[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13461-13462]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                               A BAD OMEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2001, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Paul) is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, the trial of Slobadon Milosevic threatens U.S. 
sovereignty. The fact that this trial can be carried out, in the name 
of international justice, should cause all the Americans to cast a wary 
eye on the whole principal of the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal. The 
prosecution of Milosevic, a democratically elected and properly 
disposed leader of a sovereign country, could not be carried out 
without full U.S. military and financial support. Since we are the only 
world superpower, the U.N. court becomes our court under our control. 
But it is naive to believe our world superpower status will last 
forever. The precedence now being set will 1 day surely come back to 
haunt us.
  The U.S. today may enjoy dictating policy to Yugoslavia and elsewhere 
around the world, but danger lurks ahead. The administration adamantly 
and correctly opposes our membership in the permanent International 
Criminal Court because it would have authority to exercise jurisdiction 
over U.S. citizens without the consent of the U.S. government. But how 
can we, with a straight face, support doing the very same thing to a 
small country, in opposition to its sovereignty, courts, and 
constitution. This blatant inconsistency and illicit use of force does 
not go unnoticed and will sow the seeds of future terrorist attacks 
against Americans or even war.
  Money, as usual, is behind the Milosevic's extradition. Bribing 
Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, a U.S.-sponsored leader, 
prompted strong opposition from Yugoslavian Prime Minister Zoran Zizic 
and Yugoslavian President Vojislaw Kostunica.
  A Belgrade historian, Aleksa Djilas, was quoted in The New York Times 
as saying: ``We sold him for money, and we won't really get very much 
money for it. The U.S. is the natural leader of the world, but how does 
it lead? This justifies the worst American instincts, reinforcing this 
bullying mentality.''
  Milosevic obviously is no saint but neither are the leader of the 
Croates,

[[Page 13462]]

the Albanians or the KLA. The NATO leaders who vastly expanded the 
death and destruction in Yugoslavia with 78 days of bombing in 1999 are 
certainly not blameless. The $1.28 billion promised the puppet 
Yugoslavian government is to be used to rebuild the cities devastated 
by U.S. bombs. First, the American people are forced to pay to bomb, to 
kill innocent people and destroy cities, and then they are forced to 
pay to repair the destruction, while orchestrating a U.N. kangaroo 
court to bring the guilty to justice at the Hague.
  For all this to be accepted, the press and internationalists have had 
to demonize Milosevic to distance themselves from the horrors of others 
including NATO.
  NATO's air strikes assisted the KLA in cleansing Kosovo of Serbs in 
the name of assisting Albanian freedom fighters. No one should be 
surprised when that is interpreted to mean tacit approval for Albanian 
expansionism in Macedonia. While terrorist attacks by former members of 
the KLA against Serbs are ignored, the trial of the new millennium, the 
trial of Milosevic, enjoys daily support from the NATO-U.S. propaganda 
machine.
  In our effort to stop an independent-minded and uncooperative with 
the international community president of a sovereign country, U.S. 
policy was designed to support an equally if not worse organization, 
the KLA.
  One of the conditions for ending the civil war in Kosovo was the 
disbanding of the KLA. But the very same ruthless leaders of the KLA, 
now the Liberation Army of Presovo, are now leading the insurrection in 
Macedonia without NATO lifting a finger to stop it. NATO's failed 
policy that precipitated the conflict now raging in Macedonia is 
ignored.
  The U.N. War Tribunal in the Hague should insult the intelligence of 
all Americans. This court currently can only achieve arrest and 
prosecution of leaders of poor, small, or defeated nations. There will 
be no war criminals brought to the Hague from China, Russia, Britain, 
or the United States no matter what the charges. But some day this 
approach to world governing will backfire. The U.S. already has 
suffered the humiliation of being kicked off the U.N. Human Rights 
Commission and the Narcotics Control Commission. Our arrogant policy 
and attitude of superiority will continue to elicit a smoldering hatred 
toward us and out of sheer frustration will motivate even more 
terrorist attacks against us.
  Realizing the weakness of the charges against Milosevic the court has 
quietly dropped the charges for committing genocide. In a real trial, 
evidence that the British and the United States actually did business 
with Milosevic would be permitted. But almost always, whoever is our 
current most hated enemy, has received help and assistance from us in 
the past. This was certainly the case with Noriega and Saddam Hussein 
and others, and now it's Milosevic.
  Milosevic will be tried not before a jury of his peers but before a 
panel of politically appointed judges, all of whom were approved by the 
NATO countries, the same countries which illegally bombed Yugoslavia 
for 2\1/2\ months. Under both U.N. and international law the bombing of 
Serbia and Kosovo was illegal. This was why NATO pursued it and it was 
not done under a U.N. resolution.
  Ironically, the mess in which we've been engaged in Yugoslavia has 
the international establishment supporting the side of Kosovo 
independence rather than Serbian sovereignty. The principle of 
independence and secession of smaller government entities has been 
enhanced by the breakdown of the Soviet system. If there's any hope 
that any good could come of the quagmire into which we've rapidly sunk 
in the Balkans, it is that small independent nations are a viable and 
reasonable option to conflicts around the world. But the tragedy today 
is that no government is allowed to exist without the blessing of the 
One World Government leaders. The disobedience to the one worlders and 
true independence is not to be tolerated. That's what this trial is all 
about. ``Tow the line or else,'' is the message that is being sent to 
the world.
  NATO and U.S. leaders insist on playing with fire, not fully 
understanding the significance of the events now transpiring in the 
Balkans. If policy is not quickly reversed, events could get out of 
control and a major war in the region will erupt.
  We should fear and condemn any effort to escalate the conflict with 
troops or money from any outside sources. Our troops are already 
involved and our money calls the shots. Extricating ourselves will get 
more difficult every day we stay. But the sooner we get out the better. 
We should be listening more to candidate George Bush's suggestion 
during the last campaign for bringing our troops home from this region.
  The Serbs, despite NATO's propaganda, will not lightly accept the 
imprisonment of their democratically elected (and properly disposed) 
president no matter how bad he was. It is their problem to deal with 
and resentment against us will surely grow as conditions deteriorate. 
Mobs have already attacked the American ambassador to Macedonia for our 
inept interference in the region. Death of American citizens are sure 
to come if we persist in this failed policy.
  Money and power has permitted the United States the luxury of 
dictating terms for Milosevic's prosecution, but our policy of 
arbitrary interventions in the Balkans is sowing the seeds of 
tomorrow's war.
  We cannot have it both ways. We cannot expect to use the 
International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia when it pleases us and 
oppose the permanent International Criminal Court where the rules would 
apply to our own acts of aggression. This cynical and arrogant 
approach, whether it's dealing with Milosevic, Hussein, or Kadafi, 
undermines peace and presents a threat to our national security. 
Meanwhile, American citizens must suffer the tax burden from financing 
the dangerous meddling in European affairs, while exposing our troops 
to danger.
  A policy of nonintervention, friendship and neutrality with all 
nations, engagement in true free trade (unsubsidized trade with low 
tariffs) is the best policy if we truly seek peace around the world. 
That used to be the American way.

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