John Korber writes:
> Martin Smith wrote:
> >Amnesty International writes this:
> >> At least 150,000 people have fled Kosovo for the relative safety of
> >> neighbouring Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro IN THE PERIOD SINCE
> >> NATO AIR ATTACKS BEGAN on 24 March. (emphasis mine)
>
> Not an inaccurate statement.

The two "equivalent" statements I wrote were not inaccurate either,
but the two I wrote conveyed a very different impression.  That's the
point.  Governments use the truth that way.  Amnesty International
uses the truth that way.

> >Why didn't they write it this way:
> >
> >At least 150,000 people have fled Kosovo for the relative safety of
> >neighbouring Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro in the period since the
> >Yugoslav security forces and paramilitary units started forcing them
> >out...
> >
>
> How about " At least 150,000 people have fled Kosovo ...in the period since
> Slobodan Milosevic came to power, NATO began its air attacks, and Milosevic
> became able to effectively repress any possible internal opposition to his
> regime allowing him the possiblity of using Yugoslav security forces and
> paramilitary units to force out the Albanians.

You're still trying to pin it all on air attacks.  Over 600,000 have
become refugees, most of them before the air attacks.  Milosevic used
similar methods in Bosnia-Hercegovina, and NATO didn't drop any bombs
there.  How about just saying this:  Hundreds of thousands of people
have had to leave Kosovo.

> >Am I being too picky?
>
> Depends on how far back do you what to go in history, and how deeply
> you want to to go into contributing factors. I find it easier to
> oppose violence and teach peace consistently to everyone I encounter
> in every situation.

I'm not surprised you find it easier to oppose violence and teach
peace.  But you're not over there.  The Serb army probably finds it
easier to do what they're doing, too.  And they *are* over there.

> I do this with teenage students. I don't know why I should behave
> any differently with adults.

You shouldn't behave differently with adults.  I would like you to
teach peace to the Serb army.  They need it.  I would like you to
teach peace to NATO as well.  They need it too.  But start with the
Serbs.  If you succeed in those two places, you won't have to worry
about teaching teenage students.  They'll figure it out themselves.

> Sometimes it works. Sometimes not.  Violence used by anyone against
> anyone is wrong. That's my truth.  If you like to drop bombs, go
> ahead. Have a party.  john korber

And I thought I was the cynic.

martin

Martin Smith                    Email: [log in to unmask]
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