THE CARGO LETTER [440] - Special Edition

Good Thursday Morning from our Observation Deck...... overlooking the officially designated "Cargo City" area and....... Runway 25-Right, at Los Angeles International Airport, voted ``Best Cargo Airport in North America''. Today, a serious subject. Today, our industry speaks out. If you review anything this month, you MUST read this edition. Our future is at stake.

We were impressed last week at the depth of world wide thought, when our industry spoke out in response to "A Letter From Serbia". You will also be impressed by what our industry has to say.

Today we share these letters from your own colleagues from around the world. This is precious cargo. You will learn many perspectives. Indeed, the oceans of our global transportation & trade industry are quite deep. We even present first party witness accounts of this Kosovo crisis from our reader Jed Shapiro of Transfair Int'l.

Contribute your knowledge, stories & company information ........ by e-mail to The Cargo Letter. We strive to bring you useful information which is timely & topical. Be sure to visit our web site .......... https://cargolaw.com

To post comments or discuss The Letter From Serbia, go to our message board or try our new News Server.

Michael S. McDaniel, Editor & Publisher, Countryman & McDaniel, forwarder/broker attorneys at LAX.

INDEX to The Cargo Letter:

1. A Letter From Serbia

Our "The Kosovo Front" section of the Cargo Law Internet web page has heavy traffic every day. If you type in search terms for this crisis at the major Internet search engines, The Freight Detective will come up in the top ten of the world. Our web page is a leading reference for news of the current crisis throughout the world. We are proud of this accomplishment.

On 17 May, 1999 a young Serb jazz musician from Beograd contacted The Cargo Letter news web page entitled The Kosovo Front. His thought provoking message is set forth below. We all know that slaughter and ethnic cleansing have compelled NATO to take action. We have all followed this disaster to the point of being able to identify "good & evil" in this situation with some ease. But this young Serb does not have the ability to know our own reality of the world while sitting under the bombs. He has only a proud heritage ........ and no CNN from which to hear the truth. In this edition of The Cargo Letter, our readers (YOU) thoughtfully provide their views on the truth to our Serb visitor, Vladimir Maricic.

It would have been so easy for us to just hit the "delete" key or blast back with a review of our U.S. positions, making it clear that the transportation industry must support the Kosovo refugees and that the suffering of Kosovars must stop. Bit this letter from Vladimir Maricic (which we have cleaned up a bit to make readable) from the Serbian jazz musician correctly reminded of brave Serbians rescuing downed American pilots in WW II and of being a loyal ally of the U.S., to an extent even after the Soviet boot had pulled the region down in 1945. Indeed, Vladimir Maricic was correct in much of what he said about the past and otherwise brought tears to our eyes that there is such misunderstanding between nations regarding the present. His message was also quite chilling.

While we do not favor diplomatic action by private individuals, Vladimir Maricic of Beograd will now receive thoughtful answers from readers of The Cargo Letter. We decided to send back some of your statements which properly set forth a wide variety of views, after being witnesses to the horror of this history .......... uncensored news of the sort Vladimir Maricic can't see. This was the one chance for our readers to participate in an important moment in history ........ and the results are stunning. We are very proud to be associated with you all.

Given the potential for such great transport disruption as closure of the Danube River, our The Kosovo Front web site was intended to provide the most balanced view possible, regardless of our own thoughts on the matter. A reader reviews our web site, as follows:

"I appreciate your response to my letter. I am also glad that there seems to be more interest in this situation, and people are beginning to look for answers, or in most cases, questions. After I wrote the letter to (Vladimir Maricic), I visited your web site, and was pleasantly surprised of the different viewpoints available. That, by itself is a great improvement from what most hear on the news.

Vladimir Maricic of Beograd will receive this response at his home in Serbia today, at the very time of distribution to you. We wish him well and God's Grace. We pray for the displaced Kosovars and our NATO liberators. Please, please take the time to read and understand the words of our industry colleagues. There is an ocean of thought below. We are quite proud.

The Balkans have already been the flash point of one world war this century, and they may be the cause of another.

On a personal note, The Cargo Letter has made practice of requesting your views on Int'l issues and our articles in the past. Because we often receive little in response, I was of the mind that "The Letter From Serbia" would wind up as just another unanswered e-mail. Based on what you will see below, however, my pride of association with our industry is both renewed and unbounded. Regardless of whether you agree with each of the Letters To Vladimir, be very proud of our industry voice. We could not post all the letter received, but here are the best, presented in the order received. McD

The Cargo Letter will now withdraw from this fray, our publication being about transportation, not politics. We may be back as the situation dictates. May God protect our men and women in uniform.

We were unable to publish the names of all contributors, given company policies which disallow political comment on the employers e-mail systems.

2. The Letter From Vladimir of Beograd

"I am a serbian. I live in Beograd. I am a jazz musician. I feel no hate to anyone, including You, americans. I know lot of your country, mentality. I have many friends, americans. I recorded a material with some of them, recently (Mr. Alvin Queen, and Mr. Reggie Johnson). I can not beleive that your president, Pentagon, CIA, NSA and others, dont have information about Serb mentality, which is going to be crucial point in Kosovo war!

Do you know that we, the Serbs, never lost war in last 100 years (on our territory)?

Do you know, that in 48 hours we can have a 1000 000 soldiers, well armed, and well motivated (defending their own homes, families)? Do you know for how long Albanien ETREMIST (not people, this is not marketing) are torturing serbian people on Kosovo?

How much do you know about "Bali Combtar" movement (they use to kill american soldiers, too). Do you know how many people was tortured in Tito's time, by Albanien extremists? I think that you dont want to know because its too different from your way of life. Thats why USA is using this sophisticated weapons, not only to save lifes, but to avoide studying the "enemy" (what kind of enemy is simple people in Serbia being bombed every day?). For americans, these questions are history, something none wants to know etc., deep in the past. But, here comes the time (probably) that young americans will come on Serbia ground, to fight, who knows for what. And then, they will need these information, badly. But it's going to be too late. See what your experts say about first week of ground operations. At least, 10 000 dead soldiers. And what then? Than you will realise that it was better to negotiate with us, to be with us, not with the albanien criminals. But, its going to be too, fucking, late. WHY? Just tell me why? Serbian people saved 700 US pilots in WW2. In return, US pilots bombed Serbia in 1944, in april. Whats wrong with these picture? These questions are not easy to answer, but I would like to get somethinf from you. It seems that you know something about all of these questions. So, give me some answers, please.

3. The Transport Transport Industry Responds

"Good stuff this proganda business. But as an english speaking Canadian living in the province of Quebec it chills me to my soul to read in black and white how someone can rationalize their state's behaviour by using the phrases "Albanian criminal", "Albanian extremists" etc. Sorry my friend, these are Yugoslavians just like you. They don't live in Serbia either. You just proved to us the dangers of such intolerance. And just so you get the real world picture, there is no State/Country in the world which is ethnically homogenous.

Yes, there may be Albanian criminals in the past, but, oh yes, that never ending question, what about all the innocent Albanians that have been slaughtered by your leader?

The almost unanimous global outrage directed towards the government of your country is justified. The United States and its NATO allies (let's not forget the Canadians, French, British, Germans, Italians and others involved, shall we?) are attempting to halt Serbian "ethnic cleansing" -- a code word for GENOCIDE. Genocide is a crime against humanity, not just one particular group.

Whatever the history of your country, no matter what good you've done in the past, it does not justify Serbian military action against ethnic Albanian citizens of your country, nor against any of your other countrymen.

The United States failed miserably to shut down the Nazi concentration camps during World War 2. The Roosevelt administration, as supposedly liberal as they were, lifted not one finger to bomb the camps and the rail lines, and I hold them directly responsible for the death of over 11 million people in Europe. They were just as guilty as Hitler and his murderous gang.

We maybe learned a lesson from Roosevelt. And so, as this century draws to a close, the United States and its allies are making good on our promise: "Never Again!" We refuse to allow your people or any other to kill off your neighbors because of what they are. With our Superpower status comes a gigantic human responsibility to those weaker than ourselves. We are exercising that moral responsibility in your country, along with our NATO allies.

We do not hate your people. We hate what your leader is doing. Slobodan Milosevic is a hateful and dangerous psychopath. He is destroying your country. If your people don't realize this and remove him from office, then you are asking for more and more trouble. We have the best air force in the world, except maybe for Israel's. We have the best technology, the best equipment, the best munitions. There is nothing you can do against us. Your country will look like the moon once we're done bombing.

Would you like to stop the bombing? You can, you know. Turn your guns away from your neighbors and against Milosevic. Eliminate him so we don't have to. It would be much cleaner. The bombs will fall until Milosevic does. And once that happens, we will of course rebuild your country. If there's anything left of it.

If you think that you can amass a million people against the United States, as you said in your original email, then you are sorely and tragically mistaken. Your country doesn't have enough guns or ammunition to fight NATO. Would you sacrifice your life for the sick, perverted "right" to kill Albanians in your own country? If you care at all about self-determination for Serbia, then take action yourself and replace the existing government.

You will also have to change your collective view of your neighbors. Just because they're Albanian by origin does NOT mean that they are any less Serbian than you are! My grandparents emigrated from Russia at the turn of the century. That doesn't make me any less American than someone who can't trace his roots past Kansas.

You talk a lot about the past, Vladi. But you're not looking at the present or the future. The future is a world without genocide. The present is that your country is being bombed into ashes by a multinational coalition of free-thinking and responsible forces. The past should be Milosevic. I urge you to do something about it.

A month ago I rode jump seat on a DC-8 freighter charter. It was a long trip...hours waiting in DTW, waiting for NATO permission and a landing slot, then fuel stops at Gander and Shannon. A port-o-potty...certainly no reclining seat and flight attendant. The long haul over Europe, and the search through the clouds for the airport. Had to make 3 passes to find it, low on fuel, if we don't get down this time, we'll have to head to Italy for gas. Tent cities... Finally, we see the field and go in, are safely on the ground in Tirana, being welcomed and thanked by many people, our load of 90,000 lbs of flour appreciated for the starving children it will help feed.

People discussing the horrors... mass murder, rape etc. But so many of the people look "normal"... American-style clothes, excellent English, people who could be your neighbors at home, school teachers, factory workers, little children... except they're hungry, thirsty, living in tents (the lucky ones), with confused faces, forced from their homes and thrown out of their country because of...a madman's whim? Religion? A 600 year old grudge? Vladimir Maricic, who in Serbia speaks for these innocents.

MAYBE WE'RE TRYING TO SAY "YOU CAN'T MURDER AND RAPE THOUSANDS AND THROW A MILLION PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES AND EXPECT THE WORLD TO SIT BACK AND SAY 'NO PROBLEMS' ANYMORE."

I am sure that the Serbians are a brave and resourceful people. I am also sure that the "common" man in Beograd has no real idea what his government has perpetuated on Kosovo.

Maybe Vladimir Maricic needs to see what I saw... to understand that the only really brave thing the Serbs can do is to rise up and overthrow this tyrant.

I have read the letter from Mr. Vladimir Maricic, who declares himself as a Jazz musician. In my country (Bangladesh), musicians are considered as artists, and greatly respected in our society.

I wonder from the language used in his letter, what is the position of artists in Serbia - do they command and receive the same respect and reverence that our artists do? If affirmative, I feel sorry for the Serbian nation for the poor quality of artists in their society, and if negative, I feel sorry for their culture, for as any one will tell you, the artist and his behaviour reflects the true picture of any culture.

On the other hand, I feel sorry for both sides - the Kosovo Albanians who suffer at the hands of a misguided dictator, and the Serbs who are being mislead by the same dictator. I also feel sorry for NATO, who want to swim in the ocean, but are afraid of the water.

Our friend from serbia is mixing several view points, which a lot of media does as well. Basically, McD is right in the sense we should NOT favor private diplomacy. However we know people make opinions. However, we never should miss an opportunity to give people, in particular Vladimir, an "non"-censured view. And by doing so contributing to the start of a thinking process, a lot of balkans should do as well. First, in Europe (I am a European, living "as foreigner" in Vienna) we should define where we are today and what do we want for the future. Today, we have following facts:

For my part, I don't know much of the Serbian History in WW II and the American History Books only teach of the Balkan's preface to WW I, however there is clear evidence that the current Serbian Leadership is ethnically cleasing it's provinces (with or without their own brand of justification. And like Vladimir, I too do not dislike, hate or bear prejudice toward the Serbian people.

To answer, Vladimir's question of why.... it is simply impossible for most americans to understand or condone the ethnic hatred which abounds in the Balkans and to a large extent the prejudice that prevails in most of Europe, whether it is the Basque upheaval in Spain or the Belgian separation of French and Flemish etc. Because America is a melting pot and disavows (in general) any individual prejudice of people. (not races) we simply measure people on their worth and merit not their heritage. Due to the numerous migration of varied nations to our shores, we have adopted a more lenient policy towards our neighbors (bearing in mind that we do not have hundred of years of social division and unrest with which to harbor the ethnic discord). I would ask Vladimir how he and his neighbors expect to ever overcome the barriers that face them. It is only through the young people (when allowed to intermingle) that the heritage of hatred can begin to dissolve. There are currently programs in the USA where Israeli and Arab teenagers come together in camps and live among each other to discover the commonality of themselves as individuals rather than the political, and social differences which keep them apart in their homeland. They each go home with an open view of new friends instead of their previous fears and anxieties of "different people and races"

I wish Vladimir well and trust that some day all people will view the international community as part of the human species, discarding the concepts of "friends and enemies".

Prior to the bombing I understand that Serbian police/military were carrying out atrocities to ethnic Albanians. What was the KLA doing at the same time ?

The bombing commenced due to the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo by Serbia. Why was Serbia ethnic cleansing Kosovo ?

Serbian authorities are removing identification papers from ethnic Albanians as they leave Kosovo. Why ?

There may be a disastrous ground war in Kosovo only. If so will Serbia mobilise forces to protect Kosovo ?

How are the Serbs that still live in Kosovo. Do they protection by the Serbian military ?

If, the ethnic Albanians return to Kosovo how will they live with the Serbs in the country ?

This is a major problem and has to be resolved soon. The majority in this world want peace. The leaders thing that they have to exert force at times to obtain peace. This should never be the case.

I guess I have a two-fold response to Mr. Maricic's message. First, I take umbrage to the theory that a U.S.- led NATO effort in the Balkans will likely fail because the Serbs have not lost a war in their territory in the last 100 years or stood up to the Nazis, yada, yada. My view is that those were different times, different troops. As I recall, there was a long standing belief that "no Barbarian will ever invade Italy from the south". However, General Mark Clark and the 5th U.S. Army along with other Allied forces accomplished this feat in WW II. So, to Mr. Maricic, as the saying goes, "there's always a first time". The United States and NATO have the means to do it.

That being said, the second part of my response is that we (U.S., NATO, etc.) have no business being in the Balkans in the first place. We should not be there not because the Serbs "have not lost a war. . . in 100 years, etc.. We should not be there because the people in the Balkans have being killing and maiming each other for literally hundreds of years. I do not think they are not about to quit now. Maybe its because of ethnic, religious, cultural, and other differences. It may even be their regional past time. Each ethnic group, it seems to me, take turns on being the "big bully" throughout history. I just happens that the Serbs are the "big bully" these days. Tomorrow, who knows. I think that our task should beto contain this intramural activity within the Balkans. Heck, arm both sides if necessary so there's parity. That'll keep them busy from exporting the killing and maiming from beyond the region. Maybe, they'll just get tired of killing each other (I doubt it, but, optimism never hurt anyone).

Thank you for taking the time to concern yourself with the Kosovo issue. I am glad to see you offer information from a different prospective, with the letter from Vladimir Maricic. Not only is Mr. Maricic correct in what he says of the past, but also of the present. As an American, I am ashamed of the way our Country has destroyed the lives and Country of Serbians, who are not our enemies, or some "Evil Aggressors" as our media has labeled them.

I am sorry indeed for the innocent Albanian people, and other non-Albanians in Kosovo who are affected by this terrible situation. But if you research into alternative avenues for truthful information, you will find that the "Black and White" "Good and Evil" picture that the news paints, is not nearly the truth. I am sorry to see so many people, as yourself, joining the bandwagon of the elaborate campaign of our Government to make you believe all this "ethnic cleansing" talk. (great PR and marketing) There are many Albanians living in Serbia, who are not, and have never been in danger of attack from Serbians. How could this be, if they are being ethnically cleansed? The Serbs have been accused of genocide, yet they are not murdering Albanians, who have been allowed for the most part to leave the area. (Many are leaving area due to the bombing) There are innocent Albanians killed in the cross fire between Serbian police and the KLA. Proof of other Serbian attrocities is rare and often staged.

The situation in Kosovo can be related (in a somewhat simplified manner) to a large population of Mexicans crashing the borders into Texas or California, burning buildings, expelling Americans out of the area, and causing general havoc. What would we do? We would send in the National Guard. And what would happen if the Mexican Nationals were shooting at the National Guard and the police from the houses of the high population of innocent Mexican Americans living in the area, who were injured and even killed in the crossfire? What would we do if Russia decided the Mexican Nationals, due to the high population of Mexicans in the area, deserved to rule the region; and worked up a peace plan, where we would give the Mexicans a portion of Texas and / or California, and we were to allow them their own rule and government, of which we had no say; and if we didn't sign this peace agreement they constructed (together with China) they would bomb us??????

There are many complicated issues all tied up into this situation. Indeed there is a problem with extremists like Milosovic, but the Kosovo Liberation Army, an Albanian terrorist organization is most of the problem. Aside from this major issue, our Governments involvement is nothing related to humanitarian aid, as we are told. Where was Clinton when Croatians expelled over 600,000 Serbians from the region, and burned numerous Churches? Where was Clinton when Kurds were butchered, or Africans? Very fishy!

Please do yourselves and your families a favor, and do some research on this matter, and I promise you, you will be surprised. There are many sites on the internet that give you some other truthful information, different from the same old government / special interests you hear on the news. Also, if you call my office, I would be happy to fax or mail you many articles, mostly written by prominent Americans, offering many different insights into this troublesome situation.

I am a Customs Broker in Los Angeles, and have a colleague at work, who being Serbian, gave me incentive to search for alternative information other than what the media was offering. What I found, I was not happy with. We should all be better informed, and do what we can to stop our Government from terrorizing smaller countries who fail to do things our way. Who really is the aggressor?

You are correct in saying that we do not know much about your history which has led to this conflict in Kosovo. What I do know is this, that the Milosevic regime has created this problem through its hostile treatment of innocent people living in Kosovo. I am sympathetic to any suffering that has been inflicted on the Serbs but I am just as sympathetic of any suffering that has been inflicted on the Albanians living in Kosovo. The truth is that all war and acts of aggresion are wrong and do not lead to peace but to innocent suffering. This is why in almost all wars, there is a ceasefire before any peace discussions can take place. How can anyone talk peace while the war rages on.

I live in Canada, Vladimir, and although some prejudice does exist here, I am proud to say that we are probably the most multi-cultural country in the world. I am Italian decent and I live peacefully and tolerantly with Africans, Asians, Indians, German, English, Jews, Palestinians, French, SERBIANS, CROATION, and ALBANIANS. This is only to mention a few of the cultures that have discovered hat we can live with each other in harmony and peace regardless of any political or religious differences.

We have found that if we really get to know each other, that every culture has something worth respecting and preserving. We believe in the riches that our diversity provides us with and that it is that diversity which makes us all better people. When political leaders like Milosevic embark on a campaign of ethnic cleansing, it is no different than the efforts of Hitler to eliminate the Jews. What can these leaders possibly say, think or believe that would make them such Gods. Can the rest of the world stand by and watch as he continues his campaign of violence and refuses to allow the innocent Albanians to live in their homes.

In Canada if a German committs a crime, we punish the criminal not the whole German people living in Canada. We believe in the human rights that were given to us by God and that no man or leader has the right or power to take those rights away. Similarily we believe that people have a right to live where they want regardless of their racial, political or religious beliefs.

You say we should negotiate with Milosevic. Negotiate what? There is nothing to negotiate when it comes to human rights. If Milosevic believed in this then he would stop the ethnic cleansing immediately and allow everyone to return to their homes immediately and peacefully. Then and only then could the world consider offering assistance to negotiate a lasting peace.

I am proud of the tolerant and peaceful nature of Canadians; it's our way and the right way. But, as long as these human rights violations continue regardless of who is being violated, I will support my countries position of military intervention.

I believe as people of God that we should be willing to discuss, negotiate and even argue to protect our political and economic needs but we should be willing to die and kill to protect the rights that God gave us as human beings. Milosevic is killing to protect political and economic needs while at the same time violating our God given rights.

It is so unfortunate that your country prevents you from knowing the truth. Here in America, we get a daily dose of worldwide news and information that is not tarnished in any way. It has always been that way.

I am unable to expain all what you ask but I do know that 50 years ago, the world stood by while a dictator in a country not too far from yours decided that a particular group of people were no longer worthy to live amoungst us. This was not right then and it's certinally not right now. We are all human beings and we can no longer stand by and watch as an entire group of our fellow humans are either expelled from your country or executed in front of their familys.

As far as the NATO bombings and air war goes, please do not forget what happened in Iraq not too long ago when we launched a ground war there. As a former Army Weapons Specialist, I must remind you that our Army is the most technological advanced Army in the world. Our tankers and infantry has the same ability to sit back in total protection and launch attacks on yours in the middle of the night or the middle of the cloudiest day you can imagine and your tanks won't even know where it came from. Sure, we will lose some American and NATO lives but if we can save the world from ethnic clensing, it will be worth it.

In closing, just imagine that you and your family were rousted in the middle of the night and given 5 min. to leave or be shot. You would leave everything behind and be forced to start over in another country with just the clothes on your back. In other words, put yourself in the other person's shoes. I know that you think that whats happening in Kosovo isn't all that bad but, believe me, we have seen the evidence and heard from the victoms. It's real and it cannot be tolorated by God fearing people.

I think that the war in Kosovo is easier to understand if you look at it in terms of culture, sidestepping the tricky issue of right or wrong.

Under Western culture, we do not believe in responding to violence which occurs within our countries with violence. Rather, we believe in responding with justice. For example, we in London have responded to the IRA fighting for a united Ireland by treating them as criminals to be dealt with under the justice system: we never treated it as a war, as they demanded that we did.

So whilst deciding right and wrong in the violence between Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo is impossible, one thing is certain: the violence is taking place on Serbian territory. As such, us Westerners feel that the Serbs should be responding to it by taking steps to maintain fair law and order, and not simply responding with violence, which is what they are doing.

I understand that violence is an integral part of Serbian culture, after all the years of fighting against the Turks.. but violence is not an integral part of Western culture, at least its not something that governments engage in when there is any other alternative.

If the Serbs had no other way to handle the Albanians other than violently fighting back then they could have asked for help from another country to ensure law and order.

Countries in NATO do not like the violence if there is any other alternative. This is our culture. We looked exhaustively for a way we could stop the violence in Kosovo without being violent ourselves and failed, so we bring in violence to impose our ideas.

1. I watched on the news that a NY Congressman "on TV" proclaimed that we did not intervene in China because China is strong. But the Serb is a different story. It is a small country and they are weak by comparison. I am wondering if this is the mentality of our elected officials.

2. If I set out to rob a 7-11. During the course of my action, I "accidentally" killed someone even it was not my intention. Would the laws judge me only for the robbery? Accidentally killing innocent civilians is not the intention of the US, it is just unavoidable. What you mean is "unavoidable". I can assure the military that it is avoidable. If these were accidents. Are we going to interpret our laws differently here?

3. I was in Rwanda 10 years ago. Tribal rivalry was the norm for decades. What happened in Kosovo is hardly any where in proportion of the killings in Rwanda. We are talking hundreds of thousands. Still we were not explained by our govt that why they did not do anything there. Going there pleading their regrets by our President is only a stage show. Perhaps, because they are "African" - Black Africans?

4. If the Kosovo people wants to flight the Serbs. We should supply them with weapons. But we are not. Why not? We did arm the South Vietnamese to flight the VC in the past. What is the difference? I fully understand the Serb's mind. Whether their govt is bad or good. It is what they have. However, believe it or not, if a foreign power, such as the U.S. or NATO, sending armed forces into their territories, for better or forworst, they will fight to their bitter ends. Win or loose.

Our gov't should not do such international intervention because we do not like the elected leaders. Then why didn't we just send our troops to Cuba and forget about Castro and relieving millions of bonded people and reunion millions of families.

The US is the major force behind the NATO actions. Our govt should seek a way out. May be they have the weapon manufacturers behind their back to replace the older weapons with newer one. Or the US govt wants to revive the defense industries by using up its inventory. My personal view is that this one-sided "war" - if you want to call it "war", would make many of the smaller countries in the world look at the US in different light. Does this "new world order" means every one must see things the U.S. ways?

In your letter of May 18, 1999, you are asking your readers to answer Mr. Maricic's letter. I am taking liberty to do so. I work for a customs broker company, I am an American citizen, have been for 27 years, and I am a Serb. So, I think that your readers will take time to read what I have to add to Mr. Maricic's letter.

First of all, why do you say that his letter is PROVOKING? I read it and it just speaks the truth.

Kosovo and Metohija is the province of Serbia, which is a republic of Yugoslavia. Even at the time of Tito's death the percentage of Albanian population in that province was not 80%, as it has been stated to American people nowadays. The province got an autonomy from Tito just to keep it quiet and to harm Serbia, the very same republic he was set to destroy from day one he became the president of Yugoslavia. Just about ten years ago 40% of population on Kosovo and Metohija was Serbs. Did Americans ever ask themselves what in the hell have happened to the Serbsand how come that last year that percentage was only about 10? If I tell you that Serbs have been ethnically cleansed on Kosovo by Albanians you are not going to believe me. But, my friend, that is a truth, and you can find this out by yourself if you just try. The great number of Kosovo Albanians are not legal citizens of Yugoslavia. That is the main reason they never registered to vote nor voted.

They were a part of a plan for Greater Albania, set up by the government of Albania: overpopulate this province by placing citizens of Albania in Kosovo region and telling them to have as many kids as possible, arm the KLA, take this province away from Yugoslavia and annex it to Albania. But I am sure you know all of this. Further more, newspapers and TV has been stating that Albanians were not allowed to use their language nor practice their religion in Kosovo and Metohija. This is so untrue, and media knows it but, as it does not help their propaganda they don't want to say it. Over 75% of Albanians in Kosovo region do not speak any other language but their own, which is also used in schools and governmentoffices. If you just try you can find this out, too. America is so blinded by lies served to them by our government and media. Do you know who and what the KLA is? Of course you do. It is a terrorist organization funded by drug trafficking money. Do you know who has been training them in Tirana for the past couple of years? Right, CIA. And this was openly said on American TV. Do you know that in W.W.II Albania fought on the side of Hitler? You do! I knew that, too. Now, tell me why America is not speaking the truth and why are we supporting terrorists? Where has America been when these same Albanians were killing Serbs?

We need to open people's eyes and show them who and what is the real problem and cause and reason for US/NATO attacks on sovereign country of Yugoslavia. Innocent people have been sacrificed in order to save faces of lunatics. America is backing Clinton who probably even doesn't know the meaning of the word TRUTH. Who did give him right to cowardly attack a sovereign country that did not invade nor attack another country? Hospitals in Yugoslavia don't have electricity, schools have been bombed, elderly people are stuck in highrisers as elevators are not operating, there is no water, no food, just to name a couple of things. And at the same time Mr.Clinton is attending dinner where the plate is $20,000. How can anybody in clear mind stand behind this man and let him murder one whole nation while he is backing up KLA, the terrorist organization, that brings drugs to America and sells it to our kids? The U.S. Government and NATO really HAVE paralyzed opposition to their war with stories of "ethnic cleansing", "genocide", "mass murder", and other stories of brutality allegedly acted out by Serbs.

The U.S. SUPPORTS genocide against the Kurds by arming to the teeth the blood thirsty Generals of Turkey, a nation which also happens to be a NATO member!!!!! The Turks merrily exterminate thousands of Kurdish people within Turkey, and periodically invades Iraq in order to murder Kurdish refugees. The Turks are now allowing NATO to use Turkish airbase from which to strike at Yugoslavia, the same country they were invaders of for over 500 years. How can the world be so blind?? The very same people who claim to be fighting a war to stop "ethnic cleansing" are themselves responsible for carrying it out! Well over 40,000 Kurds have been killed by the U.S./Turkish alliance. This is INSANITY.

Do you know that Yugoslavian army is not a paid army, like in America. Young men have to go and serve in the army. And do you know that that very same army IS NOT COMPOSED OF SERBS ONLY? So, if Yugoslavian army is now in Kosovo and Metohija region do you know that it is NOT SERBS ARMY? So, if there is killing going on who is doing it? Serbs? Give me a brake. For everything that is going on now in that region is done by 26 different nationalities that serve in Yugoslavian army and by KLA terrorists. So, who is to blame?

Mr. Maricic is right. Do you know for how long Albanian extremist have been killing people (of all nationalities) in Kosovo and Metohija? Just look it up in U.S. government library.

Mr. Maricic is right. In 48 hrs Serbs can have over 100,000 well armed people ( to add to already 100,000 troops placed in Kosovo and Metohija) ready to fight cowards that are now killing their people in Yugoslavia by bombs, forbidden cluster and depleted Uranium bombs, the effect of which will carry on well into the next century.

Mr. Maricic is right. Whoever comes to fight Serbs on their ground will leave in body bags. And do you know why? Because God is on Serbs side. The truth is on Serbs side. Serbs are right as they are defending their home land from cowards.

I agreed with you 100% Americans do not know, or do not want to know about the Balkans. What are the Americans really doing in the Balkans?

The Balkans have fought within themselves for more than 800 years, yet they have survived, they understand each other in their own way.

In another matter, it seems ridiculous to me that Mr.. Clinton will not even consider a temporary cease of fire being repeatedly suggested by the Russians in order to negotiate; Russia could be in the worst economic point in history, but lets remind us that they are still the 2nd nuclear potency in the World. Americans are so hypocrites within themselves that make me feel sorry for them, since the beginning of the bombardments, they have said that no ground troops would be sent, yet everyday talks about ground troops increase. The main question is what are the damn Americans really doing in Kosovo, are they really saving lives??? What is Clinton waiting for to stop these stupid bombardments, another 10,000 or hundreds of thousands of Americans to die for a cause that they should have not even been involved to start with, and then never admit that he was wrong, like Americans usually do in these kind of cases, that they never make mistakes, everything came out as planned, even though hundreds of lives were spared; eventhough "allied or friends" embassies were bombarded by mistake, because "the maps were old ones" even though they spent billions of dollars every year on their intelligence departments. Or what else to happen, explode a train/whole town and then just say "OOPS! I'm sorry we tough that they were troops, we'll do better next time."

I can completely understand Vladimir. My comments may seem out of context, but this is one of the few occasions we have to express ourselves to somebody on the other side of the coin, and who really knows how things are really happening.

I can only add, that I'm totally against this stupid American aggression, and even more against their position to not even listen to the Russians, like " we are the ones who really know and you just have to deal with us, like it or not. We can kill people by thousands and get away with it because we control the world" This phrase must seem ridiculous, but think about it for a couple of seconds, and tell me if this is not the way that the American Government is currently acting.

Vladimir, I can only hope that something will strike the Americans, and they will sit down, talk and resolve this matter before it is too late, not only for the Balkans but for the whole world.

Esteban Leo
Elila Mena NO.1 Ens. La Julia
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Tel (809) 534-8888 Fax (809) 534-8404
E-mail: eleo@frankleo.com

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_{The Cargo Letter}

THE CARGO LETTER [440]
Air & Ocean Freight Forwarder - Customs Broker News
27 May 1999

INDEX to The Cargo Letter:

1. A Letter From Serbia

2. The Letter From Vladimir of Beograd

3. The Transport Transport Industry Responds

The Cargo Letter

THE CARGO LETTER [440] Air & Ocean Freight Forwarder - Customs Broker News 27 May 1999

INDEX to The Cargo Letter:

1. A Letter From Serbia

2. The Letter From Vladimir of Beograd

3. The Transport Transport Industry Responds

_{The Cargo Letter}

THE CARGO LETTER [440]
Air & Ocean Freight Forwarder - Customs Broker News
27 May 1999