FTR #147 Background to the Conflict in Kosovo (Two 30 minute segments)
As much of the world's attention focused on the NATO aerial assault on Yugoslavia in March of 1999, few understood the factors underlying the strife between Serbs and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. This program sets forth some of those factors. Beginning with discussion of ethnic and political divisions in Yugoslavia during World War II, the broadcast highlights Kosovo's ethnic Albanians' support for the fascist invaders of Yugoslavia and their program of extermination against the Serbs. Alone among Yugoslavian ethnic groups, the Serbs fought on the side of the Allies. Next, the broadcast reprises information from FTR #48, concerning the Nazi character of the Ethnic Outreach Division of the Republican Party, literally an outgrowth of the Third Reich. Growing out of the "Crusade for Freedom" (an illegal domestic intelligence operation), this important but little-known branch of the Republican Party can deliver the swing vote in five key states during presidential election years. The Croatian emigre community that fled Europe along with the residua of the Third Reich plays an essential role in the Ethnic Outreach Division. George Bush (former CIA director and President when Yugoslavia was dissolved) was heavily involved with this Nazi milieu, along with former CIA director Allen Dulles, former President Richard Nixon, former President Ronald Reagan and former CIA director William Casey. This Croatian emigre milieu was pivotal to the establishment of Croatian independence (a critical event in the dissolution of Yugoslavia) and is deeply involved with the regime of Franjo Tudjman (a recapitulation of the Ustashe fascist collaborationist government of World War II.) Much of the program centers on Germany's central role in causing the breakup of Yugoslavia and actively promoting and participating in hostilities there. After single-handedly prevailing on the EU to recognize the secession of Croatia and Slovenia, Germany prevailed on the U.S. to follow suit. In addition to providing training, arms, media and diplomatic support for both their Croatian proteges and the Kosovo Liberation Army, Germany has sent mercenaries to Yugoslavia and participated in the aerial assault on the Serbs. This was the first time the Luftwaffe had been in combat since World War II. Other program highlights include: the Waffen SS background of Bosnian President Alija Izbegovic; former President George Bush's 1993 warning that troops would be sent to Kosovo if fighting broke out there; major petroleum exploration in neighboring Albania; Croatian war crimes committed during an August 1995 offensive supported by both Germany and the United States; the critical issue of the stationing of 28,000 NATO troops in Kosovo (the hostilities erupted over differences on this issue.) (See also: REA#'s 17, 36, 37 and Miscellaneous Archive Shows M24, M29, as well as FTR #'s 2, 29, 48, 49, 50, 70, 91, 113, 120.) (Recorded on 4/4/99)