http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/12/warcrimes.kosovo

>>I'm afraid the generation of Palestinians that has grown up with little dolls with suicide belts might not be among that 90%. As Germany, North Korea and other places have proved it is possible to create an alternate reality in a population that makes negotiation or compromise impossible.
>
>And in that alternate reality, "you can not negotiate with them, they'll never listen to reason", never mind that this voice of reason says "we'll keep your land occupied forever and if you refuse to accept that, we'll yell that you can't be negotiated with". Perception means a lot.
>
>Why do you think Serbia got so screwed? Sloba wasn't any better or worse than Tuđman or Izetbegović. They all saw themselves as little Caesars, the fathers of the nations (who copulated with the whole of the country to beget the nations... which have existed centuries before them), but they were the same scum. So why was he the villain, while these two were the West's pets, even with Tuđman being openly anti-Semitic (not quite - he seemed to get along with the Arabic part of the Semitic peoples quite well, he only had some trouble with the nazi history of his country, finding excuses just too often), and Izetbegović wanting to create an Islamic country in the middle of Europe. So why? Because, as you know, perception means a lot, and he kept playing the wrong cards over and over in the PR war. While they invested in PR agencies and got away with pretty much the same stuff that he did. He got bombed, they got sponsored.
>
>>>Perception does mean a lot, and if I was Israel I'd make sure the US has this mental image of a dozen insane generals kept in a cage which would unleash themselves the moment we get a billion less than last year.
>>
>>Not a bad strategy, actually. But that also does not mean it is illusion. I don't think the generals are insane, I think they are just unpersuaded by the Jimmy Carter's of the world that 'peple are the same everywhere' and that negotiations are always possible. They know better. Do you really think Carter understood Arafat better than Sharon or Nettenyahu ( or my cat ) did ?
>
>That's if you buy into the alternate reality in which Arafat was just a villain and these guys were the good guys. Then it's easy to understand ;).