Why Did the "War in Albania" First Erupt in Hollywood?

Politika, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia, October 13, 1998

"We must urgently invent a war in some faraway country, a country no one has heard off, and draw the public attention to that story. For example, a war in Albania", announces the producer; he sets in motion the Hollywood machinery presenting ruined villages, women escaping from the bombardment, people on the verge of starvation. All this was made in the Hollywood studios, without anyone ever having to go to "some" Albania.

This is only a partial summary of the film which was shown in our cinemas this Spring, entitled "Wag the Dog". Its excellent director, Barry Levison, described only one aspect of the psychological and propaganda warfare, i.e. the doctrine of low intensity conflict.

The real scenario was seen over the last ten years in many countries of the world and, thanks to the war conflicts, in the former Yugoslavia as well.

"In the doctrine of low intensity conflict which is the military doctrine of the United States from the beginning of the Eighties, and has officially come into force in 1986, the strongest weapon is the information, i.e. misinformation", says Milan V. Petkovic, head of the department at the Center of Military Schools of the Army of Yugoslavia, and the author of the book entitled "Structure of Global Diversion".

This doctrine is being implemented by all the available means, most often without the use of physical force; according to professor Petkovic, in the psychological propaganda approach the target is not one country but the entire world.

"The aim is not to rule over one country, but over the entire world, and not through occupation, but through the control over various activities", underlines Petkovic, pointing out that the target is to favor "progressive democratic forces" against "backward red forces".

Another aspect of the doctrine are the so-called proxy wars where the US army appears in the role of a peacemaker, maintaining peace. The war in Bosnia lasted as long as it was necessary to assure that no side in the conflict shall gain advantage. The war was a war to total exhaustion, and then the peacemakers appeared with their proposals, says Petkovic.

This "war without war" in which the USA takes part, underlines Petkovic, also includes the use of various non-conventional weapons, such as - embargo, political boycott, exclusion from the international community, prohibition of communications with other countries, suspension of medical and humanitarian aid, rewriting of history, imposition of the American solutions as the most favorable ones, presentation of the real situation through the use of virtual techniques and many other means.

"Even a photograph is no longer a proof, because everything can be faked - faces, locations, colors", says Petkovic illustrating this by a film which, fortunately, was not broadcast for the public.

In the first half of 1995 NATO airforce attacks were announced, and "enterprising" private propaganda experts made a short film from the warfront whose aim was to accuse the Republic of Srpska soldiers for abduction of UN forces members. A part of this scenario was also published in "The Focus" magazine; in the first sequence it presents members of the peace forces - handsome, blond and clean-shaven young men, talking on cellular phones from the trenches with their families.

The second sequence shows Serbian artillery firing at that same trenches, and Serbian soldiers waving around with bayonets and slaughtering "peacekeepers". In the final scene one of the "peacekeepers" says his last words: he is giving his life for the good of the mankind.

"Fortunately, this film was never released; no one would have been able to prove to the world that it was a fabrication; it was so convincingly done", says Colonel Petkovic.

Unlike this film, another film produced by the French Television was shown to the public. It presents the destruction of the Old Bridge in Mostar under shelling by the Serbian artillery. The reporter informed the viewers that because of these crimes, population on both sides of the river Vuka banks remained cut-off from the world. No mistake there, of course, - for the needs of the film, Neretva river became Vuka river, and Mostar - Vukovar, and the fact that Croats were the ones who destroyed the Old Bridge in Mostar remained a secret for the viewers.

The objective of low intensity conflicts is to achieve US national goals which can not be achieved with the use of force alone.

In addition to keeping peace, by implementing low intensity conflicts, US armed forces are both supporting rebells and taking part in attacks against them; they fight against terrorism and create contingency plans.

"An important role in the low intensity conflicts is played by special task forces and units for combat and rear support. Combat units are to be used only in those cases when there is a great probability that they will have a decisive effect on the overall situation in the relevant region", says professor Petkovic, emphasizing the role of intelligence security, psychological actions, technological development and economic power in the hands of the "chosen country".

A special role in this strategy is being played also by the difference in economic power which is making possible simultaneous solution of the political, economic, social and military problems, as expressed by the stand of the former US Defense Minister, Weinberger, who underlined that the US policy is in advance opposed to all movements and ideas which may endanger vital state interests and that the US government reserves the right to decide which country supports "freedom and democracy" and which one "totalitarianism".

Such policy towards the Balkans, according to professor Petkovic, is creating a system of small states which shall not posses any major political, economic, military or financial force.