From: Ali Abunimah
To: morning@npr.org
Subject: General Wesley Clark and Kosovo

May 24, 2001

Bob Edwards interview on Morning Edition today with former General Wesley Clark who commanded NATO's attack on Yugoslavia was an utter disgrace. The interview was nothing more than a puff piece and book promo for unhinged General Strangelove who feels aggrieved and unappreciated for the wonderful little war he fought.

Edwards did not ask one single question about the illegal tactics used by Nato of bombing Yugoslavia civilian installations and infrastructure in direct contravention of the Geneva Convention. What about the fact that Nato killed hundreds of Kosovo Albanian refugees and Serb civilians with its high altitude bombing, designed solely to protect Nato leaders from the political risk of losing a pilot? And what about the use of depleted uranium which as in Iraq is taking a terrible toll on people in the Balkans long after the shells were fired. How about the post-war analyses from the British Defence Ministry and within the Pentagon which showed that while Nato did an admirable job hitting civilians, the vast majority of the Yugoslav army escaped unharmed?

How about the fact that the mass exodus of Kosovo Albanians from their homes, began after Nato's bombing commenced? Former Nato Secretary General Lord Carrington was one observer at the time who believed the exodus was in large part caused by the bombing campaign. If, as Nato claimed at the time, the exodus was expected, why was Nato so ill-prepared to handle the large number of refugees?

And since, we are informed that General Clark retains his interest in the Balkans what about a question or two about the fact that following Nato's war, Serb civilians in Kosovo ostensibly under Nato protection were victims of brutal reprisal attacks and ethnic cleansing?

I can think of many other questions that General Clark should have been asked. Unfortunately, once again a former military-government official has been allowed to use NPR as a platform for self-serving propaganda without any countervailing view offered or any challenging questions asked.

This is not journalism, it is public relations.

Sincerely,

Ali Abunimah
http://www.abunimah.org