JATRAS DEFEAT'S MR. NICE'S CROSS-EXAMINATION
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - September 9, 2004

September 9, 2004 - James Jatras, senior foreign policy analyst for the U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee (1985-2002), concluded his testimony at the Hague Tribunal today. Mr. Kay concluded his examination early in the first session of the day, and Mr. Nice took the rest of the day for cross-examination.

Jatras, gave evidence about what was contained in U.S. Congressional reports regarding the Iranian arms transfers to Bosnia and Croatia.

Jatras pointed out that the congressional reports had concluded that the Clinton Administration's scheme to facilitate weapons transfers from Iran to Croatia and on to Bosnia was a secret program, and that the administration had attempted to cover it up.

To bear this out, Jatras quoted public denials that had been issued by the administration, and then compared those denials with what was written in the congressional reports.

Jatras pointed out instances in the congressional reports that concluded that Clinton Administration officials had lied to the U.S. Congress. For example, on page 205 of the U.S. House's "Iranian Green Light Committee" report says that Strobe Talbot had intentionally hid the truth from the Congress.

Jatras mentioned that some members of the Congressional Committee wanted a criminal investigation opened against Peter Galbraith, because they believed that he directly facilitated the transfer of the Iranian weapons. Jatras said that the investigation never occurred because the U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno blocked the investigation.

According to Jatras, the Clinton Administration had decided to attack F.R. Yugoslavia long before the indictment against Milosevic alleges that any "joint criminal enterprise" was afoot.

To bear this out, Jatras pointed to a report that he had written in August of 1998 predicting that Clinton would attack Yugoslavia over Kosovo.

Jatras said that Racak was merely a trigger used by the Clinton Administration to launch its pre-planned attack against Yugoslavia.

He said that the occupation of Kosovo and the establishment of K-FOR had been planned out well before the bombing even started.

Jatras spoke of the attitudes prevailing in Washington; he said that the word "Serb" was synonymous with "Nazi" and that it was impossible to have a rational discussion with many in people in Washington.

Jatras said that the KLA was whitewashed, and that U.S. officials simply ignored evidence of the KLA's ties to organized crime, and international terrorism. He said that Washington was trying to create a good vs. evil scenario, and that acknowledging the KLA's criminal activities would harm their objectives.

Jatras went on to say that U.S. neutrality laws were violated by the KLA and its supporters. He said that the KLA actively recruited members and raised money in the U.S., in contravention of U.S. laws, but that the government did nothing to stop it.

Jatras spoke of the illegality of the NATO bombing campaign. He said that the congress had denied Clinton's request for authorization of the bombing, and that the U.S. participation in the NATO bombing was a violation of U.S. law.

Jatras claimed that Madeline Albright, when speaking after the Rambouillet "negotiations" told a reporter, off the record that "We intentionally set the bar too high for the Serbs to comply. They need some bombing and that's what they're going to get."

Jatras said that the Clinton Administration's professed humanitarian aims in Kosovo were dubious, and to prove his point he spoke of how the Clinton administration had aided and abetted Croatia's "Operation Storm" which itself brought about a massive humanitarian catastrophe. 

Jatras mentioned, as an interesting side note, a psyops campaign in the Krajina. Where after Serbian radio facilities had been bombed, Croatian radio announcements were broadcast that instilled fear in the Serbian population and encouraged them flee from the territory.

The so-called "judges" again offered Milosevic the opportunity to put additional questions, and again Milosevic refused. Milosevic repeated his demand to have the right to self-defense restored to him, and again Mr. Robinson cut-off his microphone.

Mr. Nice's cross-examination of Jatras exposed the strategy of the prosecution. Mr. Nice wasted as much time as he could. Mr. Nice read out endless passages from irrelevant documents, and asked questions that had no relevance whatsoever to the evidence. At one point, Mr. Nice asked Jatras what he thought about Michael Dukakis's views on abortion.

The prosecution's strategy is clear. They are trying to waste as much of the 150 days allowed for the defense as possible.

Over the course of the cross-examination Mr. Nice proved himself to be an ignorant bigot. Mr. Nice insinuated that Jatras's testimony was unreliable because Mr. Jatras is a member of the Greek Orthodox faith.

The so-called "judges" just sat there and allowed Mr. Nice proceed. They would never have let Milosevic get away with such a disgusting line of questioning against one of the prosecution's witnesses, nor would Milosevic have tried it, but Mr. Nice was able to proceeded unhindered.

Mr. Nice, without a shred of evidence, accused the Serbian Unity Congress of arms trafficking. Jatras, although not a member of the SUC, defended the organization from the accusation saying that he thought the idea was implausible.

Mr. Nice was only successful in exposing his own ignorance and his own bigotry. Mr. Jatras defeated him at every turn.

It is clear from Jatras's reports that he is no sycophant for Milosevic. His reports are definitely not pro-Milosevic, but they are quite interesting to read.

REPORTS WRITTEN BY JATRAS:

Clinton-Approved Iranian Arms Transfers Help Turn Bosnia into Militant Islamic Base - Issued by U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee

Bosnia II: The Clinton Administration Sets Course for NATO Intervention in Kosovo - Issued by U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee

Clinton Kosovo Intervention Appears Imminent - Issued by U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee

Senate to Vote Today on Preventing Funding of Military Operations for Kosovo - Issued by U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee

The Kosovo Liberation Army: Does Clinton Policy Support Group with Terror, Drug Ties? - Issued by U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee

James Jatras's Remarks to the CATO Institute - Transcript, May 18, 1999

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS CITED BY JATRAS IN HIS TESTIMONY:

Final Report of the Select Subcommittee To Investigate the U.S. Role in Iranian Arms Transfers to Croatia and Bosnia ("The Iranian Green Light Subcommittee") - Issued by U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. Actions Regarding Iranian and Other Arms Transfers to the Bosnian Army, 1994-1995 - Issued by U.S. Senate.

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