Re: [CrashList] Response to Andrej in Belgrade on Chomsky

[Borba100@xxxxxxxxxxx]

In a message dated 09/05/2000 12:40:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
zapata@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:

<<
 It is strange that you cannot recall our idea- my proposal - to write a book
 about NATO war against Serbia. It was made in the middle of the war. We had
 a long phone call, talking over 20 minutes, and I have told you that the
 only condition for writing for this book was that facts, facts, facts and
 facts are respected and that Milosevic shouldn't be presented as benefactor
 and great antiimperialistic factor. You have rejected the proposa >>
Andrej writes:
<<
 It is strange that you cannot recall our idea - my proposal - to write a book
 about NATO war against Serbia. It was made in the middle of the war. We had
 a long phone call, talking over 20 minutes, and I have told you that the
 only condition for writing for this book was that facts, facts, facts and
 facts are respected and that Milosevic shouldn't be presented as benefactor
 and great antiimperialistic factor. You have rejected the proposa >>

Huh? Who said anything about books?  Are you writing (inaccurately) about our
book discussion cause you can't think of anything to say in defense of
Chomsky?
.
1) During the bombing you asked me to write a chapter of a book - I have the
emails that passed between us and I said I would write about media lies. I
had a suspicion from your writing that certain things would be expected of me
- so before I got started I inquired: will I be required to attack
Milosevich?  You wrote back: You will.

Ahh,  what price publication!

I replied that I wouldn't do that - that the demonization of Milosevich was
part of US strategy. You then simply replied: that you were sorry we couldn't
work together.

Your statements that "the whole campaign is being made on his [Milosevich's]
demonization" is a paraphrase from a note from Chomsky, written to me on May
12. I have the printout in front of me as I write.  It amazes me, how right
Chomsky was - even more so today when the West' (through the ICG) has
suggested a strategy of charging Milosevich with some atrocity concerning the
current elections and then intervening.

As Chomsky's point suggests, Imperial American attacks people by demonizing
leaders, in Yugoslavia and elsehwhere.

Why then does Chomsky play a leading role, on the left, in that demonization?
 Why does he repeat fact lies and make attacks on "the Serbs" disguised as
criticisms of NATO. ("NATO should have known that if they attacked the Serbs
the Serbs would commit more atrocities" - or words to that effect.)

You offer no defense of Chomsky except that we all make mistakes.

What Chomsky has done is indefensible.

Jared