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European Intelligence: The US Betrayed Us In Macedonia
Antiwar.com ^ | June 22, 2002 | Christopher Deliso

Posted on 06/21/2002 1:25:33 PM PDT by FireWall

The US government was accused today of subsidizing and training Albanian paramilitaries in Macedonia, in a secret European report leaked to Dutch National Radio.

The furor over a clandestine connection- frequently alleged, but never proven- further worsens transatlantic relations that have already been strained by an ongoing trade war. The Dutch report comes at a particularly sensitive time for President Bush, who is currently seeking to solidify international support for a wider war on terror. The US Embassy in Skopje was not aware of the charges by late Friday evening, and could not yet make an official statement.

Because specific details were not permitted to be leaked, the report was filtered through the Klingerdaar Institute (a respected Dutch military analysis firm). Klingerdaar in turn gave the salient information to Dutch Radio, which also interviewed several individuals who had been involved in Macedonia. The investigation centered on several controversial episodes, including the battle of Arachinovo (26 June 2001), and the ?Essential Harvest? weapons collection mission in September.

Even before this new report, American involvement had long been suspected at the three-day battle in Aracinovo, a heavily Albanian town northeast of Skopje. As the battle progressed, the Macedonians claimed to be on the verge of eliminating NLA forces. Yet suddenly they were given the order to pull back, and NATO buses rolled in to escort the heavily-armed Albanians out. At the time, NATO claimed that this intervention was vital, because the Albanians were coming dangerously close to victory, and mediation was needed.

The story from many witnesses, however, was very different. German newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt reported that 17 American military advisors from MPRI (the Virginia-based private military company) were also evacuated with the Albanians. This, Macedonians declared, was the real reason for NATO?s intercession. But while MPRI had an official contract as Macedonian Army advisors, suggestions of a similar presence with the Albanians were vigorously denied.

The Dutch report confirms the link, however, and quotes the German reporter who filed the original story. Apparently one of the MPRI men had been captured by the Macedonians. He panicked, and, waving his US passport, shouted ?diplomatic immunity!? Through heavy US intercession, the man was freed and evacuated together with his comrades and the NLA fighters. European sources identified this particular individual as having been active in training Bosnian fighters in the 1990?s.

According to the Dutch report, there are still many unanswered questions about Operation ?Essential Harvest.? At the time, NATO decided that collecting approximately 3,500 weapons would sufficiently disarm the Albanians. Yet after the collections began, Macedonians charged the NLA with giving up only their oldest and least useable guns. Museum curators in Skopje sarcastically asked that the Albanians? WWII-era pistols be donated to their collection.

The Europeans claim that NATO was well aware that antiquated guns were being surrendered- and further, that not even four percent of these weapons could be fired.

More damning still is testimony from Macedonian intelligence services, who claim that NATO merely exchanged the Albanians? old weapons for new ones. This story comes independently of the Dutch report, from one individual who secretly watched ?Essential Harvest? through binoculars from a nearby mountainside.

During the war, the Dutch report also states, constant telephone connection was maintained between Albanian rebels and high-level American officials. Some of these conversations were taped by European intelligence. At some point the Americans became aware that they were being tapped, and discontinued direct phone contact. At this point, the Europeans claim, America purchased computers with phone technology for the NLA. Thus communications were restored.

This stunning report comes at a time when Holland is taking over NATO?s Macedonia command from the Germans. Some analysts are viewing the denunciation of the US involvement as a direct invitation to the Hague for American leaders- just as the US has been reiterating its opposition to a world court.

Last year?s war in Macedonia was started by the self-declared National Liberation Army (NLA), an Albanian militant group originally denounced by NATO spokesman George Robertson as ?murderous thugs.? As the war proceeded, however, the ?terrorists? were legitimized into ?freedom fighters.? Heavy Western pressure forced a restrained response from the Macedonian army. As a result, the war was dragged out, and the Macedonian government was forced to negotiate with the NLA and its chief, Ali Ahmeti.

Despite winning new rights across the board, such as an amnesty for NLA members, use of Albanian language and devolved local government, Albanian kidnappings, shootings and bombings have continued after the cease-fire. The heavy NATO and OSCE presence has been unable or unwilling to solve many of these crimes. Although he remains on George Bush?s terrorist blacklist, Ali Ahmeti has started his own political party, and is now becoming acknowledged as a political player in Macedonia.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: aracinovo; balkans; campaignfinance; macedonia; mpri; nato; nla
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Let the games begin Freepers, so what else is there to say hmmm? This one says it all folks...

The MPRIs are a dirty bunch of MFR's, with the US State Department doing some ass covering.

Apparently one of the MPRI men had been captured by the Macedonians. He panicked, and, waving his US passport, shouted ?diplomatic immunity!?

Now this one really takes the cake, the cowardly bozo got caught with his pants down and cried mommy and Uncle Sam came to rescue him instead.

1 posted on 06/21/2002 1:25:37 PM PDT by FireWall
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To: *balkans; vooch
You're gonna like this one vooch!
2 posted on 06/21/2002 1:26:31 PM PDT by FireWall
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To: FireWall; Fusion; Honorary Serb; Spar; joan; Kate22
Apparently one of the MPRI men had been captured by the Macedonians. He panicked, and, waving his US passport, shouted ?diplomatic immunity!?

One of America's best Fusion?

3 posted on 06/21/2002 1:32:44 PM PDT by Incorrigible
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To: Incorrigible
LOL!!!

Fusion cries, his diapers tremble!

4 posted on 06/21/2002 1:48:43 PM PDT by FireWall
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To: FireWall
We always seem to be restraining the good guys.
5 posted on 06/21/2002 2:01:58 PM PDT by swarthyguy
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To: Stand Watch Listen
ping

The spirit of "Army of One" in action ("Apparently one of the MPRI men had been captured by the Macedonians. He panicked, and, waving his US passport, shouted diplomatic immunity!")

6 posted on 06/21/2002 2:12:16 PM PDT by DTA
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To: All
General Richard Griffiths

Could he tell us who was the passport waving hero :-) ?

7 posted on 06/21/2002 2:21:48 PM PDT by DTA
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To: FireWall
Heard about this on Dutch radio today.
The US role in arming the muslims in the Bosnia war was also discussed.
Finally its hitting the airwaves.
Wonder if it will ever reach the US.
Can't be long before the dirty stories on Kosovo start to surface.
8 posted on 06/21/2002 4:35:50 PM PDT by konijn
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To: konijn; FireWall
Actually, it was reported in the US (and on FR) by an unimpeachable source nearly a year ago, and was universally ignored.

http://www.toogoodreports.com/ column/general/hackworth/07100 1.htm

9 posted on 06/21/2002 4:54:50 PM PDT by Gael
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To: Incorrigible; MarMema; DTA; Kate22; Hoplite; getoffmylawn; Gael
This is news? Of course the United States trained and subsidised Albanian freedom fighters in the liberation of the Tetovo Republic. The stunning victory of the Kosovo Liberation Army in 2001 set a new standard for American foreign policy in the Balkans. The legendary "handfull of America's best" with a remarkable triumph versus Slavic aggression.

And make no mistake, the Colonel, the Congressman, the Correspondent, and the Hawk directed a classic campaign that solidified the 21st century hegemonism of Greater Albania and came within a hair's breadth of collapsing the illegal Skopje government following their masterpiece of deception at Firebase Aracinovo. Bravo to the Bush Doctrine that permits America to strike first versus the enemies of freedom!

The Dutch would be wise to watch their manners when dealing with the US. Apparently politicians in the Netherlands that don't toe the line with American foreign policy are known to come to a bad end -- as recently witnessed. The Dutch sins in Bosnia are well known. Many an Eastern Holy Warrior ready to repay those past debts should the Dutch become more involved in Macedonia.

And yes, a couple of the "handfull of America's best" have been known to carry a diplomatic passport a time or two -- as unfortunately so many of the foot soldiers want to do. But rest assured they would never wave one around on the battlefield -- for if it were confiscated, how would they be able to move Stingers south from Kosovo province?

From the Pankisi Gorge to the Tetovo Republic, moderate Muslim factions battling totalitarianism rally around the Nationalistic banner supported by the United States. Albanian and Chechen freedom fighters now the dominant counter-insurgency forces on the face of this earth. Both Yugoslavia and the Russian Federation collapsed by these American proxy battle formations.

Dry is good and wind is better...

And somewhere in Ingushetia, the greatest fighter on the face of this earth -- Shamil Basayev -- sees his patience with Western promises lessen each day. Basayev with the 1.5 kt trump card designed to remake the world in a blinding flash, yet somehow the West seeks to call him with a four card flush bluff.

If you think you saw something last year in Macedonia, just wait for the Chechen check and raise. Like the home team in hockey, Shamil Basayev with the last line change...

The forces of freedom on the move. Europe trembles.

10 posted on 06/21/2002 5:20:32 PM PDT by Fusion
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To: Gael
Thanks.
I remember an other story were the Macedonians picked up two US diplomats in NLA held woods, but cant find the article.
Found this however:

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b3900ea588f.htm

11 posted on 06/21/2002 5:23:01 PM PDT by konijn
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To: Fusion; Incorrigible; DTA
Tuesday April 30, 9:12 PM

Chechen warlord Basayev dead: Russian chief of staff

Notorious Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev has been killed, Russian chief of staff General Anatoly Kvashnin revealed.

"Shamil Basayev has also been eliminated but his body has not been found yet," Kvashnin said on a visit to the Chechen capital Grozny Tuesday, quoted by the ITAR-TASS news agency.

Russia's FSB intelligence agency, the former KGB, announced last week that it had assassinated Saudi-born Chechen field commander Khattab, a close ally of Basayev, in an undercover operation in March.

The Chechen rebels confirmed Khattab's death Monday, saying that the FSB had slipped him a poisoned letter delivered by someone he knew personally.

The Russian military, which until Khattab's assassination had failed to kill or capture any of the leading Chechen guerrilla chiefs since the start of the current war in October 1999, has several times in the past claimed Basayev's death.

Basayev, 37, became Russia's public enemy number one following the 1994-96 Chechen war, which led to autonomy for the breakaway republic.

The bearded rebel commander, one of the top guerrilla chiefs in Chechnya, sought to restore a 19th-century Islamic state in the Caucasus.

According to Moscow, Basayev led two rebellions in Russia's southern republic of Dagestan in August and September 1999 and was behind a wave of apartment block attacks across Russia around the same time which killed 293 people.

Moscow cited those incidents as reasons for its current offensive against separatist rebels in Chechnya, although Basayev denied any involvement in the deadly blasts.

12 posted on 06/21/2002 8:27:20 PM PDT by Honorary Serb
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To: Incorrigible; MarMema; DTA; FireWall; vooch
Apparently one of the MPRI men had been captured by the Macedonians. He panicked, and, waving his US passport, shouted ?diplomatic immunity!?

We Americans are PLAGUED by cells of powerful New World Order operatives, who operate as rogue elements--parasitizing the body of our nation and our people to serve their evil ends, not ours. Among them are the MPRI, who act in collusion with our dire enemies in the international islamic jihad. Also among them are the international fiancialists, who are atempting to consolidating their rule over all the world.

Now the financialists are caught in their own web, as Enron and the fraud behind the clinton stock bubble of the 1990s unravel, and Mr. and Ms. American Investor are demanding reform and justice. And the military and espionage operatives who are supposed to be "America's best", but are really traitorous NWO operatives and muslim collaborators, are starting to be exposed.

Will we finally get ourselves free from these rogue elements, or will we just be sandbagged as so many times before? Lord have mercy on us!

13 posted on 06/21/2002 8:41:22 PM PDT by Honorary Serb
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To: konijn; Gael
Did you mean this incident?

NATO Protests Macedonia Detention "an American and an Italian who have diplomatic immunity"

14 posted on 06/21/2002 9:31:18 PM PDT by Destro
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To: Hoplite
European sources identified this particular individual as having been active in training Bosnian fighters in the 1990?s

yet more evidence that HumWarriors aided and abeted Al-Queeda allies among the Bosnian Jihadists

15 posted on 06/22/2002 5:05:35 AM PDT by vooch
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To: Hoplite; Balkans
still waiting.........
16 posted on 06/22/2002 6:32:23 PM PDT by vooch
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To: FireWall; Incorrigible
Great post! Thanks for the bump... very interesting.
17 posted on 06/23/2002 1:49:42 AM PDT by Kate22
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To: Fusion
The stunning victory of the Kosovo Liberation Army in 2001 set a new standard for American foreign policy in the Balkans.

Was that where Nato mistakenly agreed to use the KLA as its land army and still only managed to kill a handful of troops and destroy a tank and a chicken? How many did the KLA lose and how, I wonder?

18 posted on 06/23/2002 2:24:12 AM PDT by Kate22
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To: FireWall
Bump
19 posted on 06/24/2002 1:12:23 AM PDT by kimosabe31
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To: FireWall
The best solution would be the liquidation of all the MPRI, CIA and state dept "backstabbers" in Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia. Anyone know what has become of the treacherous, backstabbing state dept faggot James Pardew? He fled Macedonia shortly after triggering an ambush of Macedonian police seeking to exhume some mass graves in a northern town.

Reminds me of a report a few years back during the clintoon admin of a couple americans arrested in Athens (I believe) attempting to plant explosives to blow up a bank and blame on Nov 17. In order that clintoon's ambassador Nick "whatzisface" could renew accusations of Greece being a terrorist state. Does anyone have a link to that report??

20 posted on 06/24/2002 9:33:37 AM PDT by kimosabe31
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