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Date:         Sat, 26 Dec 1992 15:17:27 +0100
From:         BADERTINOVS%NEWS@ADMINB.RFERL.ORG
Subject:      Re: On Bosnia, Serbia and a Potential "Third Balkan War," #800
Comments: To: POLITICS@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu

Thomas,

you have to learn how to deal with diametrically opposite views without
stooping to emotional outbursts ("puritan racist", "lousy student",etc.)
Normally, people get expelled from discussion lists for such language.
I am sorry that my views offended you. That wasn't my purpose. I forgive
you for being so rude because I know how sensitive people can be about
their ethnicity.

>>How can a country of 2 mln. people, barely on its feet threaten

>According to your number theory calculations Israel should have
>ceased to exist a long time ago.

A comparison or an example can not serve as a proof. Any "good student"
of logics should knoe that.    By the way, Israel have never threatened
its neighbors, although it was accused of doing so by the Arabs (just
like Greeks accuse Macedonia). To draw further parallels, Israel was
attacked by its neighbors; Greece is now tempted to attack Macedonia.
If the war in Bosnia spreads further south, Greece will have a good
pretext to occupy Macedonia after accusing it of starting the hosti-
lities.

>I think Greece if it wanted to could have just stepped over Skopje
>any time it wanted to whenever it wanted to.

Firstly, by saying so you inadvertantly prove how ridiculous Greece's
claims are that Macedonia can become a threat in the future. If Greece
is so powerful militarily, why is it concerned about Macedonia?
Secondly, Greece can not attack Macedonia "any time it wants to do so".
In this case by 'Greece' you probably mean 'Greek leadership'. Surely,
if Greece is a real democracy, Mitsotakis can not do whatever he wants,
because the popular support for such an action can not always be taken
for granted. Although, from what I read in the press, it sounds like
is now overwhelmed by nationalism and war psychosis. Macedonia has
become a real obsession for many Greeks. The government is using it to
deflect public attention from Greece's economic problems. But stocking
the fire of nationalism can backfire. In the near future the government
of Mitsotakis can find itself under a great pressure to solve the
Macedonia problem by more radical means. Nowdays, if you are a politician
in Greece and want to get (re-)elected, all you have to do is to be as
belligerent towards Macedonia as possible.

>I find your assertion here offending and absurd. Obviously a lousy
>"student" of history (as well as Mathematics).

Hmm...Very persuasive argument...  You will always win discussions by
resorting to personal attacks. I wish you many such victories in the
future.

>You really don't know how rich our culture is

I never said Greeks are uncultured. All I said was that you don't have
anything to do with Athenian philosophers;--not because you are not as
good at thinking logically, but because modern Greeks can not be
considered direct decendants of ancient Greeks. This is very normal:
there are very few 'pure' nations in the world. Ethnically and anthropo-
logically modern Greeks have nothing to do with ancient Greeks. You have
more Slavic and Germanic blood in your veins. Be proud of what you are
instead of taking credit for someone else's culture and history!

>I personally believe that the level of the human intellect have not
>risen a bit after ancient Greek history - which makes it even harder
>for you to have any association with them.

You probably learned from Aristotle how to conduct political discussions.

Sam.
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