnificent! So much so I will run it in Wednesday (today) on the Web: http://www.pvbr.com as our guest editorial.

God Bless you!"

Phil Brennan, Wednesday on the Web, Volume 3 Number 21, June 9, 1999

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"Dear Bob, I just read you moving speech delivered in Washington, D.C. Congratulations and thank you for speaking out so courageously in the name of all those who oppose the war. I also say: Zivela Srbija!"

Janos Fazakas, Hungary

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"Beautiful speech! You pretty well covered all the bases. Thank you."

Ron Seibel, USMC 53-56

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5. Who's Stopping?

PHOENIX, June 10 - Some TiM readers have evidently interpreted our message, "Farewell to Arms" (S99-100, Day 73, Item 4, June 4) as a signal that we may not be publishing any more Special TIM GW Bulletins on NATO's war on Serbia. Well, the five Special TiM GW Bulletins-and-counting... which we have published since that time ought to set the record straight.

All we were trying to say is that we would gradually shift our focus onto other world arenas which we had been neglecting during the press of the NATO war on Serbia.

The following letter from a reader in Spain exemplifies the feelings of many TiM supporters from around the world:

SPAIN, June 4 - "You cannot imagine how important is your task. Your information goes all over the world. When I receive your messages, I pass them on to a group of friends, and they all do the same.

In my country (Spain), the NATO propaganda is very strong and all newspapers and TV are controlled. But despite the lies... instincts make people look for alternative information and feel repugnance for so much 'humanitarian' cynicism and murder.

Courage!"

Jose, Spain

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TiM Ed.: What else, Jose? The war is still going on...

Also, check out... Truth in Media Statement on Kosovo Crisis, "Wither Dayton, Sprout New War?", "On the Brink of Madness", "Tragic Deja Vu's," "Seven U.S. Senators Suggest Ouster of Milosevic", "Biting the Hand That Feeds You", "A Balkan Affairs Potpourri", "Put the U.N. Justice on Trial", "International Justice 'Progresses' from Kidnapping to Murder", "Milosevic: 'A Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery'...", "Kosovo Lie Allowed to Stand", "New World Order's Inquisition in Bosnia", "Kosovo Heating Up", "Decani Monastery Under Siege?", "Murder on Wall Street",  "Kosovo: 'Bosnia II', Serbia's Aztlan",  "What If the Shoe Were on the Other Foot?", "Green Interstate - Not Worth American Lives", "An American Hero or Actor of the Year?" (A June '95 TiM story) and/or "Clinton arme secrètement les musulmans bosniaques"

Or Djurdjevic's WASHINGTON TIMES columns: "Chinese Dragon Wagging Macedonian Tail,"  "An Ugly Double Standard in Kosovo Conflict?", "NATO's Bullyboys", "Kosovo: Why Are We Involved?", and "Ginning Up Another Crisis"

Or Djurdjevic's NEW DAWN magazine columns: "Washington's Crisis Factory,"  and "A New Iron Curtain Over Europe"