How Richard Holbrooke Lied His Way into a War

[Orwellian_Ghost]

How Holbrooke Lied His Way into a War
By Sam Husseini on December 9, 2008 10:11 AM

Despite being passed over for Secretary of State, Richard Holbrooke is reportedly still being considered for a prominent position in the incoming Obama administration.

Shortly before the bombing of Yugoslavia began in late March 1999, Richard Holbrooke met with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. By his own account, Holbrooke delivered the final ultimatum to Milosevic -- that if Yugoslavia didn't agree to the Rambouillet text, NATO would begin bombing.

The Rambouillet text called for a defacto occupation of Yugoslavia. On major U.S. media, after the bombing of Yugoslavia began, Holbrooke claimed that what was called for in the Rambouillet text, despite Serbian protests, "isn't an occupation". Several weeks later, when confronted by a journalist familiar with the Rambouillet text, Holbrooke claimed: "I never said that". This was a lie, it was also a tacit admission that the Rambouillet text did call for an occupation (why else would Holbrooke deny saying it when he had?) So the U.S. demanded that Yugoslavia submit to occupation or be bombed -- and Holbrooke lied about this crucial fact when questioned about the cause of the war.

<snip>

It's tempting for many to think that the current Bush administration and the 2003 invasion of Iraq are totally unique. They're not, the methods of the U.S. government lying its way into a war are long standing and many of the culprits are still very much part of the political structure.

http://husseini.org/2008/12/how-holbrooke-lied-his-way-int.html

[cali]

1. typical Counterpunch slant

Yes, Srbian aggression against Kosovo should have been left unchecked. And the Rambouillet Accords were hardly some American attempt to dominate the world.

Here's the text:

http://www.commondreams.org/kosovo/rambouillet.htm#Article%20XI:%20Entry%20into%20Force