U.S. Ambassador Montgomery Supervises American Agents in IRI and USAID, Which Fund the 'Opposition Six'!

Vjesnik, Zagreb, Croatia, December 1 1999

However, the IRI is but one of the more active American 'non-governmental' organizations present in Croatia. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has also been present in Croatia for a number of years. USAID declares itself as an independent government agency, though it is under the supervision of the US State Department and its employees are on the State Department payroll with diplomatic status. So much for USAID's independence. USAID implements programs of assistance to democratic reforms in foreign countries, while at the same time protecting American economic and political interests. Such a definition imposes a question: what if democratic reforms and US political interests are not complimentary to each other? How do the strategists of USAID deal with such situations?

The proposal to the U.S. Congress for the budget for year 2000 is posted on the USAID web site, in the section concerning its programs. The justification for the budget stipulates that, "HDZ is openly hostile toward the independent media, independent civic organizations and other promoters of reforms, which brings into question Croatian orientation toward democratic principles and norms. There are concerns related to the restrictions of the freedom of speech and freedom of association due to the single-party control of the public television and radio, intimidation of the media and journalists, unfair election regulations and procedure, a lack of judicial independence, as well as unsatisfactory protection of human rights. On the other hand, in Croatia there is a broad circle of people who deserve and need outside assistance in order to survive and continue to work toward democracy. USAID is a crucial source of its technical, educational and financial assistance for the independent media, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), opposition political parties and trade unions."

Last week, in an interview for daily 'Jutarnji list', Ellen Yount stated that IRI is a NGO funded by USAID. Ellen Yount really underestimates the Croatian public if she is prepared to state that IRI is a NGO funded by USAID, which in turn is funded by the US government, based on the above mentioned program of toppling the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), and offering its technical and financial assistance to the "Opposition Six".

Independent organizations of the United States Government, with central headquarters in Washington and offices in US embassies, are active in over 100 countries all over the world. Their staff has diplomatic status, which increases their maneuvering space. In the 70's Philip Agge wrote the book called "CIA - the Diary of an Agent" (also available in Croatia), describing USAID as a CIA tool. Hence, USAID is funded by the US Government from the budget approved by the Congress. It answers primarily to the State Department for its activities, in the field to ambassadors, in Croatia directly to William Montgomery. The Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) is its organizational unit.

USAID and OTI very rarely implement their own programs. That is why they use the services of some 20 American "NGOs", which have their offices in Croatia - in Zagreb and all regional centers. If necessary, they are also present in other cities (Knin, Vukovar...). USAID, directly or indirectly, fosters the establishment of a series of local NGOs through US NGOs. It creates a network, funds, directs and coordinates its activities. Along with the funding it receives from the Congress, USAID collects, directs and distributes moneys, services and opportunities from private American foundations, business people, universities...

All of these finds are directly, but usually by way of others, directed to NGOs like "GONG", "Glas 99"; the media like Feral Tribune, Nacional, Radio 101, ATV Cenzura; Union of the Unemployed, STINA, Association of Independent Labor Unions, opposition parties (SDP, HSLS, HSS, HNS, IDS, LS and some others), professional associations (Forum 21, Judges Association headed by Vladimir Gredelj, Croatian Legal Center, Croatian Journalists Association - which was, until recently, led by Jagoda Vukusic), and many others.

After such a schematic presentation of the status and funneling of funds to the activities directed by USAID and OTI, a very different conclusion from what is suggested by the material on their web site and in the media could be drawn about their goals and intentions.

Let us mention another interesting detail about the so-called American non-profit and non-governmental organizations. In Croatia the executive boards of major US NGOs are headed by people like, for example: Morton Abramowitz - the former Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence; Bob Graham - member of the US Senate Committee for American Intelligence Issues; Fred Ikle - former US Deputy Defence Minister; Richard G. Lugar - member of the Senate Committee for American Intelligence Activities; Zbigniew Brzezinski - former member of the US Presidential Council for Supervising American Intelligence Activities; Orrin Hatch - member of the US Senate Committee for American Intelligence Issues; Lorne W. Craner - former member of the US National Security Council; John McCain - former Advisor for National Security Issues; Lawrence Eagleburger - former member of the US National Security Council; Alison Fortier - former Special Advisor at US National Security Council; Brent Scowcroft - retired General and former Presidential Military Advisor; Paul von Ward - former US Naval Intelligence Officer; Leo Cherne - an individual who has been a part of the American intelligence community for a long time; William Casey - former head of the CIA; and many more with similar resumes.

As it is already partly known, after embarrassing CIA activities in some countries, where the Central Intelligence Agency was busy toppling governments and installing "their people" as leaders, the American Congress and Government decided to operate via governmental, i.e. non governmental, agencies. Three different agencies were established to that end:

1. USAID - United States Agency for International Development, which has declared itself a NGO.
2. USIA - United States Information Agency, which has declared itself as an independent government agency for foreign affairs operating within the US government.
3. NED - The National Endowment for Democracy, which has declared itself as a private non-governmental and non-profit organization.

Common characteristics of these three agencies are their programs geared toward the democratic and economic betterment of countries all over the world and the fact that their funding comes from the Congress or the US government. That makes them accountable to the Congress and Government of the Unite States. In order for them to receive funding, they have to have programs that satisfy US strategic and political interests. These three agencies function as a "buffer" between a whole series of highly specialized US NGOs and American state institutions. This type of organization allows the State Department to deny knowledge of the activities of NGOs that directly influence internal affairs of any given country. Simply said, this is a new doctrine of earlier CIA "Cold War" tactics, which are not appropriate for the new world order [sic].

USAID, OTI, USIS, NED all have their offices in Croatia from where they coordinate some American NGOs, local NGOs, the media and a number of other projects. They are directly responsible to the US embassy, i.e. Ambassador William Montgomery, and their centers in Washington. Ambassador Montgomery has the function of the main coordinator, supervisor and directly represents American national interests that must be implemented through their activities. The operational aspects are looked after primarily by American NGOs. Assistance is also provided by the media, which have been rendered financially dependent on their American partners after receiving various donations or other types of aid.

Radio 101 and Feral have been blackmailed by the denial of financial support

That kind of a case occurred with Radio 101, which experienced a pinnacle of its vassal relationship with the USAID during the large rally in support of Radio 101 in 1996. After that, Radio 101 had to regularly provide tapes of its programs to USAID but, since the station did not follow the directions of its financial supporters, financial support began to dry out which resulted in the well-known conflict within the station regarding its ownership. For example, editor-in-chief Zrinka Vrabec Mojzes complained to USAID that Radio 101 was receiving too little financial assistance, while on the other hand they were being praised a lot by the same organization. Since the sending of tapes and synopses of the program was rather expensive, Vrabec Mojzes angrily asked: "What is the problem? Is Radio 101 not sufficiently pro-Serb?"

Feral Tribune recently had a similar experience. Because of anti-war attitude of its editorials during the NATO bombardment of FR Yugoslavia it has fallen into disfavor with its American sponsors, and has begun to loose its journalists because of increasingly obvious lack of money.