A Letter to the New York Times about Kosovo

  by Marc Beginin  

This is what Marc Beginin wrote to TFF as an introduction to his letter to the New York Times.

I am one of the few non-journalists who actually made an excursion to Rambouillet during the peace "negotiations." At that time, it came home that the primary function of the modern, mainstream journalist was to simply to increase ratings of their representative organizations in order to increase advertising revenue. This means of course sensationalism, not offending the source, and black and white reporting. I was blown away by all the "correct" questions that were asked of the powers that be and the lack of interest in actually reporting the facts.

It was an added shock when all the reporters poised questions to James Rubin, spokesperson for the Secretary of State and then a voice came from the back of the crowd lightly shouting "Jamie." Mr. Rubin's attention shifted and his face lit up like a love struck child to answer CNN international correspondent Christiana Amanpour's questions, who I learned is his wife! CNN is a simultaneously connected and ridiculously biased news organization of which I now have a bit more insight. I did not "enter" the Rambouillet talks, but I mixed with the journalists outside of the Chateau for a day. Therefore, I had no function there besides a personal interest in seeing what was happening, history in the making from an outsider's point-of-view.

It was Monday, February 22, 1999, one of the last days during the first round of talks. The day that Serbian President Mulitinovic took a stroll through Rambouillet when no one was supposed to leave the Chateau. The KLA representatives then took the same opportunity to walk around and talk to journalists. As the sun set and a light rain began, James Rubin came out for the press conference I described in my last communication. I was within one meter of the man, closer than most of the reporters.

Therefore I speak with little "authority" with respect to any type of appointed or representative position of any particular group. I am a graduate student in Law with a Political Science undergraduate background. I speak on the subject at relevant rallies and I am in contact with people who have similar views, but I am not a public figure in the cause. I have kept up intimately with the transgression of events since the beginning in what was and what is left of Yugoslavia.

 MR. BEGININ's LETTER

Dear Sir or Madam:

Your article today, The Negotiations: Talks at a Castle Set Stage for War, was either an American/NATO propaganda piece or your editor simply feels that the American and international public is so pedestrian that it simply can't understand the complexities of the truth. The truth of the matter is that the "negotiations" at Rambouillet would be better described as a "Recipe for War."

Did the author of the article even read the Rambouillet Accords? Its a sad account for modern journalism that, as evinced by your articles, serious doubt can be cast on whether you or your staff has ever analyzed the agreement itself and the light it sheds on the political and military motivations of the West and NATO. The ramifications of the Rambouillet Accords and the obvious sham of diplomacy is the real story, not what Mr. Clinton purportedly reads before he bombs or his nocturnal conversations with Mrs. Albright.

The questions you might consider positing to the intelligent reader, rather than an apparently assumed ignorant audience you seem to recently cater to, are: Why would the West take the Albanian, or for that matter any, side in a negotiation when it purports to "mediate" a conflict? Why were the civilian and military provisions in the agreement so biased against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia that no rational nation would have ever signed it? Why would the West put NATO's "credibility" on the line (and later use it as an excuse to continue and escalate militarism) by threatening as a prerequisite to an imposed agreement, a take-it-or-be-bombed approach?

And then how about approaching the broader questions of Serbian psychology and sentiment. Why would the Serbian people all of a sudden support Milosevic, whom they for the most part hate? Could it have something to do with the fact that Western policy created an ethnically pure state in Croatia, reducing Serb population from 12% to almost nil? Do you think that the Serbs are wondering where the NATO bombs were when more than 600,000 Serb refugees were leaving their homes of centuries on their tractors and on foot to Serbia?

Where was the West since World War II when the Serbs constituted 50% of the population in Kosovo when it was they who were systematically persecuted, beat and driven from their homes by the Kosovar Albanians? And do we really believe the Albanians are warm and fuzzy Mr. or Mrs. Editor? The Serbs are by no means angels but they certainly are not the villains that your and other American media choose to portray.

It was Georges Braque who said that "truth exists, only falsehood has to be invented." Spinning is much more difficult for the writer and far less tantalizing to the reader than simply reporting the truth, in diligent and in-depth fashion.

I read the Times religiously and have been increasingly disappointed over the past few months. I would rather not have to sit in front of my computer for the real story, but sit comfortably at a non-cyber coffee shop with the New York Times proudly in my lap.

Thank you for your consideration.Sincerely,

Marc Beginin

Marc Beginin can be reached at this e-mail:

beginin@aol.com