I enjoyed reading the article by Mihajlo Mihajlov in your January 4th, 1998
issue debunking the story about the use of atomic weapons by the US against
Republika Srpska. I have also read the letter by Angelina Markovic in
December 97 to Nasa Borba, essentially offering "evidence" for the use of
such weapons. To the well reasoned points of Mr. Mihajlov, I would like to
add a few of my own. 1. Why were neutral international experts not invited
to Republika Srpska to confirm or deny these accusations (Russians,
Chinese, Indian, Swiss, Swedes etc)? Even North Koreans would have been
acceptable. Why was the International Red Cross, Human Watch, Medecins Sans
Frontieres and other impartial international organizations not invited to
examine these claims. 2. Where were these nuclear weapons used ? Why not
give an exact location and time ? 3. As Mr. Mihajlov points out, an
increase in cancer is not per se sufficient evidence for nuclear radiation.
What was this increase? Exposure to all forms of radiation (alpha, beta and
gamma) causes in increase in specific types of cancer (leukemias and
thyroid gland cancers). What is the increase in these specific types of
cancer in Republika Srpska ? 4. The description of the presumed spent
uranium weapons given by Ms Markovic is just that: a description of
weapons, not of their use.
All this seems to me a clever, but not clever enough smokescreen to
distract attention from the still unapprehended and unpunished perpetrators
of genocide in Bosnia.
Sincerely,
Ted Kramer