Posted on 03/19/2002 3:20:18 PM PST by Banat
Nitsovich: The Arrest of Perishich Result of Combined Efforts
BELGRADE – The arrest of Momchilo Perishich is a huge blow to the Serbian Government, who knew nothing about the arrest, the German Secret Service (BND) and their protégés in Serbia. The Americans have shown who pulls the strings around here – says Marko Nitsovich, vice president of the International Police Federation for the Fight Against Narcotics, and ex-chief of the Belgrade Police.
According to him, the Russian, French, German and American secret services are trying to assert full control of the Balkans for their respective governments. The Russians, says Nitsovich, have very unfavourable positions. The French, also, aren’t doing much and are favouring President Koshtunitsa and the people in his circle. The Germans, claims Mr. Nitsovich, are using the Serbian Government and Prime Minister Djindjich in order to achieve their goals.
However, the strongest player in the Serbian spy game, unsurprisingly, is the United States of America, whose secret services, says Mr. Nitsovich, have an excellent relationship with their colleagues from the Yugoslav Army and with President Koshtunitsa.
- The (Yugoslav) military intelligence is in the American “zone of interest” and that is the main reason why Miloshevich had received no support from the Army on October 5, 2000. The excellent relationship between Yugoslav and American military intelligence is also one of the reasons why Gen. Pavkovich, the Commander of the entire Yugoslav Army, has remained on his position after the fall of Miloshevich’s government.
The whole action against Perishich was a joint effort of the CIA and VJ (the Yugoslav Army). The Americans have “sacrificed” one of their own, but this loss certainly isn’t a big one and won’t cause any uncomfortable situations for them, apart from the media exposure.
On the other hand, this action is a huge blow to the pro-German Serbian Government. The fact that Djindjich, the BND, the Russians and the French had no idea what’s going on only goes to show who the real boss in the Balkans really is. The arrest of Perishich is also a blow to the EU and their attempts to gain control over Serbia.
This affair won’t weaken the relationship between the FRY and the USA, which has been confirmed by the American Ambassador Montgomery – says Mr. Nitsovich. The co-operation between our military intelligence and the Americans Mr. Nitsovich sees as a good step forward because “it is better for Yugoslavia to be in the American sphere of interest and have a good relationship with the world’s #1 power than to wage war against it”.
The case of BND agent Charles Kuehn in Bosnia is another stellar example. His cover as an official of GTZ was seldom challenged in the Federation. However when he ventured onto the RS, the American operators working within the BalkanAmerica project quickly collapsed his organisation. No doubt Herr Kuehn flipping bratwursts in Munich now.
The United States of America continues to romp to victory after victory around the globe -- as the forces of the modern day Bismarck prepare to crush Iraq in a stunning post-modern battle the likes of which this world has never seen. Superior intelligence gathering and dark operation capability now emerging to the forefront of World War III. The "Belgrade Run" just as effective in 2002 as in December 1996...
The forces of freedom on the move. Europe trembles.
In agreement to the author's assertions, evidence is present to support the theory that there is mutual respect and backdoor contacts between US intelligence agencies and military on one side and the Yugoslav army and Kostunica on the other. Pavkovic's apparent unassailability in the last few years, as well as the US's "acceptance of the Yugoslav apology" for the Perisic-Neigbhor episode, are two such indications.
However it is very misleading to characterize this apparent respect and contacts as "excellent relationship". The Yugoslav army and Kostunica surely know that they must respect but can never trust the US, because the superpower can turn against them on a whim. Therefore, Nicovic's theory of a joint CIA-VJ sting operation to arrest Perisic and thus expose Djindjic is far-fetched, because it would require trust and a strategic alliance between the 2 sides, an extremely implausible scenario. It is much more likely that Perisic, not the VJ, was playing the US's game, either for money or after being blackmailed by a threat of the Hague.
The US military and intelligence services have reasons to respect their Yugoslav counterparts other than the "excellent relationship" theory which is suggested by the article:
(i) The VJ successfully withstood NATO's war. Military people (except of course monstrous criminals like Wesley Clark) respect a formidable opponent.
(ii) The VJ continues to be a first rate militarily power (receiving support from Russia, I believe, not from the US as Nicovic would imply) and is also trusted and respected by the people of Serbia and Yugoslavia.
(iii) If the VJ leadership feels threatened, it has the capability to expose many politically explosive events concerning NATO's war crimes and military shortcomings (possibly including revelations on the deliberate bombing of the Chinese embassy or the Yugoslav air force attack against the Apache-hosting Albanian Rinas airport).
This magazine is like the "National Enquirer" in the US -- a tabloid which, like the STRATFOR articles, makes for entertaining reading but is not very credible.
Implying that there is "excellent relationship" is almost comical. At best it is one-sided, if that much at all. The US military trusts no one, and deals with all sides and seeks ways to play adversaries against each other. They don't trust Serbians any more than they trust Albanians. There is always Plan B. But that hardly means "excellent relationship."
It wouldn't hurt if the "Blic" actually came up with some credible sources for a change. Its writigns are almost suspipicious, too blatantly misleading.
Such a waste of American resources. The inhabitants of the Balkans were content to simply kill eachother and leave the US out of it. Milosevic was a commie despot but the US was quite familiar with how to treat commie despots.
Afghanistan on the other hand had been under the reign of the Taliban through victory over the warring factions. A group of Islamic extremists the US was not used to dealing with.
So where does the US focus its energies? On the commie who wasn't nearly as brutal as the régimes in China, Indonesia, and a wide variety of African and south east Asian countries.
No offence Fusion, but I would have preferred your "handful of America's best" to have concentrated their analysis on the Al Queda's frequent visits to Albania and the rest of the Balkans than to undermining a legitimate Yugoslavian government, albeit not the best.
The fact that Clinton/Blair committed war crimes in the horrendous 78 days of bombing and the fact that US Military forces are still there causes me a great deal of consternation. And Colin Powell's support of the ICTY after other members of the Bush (Bismarck?) administration seemed to undermine it, only chips away at the dwindling amount of respect I had for him.
Unfortunately, the "victors" will reap the spoils and Slobo will find himself behind bars for the rest of his life despite winning his trial.
I think pythagorean has the better idea with respect to cooperation between the US Military and the VJ. The VJ performed well under extreme fire. Not that they took out NATO forces but that they left Kosovo intact both in personnel and equipment. Ready to fight the more brutal fights in the future.
Fusion, your support of the KLA is inexplicable to me. However, like the VJ, you have proven to be a formidable debating foe and thus, earned respect.
Publically it has to back the ICTY (note that it is only 'good cop' Powell who is seen with CdP), but as with everything, it is actions that count, i.e. the removal of the Kosovo 'exclusion zone', VJ troops driving around in humvees and no doubt other unreported joint operations. It is not in US interests to hunt down Karadzic and Mladic if the assertion that the US wants to continue to dominate the Balkans is true as this would directly affect the quality and quantity of HUMINT. This may be a reason why the French were so quickly blamed for the last 'get Karadzic' debacle - (blame the French as few people will try to look further).
Voila, mes deux cents, mes amis.
VRN
Agree that Powell's verbal support of ICTY does not by itself mean hard support. Supporters of ICTY such as pseudohumanitarian and global corporatist organizations and related personal interests (Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group, George Soros, Morton Abramowitz, Warren Zimmermann, Louise Arbour, Madeleine Albright, etc) are unfortunately too strong for Powell to ignore. Nevertheless, appearances matter and Powell's public support unfortunately does serve to politically "legitimize" ICTY, a fact that does not honor him.
I tremble ... with mirth.
DRUG producers from the notorious "Golden Triangle" region are preparing to unleash a massive increase in heroin production on the world market, according to Thai army intelligence sources.
The increase in heroin production, generated from improved cultivation techniques and a desire by Burmese drug barons to fill a vacuum left by the war in Afghanistan, accompanies the area's unstemmed production of methamphetamines.
The flow of drugs from the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Burma, Laos and Thailand meet, is placing new strains on the Burmese military regime.
The Thai Foreign Ministry summoned Burmese ambassador Myo Myint this week to condemn an attack by Burmese drug traffickers on a Thai border-patrol unit last Friday, which resulted in the deaths of one Thai soldier and 13 smugglers.
Thai Queen Sirikit was forced to cancel a visit to the Wiang Haeng district because of security concerns. Her trip to the remote region was designed to promote a project encouraging villagers to grow fruit trees instead of opium.
After the incident, soldiers confiscated 1.6 million methamphetamine tablets from the bodies of the dead smugglers, but estimated another 8 million tablets were likely to have been carried by about 50 rebels who had escaped.
The diplomatic pressure on Rangoon followed news reports earlier this month that Washington considered the United Wa State Army a "terrorist" organisation.
Rangoon attacked Thailand's Bangkok Post for reporting the item, and the US embassy charge d'affaires, Priscilla Clapp, later said the term was inaccurate.
But the wars of words and guns, before the annual Thai-US joint military training program in northern Thailand in May, highlights the potential for the notorious Thai-Burma border to once again become a military hotspot. But while the Thai authorities are worried about the estimated 40 million ya ba ("crazy pill") speed tablets produced in Burma since January, military officers said the heroin problem was also about to explode.
Lieutenant Colonel Peeranate Katetem, the Combat Intelligence Officer in charge of the Thai Third Army's Pha Muang Taskforce, which patrols Thailand's drug-seeped northern borders, told The Weekend Australian that improved cultivation techniques would lead to a 30 per cent increase in heroin production in the region this year.
Lieutenant Colonel Peeranate said he knew of one factory, run by the Wa near the Burma-Thai border, that had 650kg of heroin ready for shipping.
It is only one of 35 heroin-production facilities known to the Thai army.
He said two years ago drug warlords had survived on one crop of opium per year ? harvested in January ? but they had now perfected ways to grow and cultivate opium all year.
Last year the Golden Triangle region produced 1000 tonnes of heroin. Most of it is destined for markets in North America, northern Asia and Australia.
It was well known but not publicized on CNN, NBC, etc. that the major reason the Northern Alliance and Taliban were fighting was control over heroin trade. The US made Northern Alliance "an auffer" they couldn't refuse. The part about democracy etc. was for the American domestic consumption, along with Sanata Claus and the rest of the fairytale mentality we foster here.
It comes as no surprise to those who, unforutnately, have to seek foreign sources to get around our selected and carefully doctored "politically correct" news that the US has for now refused to chemically destroy the blooming opppy fields in Afghanistan, currently controlled by our "friends" and "allies" -- the Northern Alliance!
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