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Spahich backs Clinton
by Cecilia Schwind, News-Herald Staff Writer

NATO's attack on Serb military installations has made Eck Spahich, a native Croatian from Tuzla, Bosnia, proud to be an American. Spahich feels that the air strikes are "justifiable" and "long overdue."

Spahich has been keeping up with the situation in Kosova by reading newspapers articles, listening and watching radio and television news programs and getting information off of the Internet. He has also listened to his short wave radio at night tuning into the BBC broadcast out of London and Croatian and Bosnian broadcasts. He said these broadcasts have kept him updated on the latest news.

"I am glad that Mr. Clinton decided to participate in the NATO action," said Spahich. "I do appreciate what he has done."

Leading the NATO air strikes, President Bill Clinton made a major decision according to Spahich. He said just as Bosnia waited for Clinton, the Kosova crisis could not be resolved without Clinton and NATO's intervention.

"He has done the right thing at the right time," said Spahich.

Spahich said Clinton inherited the Balkan problem from the Bush administration.

"The air strikes, hopefully, will stop violence and reduce the Serb army's capabilities of conducting murder and ethnic cleansing," said Spahich.

Spahich feels also that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic will now capitulate his position. He hopes that the Serbs will realize that Milosevic is a "psycho case."

"They have got to find the courage to oppose him or get rid of him one way or another," said Spahich. "he is an evil man. He is the new Hitler of Europe."

According to Spahich, nearly 300,000 people have been killed in the former Yugoslavia and some 2.5 million have been uprooted from their ancestoral homes under Milosevic's rule.

Spahich further related that, 50 years after the Nazis, former communist Milosevic was allowed to slaughter and expel other people because of their religion.

"Tragically history repeated itself when atrocities were committed in Croatia and Bosnia, and are now underway in Kosova," said Spahich. "Milosevic returned to the Nazi era with hundreds of concentration camps in the former Yugoslavia, accompanied with starvation, summary executions and rape."

Spahich said the air strikes are America's answer to genocide.

"I am glad the U.S. has stood up against genocide and ethnic cleansing," said Spahich.

Spahich feels that as a super power, America has a responsibility to stand up against aggression and to stop genocide.

"We've got to have some type of order in the world, and the United Nations is not going to do it because, in the first place, you have seen that the Russians and Chinese would veto such action," said Spahich. "I am thrilled that NATO went in, took the lead and went in to punish Milosevic."

Spahich has been in touch with many of his refugee friends from Bosnia currently residing in Amarillo and Canyon and he said they are very excited about the event.

"Much like Bosnia, NATO will bring hope to the Albanians of Kosova," said Spahich. "I am glad the United States is part of that hope for the Kosovars."

Spahich came from the former Yugoslavia to Dumas in 1960 to live with his father at the age of 15. He now works at Century 21 and lives in Fritch.

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