The Vomit Principle in Serbia’s Political Spin

 

The “Vomit Principle” in modern marketing trends hasn’t eluded Serbia’s politicians. The vomit principle is a political tactic that wilfully disgusts people in order to grab their attention. When it comes to Serbia’s denial of its horrendous crimes in its pursuits of a Greater Serbia, stretching into Croatian territory and the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1990’s, then it has almost perfected the “art” of the “Vomit Principle”.  Serbia’s politicians, whether in Serbia (for example Aleksandar Vucic, Ana Brnabic, Ivica Dacic) or in Croatia (for example Milorad Pupovac, Boris Milosevic) or in Bosnia and Herzegovina (for example Milorad Dodik) are sticking to their marketing message, sprouting their their passively-aggressive slogans and genocide denials ad nauseam. You’d think they’d get sick of saying the same thing at every turn. And if by any chance, you are asking why I’m putting Serbs from Serbia, Serbs from Croatia and Serbs from Bosnia and Herzegovina in the same cauldron here it’s because both Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina had ethnic Serbs living there who emerged as rebel Serbs (rebelling against the states’ secession from communist Yugoslavia), mounted terror against non-Serbs in those two countries, and were joined in that fight by Serbia with its deadly viciousness. If Croatia’s minority government had the courage and prudence to side with the Croatian Serbs that fought with Croatians against Serb aggression (and there was a significant number of them) we would surely now be looking at a different political scenario, perhaps even at a good progress in reconciliation. But it didn’t and it doesn’t! It sides with Croatian rebel Serb camp that promotes Serbia’s politics in Croatia.

No matter how many times they repeat their spin based on fabrications, there will always be someone who has missed it.  So, repetition is essential to the point of making people feel sick. This is the “Vomit Principle” and it shows particularly at that time when you realise that the spin, the message, the slogan, has been said so many times that you feel that if you hear it or say it once more you are just going to throw up and that is the point at which people hear it. In other words, all marketing that achieves intended results relies on a message which resonates, repeated often enough until it penetrates the minds of your intended audience and gets them to take whatever action you want.

And Serbia wants the world to forget that its aggression against Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina ever occurred! That the genocide, the ethnic cleansing, the mass rapes, the torture, the sheer wanton destruction it committed during 1990’s did not occur and if it did occur then it was justified to pursue such course of action because Serbs say in deceit that Croatia, for example, engaged in genocide during World War II. I will not go deeply here into the fact that WWII history regarding Croatia when it comes to, say, Jasenovac camp and the numbers of people who perished there, was largely fraudulently written by Serbs and other communists and, judging by relatively recent research into WWII, it does not represent the true picture, or actual facts. I will not go deeply here into the fact that, for example, Serbia (its leaders of the 1990’s aggression) were convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in the Hague of genocide in Croatia, and Croatia was not.

Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic took part in a commemoration ceremony Tuesday, 4 August 2020 in Sremska Raca near the borders with Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ceremony marked the day when, in 1995, the Croatian military’s Operation Storm, which marked the end of the war for Croatia’s independence from communist Yugoslavia and was organised by official Serbia in remembrance of the Serbian victims and refugees.

We will not celebrate the tragedy of the Serbian people, the killing of Serb civilians, the killing of the Serb children. We will not be humiliated,” Vucic said at the commemoration in Sremska Raca. “Reconciliation, yes. Humiliation — no,” said Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic!

Knowing the fact that there are no known civilian victims during Croatia’s Operation Storm on 4th and 5th August 1995 and that the exodus of some 200,000 of Serbs from Croatia at the time was actually an ordered evacuation that was directed by Serbia itself puts a bitter taste and outrage to these words uttered by Vucic, yet another of many times!

Then, at around the same time, Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, regurgitated Vucic’s vomit against Croatia.  “We want reconciliation, peace, we do not ask you to apologise, admit the genocide in Jasenovac, but we want you to let us mourn that day or those days. We want reconciliation, but not humiliation, which we will not agree to.”

Serbia continues pressuring Croatia to admit to genocide it did not perpetrate in WWII against Serbs in order to continue denying the genocide it, itself, perpetrated in 1990’s in both Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina! The gut-wrenching thing in all this is that pro-communist Yugoslavia political/government leadership of Croatia does nothing to alert the world not to succumb to the nausea infecting the world from Serbia. Even, if that leadership or government of Croatia is in coalition with the Serb activists in Croatia in order to sustain its minority government, it has no right to keep silent in the face of continued barrage of lies and denials of the 1990’s murderous aggression coming from Serbia!

Whether Serbia’s usage of the “Vomit Principle” strategy in its politics to wash away its 1990’s mortal sins against the Croatian people, as if they were never willfully committed, will force Croatian current leadership to further compromise the absolute need of Croatia to defend itself from the murderous Serb aggression is yet to be seen. According to some media sources Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Barnabic has even during the past week “told” Croatia to stop using the term “Serbo-Chetnik aggression” when it comes to Croatia’s Homeland War! Will Serbia’s use of the “Vomit Principle” force a reconciliation founded on the cruel equalisation of the victim with the aggressor? It’s certainly heading that way it seems and it spells no blissful future that depends on truth; it spells a long painful future of unrest among the Croatian people, for certain.

Let’s take a look at what is evidently standing behind Serbia’s leadership’s words – behind what Vucic and Brnabic are saying. In terms of psychology Vucic’s and Brnabic’s, indeed of all Serbia’s leading politicians of decades past, telling lies and pointing fingers at others especially for unrelated acts (for example WWII) has evidently become a way not to admit that which makes them feel ashamed and they do not want to be judged for crimes Serbia has perpetrated. Serbia should be ashamed of its aggression against Croatian people who wanted out of communist Yugoslavia, which, by the way, Serbs controlled to a large extent. Then, of course, the relatively recent trends in historical research into facts of WWII Croatia have revealed several crucial facts regarding WWII Jasenovac and regarding Blessed Alojzije Stepinac that cause anxiety and panic among Serbs who had participated in writing the history of WWII Croatia, based on lies and cruel fabrications. There is the extensive research by American dr Esther Gitman on the rescue and survival of Jews in WWII Croatia which point to the fact that there were Croats, including Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, who made it their task to rescue Jews and others, but still, after WWII Serbs led the persecution against Blessed Alojzije Stepinac with trumped-up charges of Nazi collaboration. Then, British dr Robin Harris published also a biography of Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, based on similar facts. But, wouldn’t you know it (!), Serbia has recently placed Israeli historian Gideon Greif on its payroll and Serbia’s lies get new reinforcement.

Historical archives being open after Croatia seceded from communist Yugoslavia in the 1990’s has enabled historians to delve into researching the history of Jasenovac camp. The results that are emerging from this research give a significantly different picture of WWII Jasenovac. This picture based on discovered documentation is definitely set to throw the false picture Serbs and their allies painted into garbage; onto the heap of human misery and deceit. Serbs and their allies have already maliciously dubbed this research as “Holocaust denial” and “Historical Revisionism”! Some notable researchers into WWII Jasenovac camp have been Blanka M. Matkovic, Igor Vukic, Vladimir Horvat and Stipo Pilic, to name just a few. They all point one to the fact that the myth about WWII Jasenovac camp was a cruel myth devised to prop-up the oppressive communist Yugoslavia regime and the Serb determination to cover up their own terrible participation in the WWII extermination of Jews and their hatred for any kind of independent Croatia.

And so, it has surfaced relatively recently that the myth of Croatian genocide against Serbs in WWII is based on lies and fabrication – and this feeds Serbia’s “Vomit Principle” with ammunition made up of lies. Associated with this principle are Croatian Serbs’, who were directly or sideways associated with the rebel Serb faction in 1990’s Croatia (Such as Milorad Pupovac and Boris Milosevic), constant attempts to characterise the “For Homeland Ready” (Za Dom Spremni) Croatian salute, used for centuries as a mark of patriotic love, as a salute that promotes a genocidal character of Croatian fight for independence! Serb aggression and the need for Croats to preserve their lives amidst the brutal aggression means nothing in their warped minds. They lived in Croatia as the 19990’s war of aggression arose, they live in Croatia today and yet they are activists for Serbia’s anti-Croatian politics!  And with this, they all call for a future that is threaded together by peace and reconciliation between Croatia and Serbia!

Surely, Serbia’s use of the “Vomit Principle” cannot possibly succeed in achieving reconciliation because that would mean that Croatia has finally cowered to the pressure of liars and aggressors and that, in no small ways, spells out yet another myth Serbia has managed to forge and place on the world’s stage! To the detriment of humanity and truth! Ina Vukic

 

“Operation Storm” Documentary – A Gift For Croatian War Veterans And Croatian People

Thank you Mr Nikola Knez of Croatian Film Institute for communicating to me the Press Release from 1 August 2020 which I now translate into English:

PRESS RELEASE

01.08.2020

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the glorious and magnificent military-police operation “Storm”, the Croatian Film Institute presents as a gift Croatian defenders and the Croatian people with the American-Croatian documentary “Operation Storm” which can be watched here.

At the US International Film Festival, WorldFest Houston, the film won two awards, the Silver Remy Award: Nikola Knez for the direction and dr. Sc. Miroslav Međimorec and Dr. Dorothy McClellan for the screenplay. “Operation Storm” was a decisive battle of the Croatian defensive-liberating war for independence and integrity of the Croatian state in which the Croatian Army and police defeated the Serbian aggressor and with that the Greater Serbia politics pursued by the war criminal Slobodan Milosevic.

The “Storm”, launched by the Republic of Croatia in August 1995, was marked as the largest European ground military operation after the Second World War and justifiably became the crown jewel of the Croatian Homeland War. This film clearly and powerfully documents the events of this extraordinary military operation, and proves that Croatia, together with its army and generals, deserves the recognition of the world community, and possibly the Nobel Peace Prize. On the occasion of the successful completion of “Operation Storm”, the first President of the Republic of Croatia, Dr. Franjo Tuđman, said: “This victory does not only mean the liberation of the Homeland, but the creation of a foundation for a free and independent Croatia through the centuries to come.” In eternal memory of all Croatian veterans and a big thank you for the effort, work, courage and sacrifice they made for their homeland and enabled the birth of Croatia, a free, independent and sovereign state

CROATIAN FILM INSTITUTE

Nikola Knez, director Dr. Miroslav Međimorec, screenwriter and film producers: Nikola Knez Miroslav Međimorec, PhD Dorothy McClellan, PhD Damir Radoš

 

Priopćenje za javnost

01.08.2020

Povodom 25. obljetnice slavne i velebne vojno-redarstvene operacije “Oluja”, Hrvatski filmski Institut daruje hrvatskim braniteljima i hrvatskom narodu američko-hrvatski dokumentarni film “Operacija Oluja” koji možete pogledati ovdje: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKoUo8vzRnc

Na međunarodnom filmskom festivalu u SAD-u, WorldFest Houston, film je dobio dvije nagrade, Silver Remi Award. Za režiju, Nikola Knez, i za scenarij dr. sc. Miroslav Međimorec i dr. Dorothy McClellan. “Operacija Oluja” bila je odlučna bitka hrvatskog obranbeno-oslobodilačkog rata za nezavisnost i cjelovitost hrvatske države u kojoj su Hrvatska vojska i policija porazile srpskog agresora te s njim i velikosrpsku politiku koju je provodio ratni zločinac Slobodan Milošević.

“Oluja”, koju je Republika Hrvatska pokrenula u mjesecu kolovozu 1995. ,označena je kao najveća europska kopnena vojna operacija nakon Drugoga svjetskog rata i opravdano je postala krunski dragulj hrvatskog Domovinskog rata. Ovaj film jasno i snažno dokumentira događaje te izvanredne vojne operacije, i dokazuje da Hrvatska, zajedno sa svojom vojskom i generalima, zaslužuje priznanje svjetske zajednice, a moguće i Nobelovu nagradu za mir. Prigodom uspješnog završetka “Operacije Oluja” prvi predsjednik RH dr. Franjo Tuđman je rekao: “Ova pobjeda ne znači samo oslobođenje Domovine, već _stvaranje temelja za slobodnu i nezavisnu Hrvatsku kroz stoljeća u budućnosti.” U vječni spomen na sve hrvatske branitelje i velika hvala za trud, rad, hrabrost i žrtvu koju su podnijeli za svoju domovinu i omogućili rođenje Hrvatske, slobodne, samostalne i nezavisne države.

HRVATSKI FILMSKI INSTITUT

Nikola Knez, redatelj Dr. Sc. Miroslav Međimorec, scenarist i Producenti filma: Nikola Knez Dr. Sc. Miroslav Međimorec Dr. Dorothy McClellan Damir Radoš

 

 

Press Release Croatian Film Institute 1 August 2020

Croatian Operation Storm – A Moral And Military Victory By An Exceptional People

General Slobodan Praljak
“played an enormous role in the protection of Jews. It is a historical truth that needs to be repeated thousands of times” (Jakov Bienenfeld, Bet Israel of Croatia)
Photo: Screenshot

Operation Storm – a new documentary film by Nikola Knez. In English.

Operation Storm was the single-most decisive battle of the Croatian War for Independence. Launched by the Republic of Croatia in August 1995, it was the largest European land battle since the Second World War. The success of this remarkable military action by Croatia came after four years of brutal fighting. Outnumbered, outgunned, but not outmaneuvered, this tiny new democracy prevailed in a David versus Goliath battle, a moral as well as military victory by an exceptional people. Storm ended the massive humanitarian disaster and genocide committed by the Serbian Army and Chetnik terrorists. It led to the liberation of one third of Croatian territory seized by the enemy, and it made possible the Dayton Agreement that brought peace to the region. This film documents the events surrounding this extraordinary battle, demonstrating that Croatia, along with its army and generals, deserve commendation from the world community, if not a Nobel Peace Prize.

 

 

(Operacija Oluja – novi dokumentarni film Nikole Kneza

Operacija Oluja bila je najodlučnija bitka hrvatskog rata za neovisnost. Pokrenuta od strane Republike Hrvatske u kolovozu 1995., bila je to najveća europska kopnena bitka od Drugog svjetskog rata. Uspjeh ove izuzetne vojne akcije Hrvatska postigao je nakon četiri godine brutalnih borbi. Ova malena nova demokracija brojčano nadmašena, oružano nadmašena, ali ne i izmanevrirana, prevladala je u borbi Davida protiv Golijata, u moralnoj i vojnoj pobjedi izuzetnog naroda. Oluja je okončala masovnu humanitarnu katastrofu i genocid koji su počinile srpska vojska i četnički teroristi. To je dovelo do oslobađanja jedne trećine hrvatskog teritorija koje je neprijatelj zauzeo, i omogućila je Daytonski sporazum koji je donio mir regiji. Ovaj film dokumentira događaje oko ove izvanredne bitke, pokazujući da Hrvatska, zajedno sa svojom vojskom i generalima, zaslužuje pohvalu svjetske zajednice, ako ne i Nobelove nagrade za mir.)

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