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It is unfortunate when much of the world sees Croats as being represented by the lower-echelons of their society. For expample, even though the Ustashi was a puppet government put in place by an occupying power (Germany), Croats are regulary described as having collaborated with Germany during the war. This is in spite of the fact that the overwhelming majority of Croats backed the Croatian Peasant Party.
This pro-Gotovina rally in Split appears to be another expample of this. What's you take?
This pro-Gotovina rally in Split appears to be another expample of this. What's you take?
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Los Angeles
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Re: gotovina and the hague
Sun, December 11, 2005 - 6:23 PMGotovina is being tried for command responsibility over the illegal actions of returning irregular forces he had no control over. There is a rightful furor over his apprehension and indictment. Gotovina many times directed his forces to obey the rules of law, even to the point of offering protection to minority ethnic groups in Krajina. In my opinion, it is a crime to equate Gotovina to Mladic or Karadzic.
This guy isn't a criminal like Ante Pavelic, despite the shared name. -
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Re: gotovina and the hague
Sun, December 11, 2005 - 7:26 PMAre you suggesting that this man should not recognize international law? It appears that you are arguing the indictment outside of the legal institution that houses it. Why did this man hide out and not face his responsibilities? And why must he rely on crowds for his defense?
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Re: gotovina and the hague
Sun, December 11, 2005 - 7:50 PMInsert: I apologize for my tone, but I feel passionately about this subject.
You expect him to surrender himself to the ICTY when it is the ICTY which is leveling trumped up and bogus charges against him? I'm arguing that the indictment does not it to the events that occurred. Gotovina was not in command of the returning irregular Croats who performed the crimes in question. These were irregular militia members with no centralized command structure.
As to why he hid? I guess he'd prefer to live the rest of his life outside of a prison, as the ICTY will surely convict him.
And I doubt either Gotovina or his charges initiated the protests; rather, the crowds are an indication of his popularity in the region. He is regarded as a hero by MANY croatians.. after all, this guy managed to restore Croatia's territorial integrity in the face of a tremendously superior military. The way the Croats defeated JNA during Operacija Olujais a compelling testament to Gotovina's strategic and tactical prowess.
We all believe in the rule of law, but for some reason, I feel that the ICTY is unfairly prosecuting a disproportionate number of Croat in comparison to the level of atrocities perpetrated by both sides. Not that comparing atrocities in a relativistic way is a good thing to do.. but numbers don't lie.
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Re: gotovina and the hague
Sun, December 18, 2005 - 11:06 AMIs it my imagination or wasnt there much press about the US not recognizing this "international law" so that US soldiers and Presidents would not be indicted? It was President Clinton who approved and sent in help for Operation Storm which General Gotovina was in charge of, so that the minotirity serb pocket of Krajina which was shelling the coastal Croatian towns of Zadar, Sibenik and Split would be returned to Croatian control.
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