George,

As Iraq continues to disintegrate even as the American forces open fire and kill Iraqi protesters and the rule by force seems to be as effective as it is in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I am reminded of Yugoslavia after the death of Tito.

He too, was a brutal, repressive dictator who received the full backing of the USA, although a communist,he was the milder brand (to the thinking of the leaders in the US), hated by the Soviet Union, he was a welcomed ally. However, like Iraq, his rule with an iron fist was the only way the disparate political and religious factions in Yugoslavia had any semblance of cohesion. Clearly, the hatred between the factions seethed beneath the surface.The Serbs hated the Croations, Bosnians and Kosovars and vice-versa.

Only Tito's total control enabled Yugoslavia to resemble a "united nation". After he was dead and gone,everything rapidly began to unravel. We saw the nightmare consequences with the raping and pillaging of Bosnia, Kosovo and Croatia; the destruction of Sarajevo.The Serbs hatred and desire for revenge, that had survived after WW2, finally, was given an outlet.

The Clinton Administration stopped the slaughter in Bosnia and Kosovo ,however, the old hatreds remain, boiling like a volcano waiting to erupt once again.

Yugoslavia, a shamed, powerless nation. Its ex-president sitting in a courtroom dock in the Hague. Assassination of its leaders in Belgrade as recently as a few months ago.

In short, what "liberation" did to a sovereign nation!

So now we have "liberated" Iraq by killing thousands of Iraqi military and civilians. We have dethroned Saddam. The nation is in shambles.

More and more, it appears to me, another Yugoslavia in the making. All the ingredients are in place. The religious factions of Sunni and Shia Moslems.The remains of the radical Baathist party (installed, originally, by the aid of the US and its CIA), the independence-minded Kurds.

Most of all, Saddam was hated and feared, but it appears the "liberators" are hated and feared with an even greater intensity.

Into the mix, we have an unenlightened president with his minions of gloating hawks who have deluded themselves into thinking military might and shooting back will make it all come out. The "Ariel Sharon Doctrine".

Yesterday, there was another suicide bombing in Israel.

Harry Tenney (electronic mail, April 30, 2003)