Jay,

yes, I am (was, that is) an IT/CS student at Electrical Engineering
Faculty, University of Belgrade. And yes, I do speak English - lately,
more than my mother tongue, Serbian.

Let us call the things with their real names - our two countries are at
WAR - there is nothing to approximate here. Your army is bombing around
my country, and, had it been powerful enough, our army would be bombing
your country as well - make no mistake about that. Military targets,
bridges, power plants, schools and hospitals, with no selection and no
shame, same as you are doing now.

I finished my studies and left Yugoslavia a year ago. I have had enough
of oppressive, communist-style regime, and your newly-found enemy - a
'horrible dictator in the heart of Europe', as you now call him. Back
then, he was your ally and friend, Dayton peace treaty guarantee and
'factor of stability' on troubled Balkans.

There was a broad anti-Milosevic movement in Serbia prior to this all.
It was building up from early nineties, and culminated in winter
1996/97, when Milosevic lost his first elections. What he did was -
annulate the election results, in an obvious communist-style election
fraud. What we did was - took it to the streets, and staged a four month
day-by-day demonstrations, longest lasting in history of western
civilisation. Tens, hundreds of thousands, half a milion at peek -
marched against Milosevic in the capital of Serbia and other towns. He
was ready to fall, but utterly peacefull demonstrations were not enough
to bring the dictator down. We needed just a bit of help. We looked up
to the west. We carried American, British and other western nations'
flags along with our own. We hoped our country will become normal, as
yours were.

What you did was - NOTHING. Stood aside and watched. And all of that is
richly documented on CNN website.

Now... only two years later... your army is destroying my country, with
a sarcastic explanation of fighting not against Serbs, but against this
former friend of yours, former factor of stability and now ruthless
dictator, Milosevic. What a hypocrisy! In the same time, Milosevic's
children are on safe place, in one of NATO countries, and I guarantee
you that no NATO bomb will fall on his head. For the first time during
his oppressive ten year rule, he has all of the Serbs united behind him
- he has the angry, defending nation, homogenised by American bombs,
left with no choice but to support him and his brutal policies. People
who carried American flags through the streets of Belgrade two years
ago, are now burning them on very same streets.

Whatever is going on in Kosovo rigth now - killings, burning of
villages, refugees - can be justified in the eyes of Serbs. They are
attacking us? Ok, let's show them the fireworks. And that is exactly
what is happening. It also shows how untrue are your leaders' claims
about 'preventing a humanitarian catastrophy' - with this attack, you
have given Milosevic and his butchers carte blanche on Kosovo. You can
not 'deteriorate his power to do what he is doing' with bombing - a
supply of knives and oil barrels is enough to kill and burn. And don't
ask me to feel pity for 'weary ethnic Albanian refugees' when my family
is spending days and nights in underground shelters, 400 miles from
Kosovo.

*

Now... normally, I'm calm and reasonable person. Honestly :-) But some
things are just too much. I appreciate your (and other people's) effort
to comunicate, to hear all sides... There is nothing better than
communication, and nothing worse than when communication stops - as we
are witnessing right now. There are many, MANY people in Serbia opposed
and fighting against what seems to be the last standing communist regime
in Europe. Unfortunately, you guys are of no help at all... quite the
opposit.

> If you can't or don't want to reply because of pressure either
personal or
> political that is more than understandable.

No... let me explain one more interesting thing about my country. There
is no classic communist repression in Serbia. If you want, you may go
and give a speech against Milosevic and his evil reign - nothing will
happen to you, and certainly no men in leather jackets will come to
arrest you, as seen in movies about the life behind the iron curtain.
You can start mass demonstrations if you want to (and if you are able) -
no one will stop you. BUT! All state controlled media (99%) will scream
'Traison! Traitor!' and you will be dead and burried, without anyone
laying a hand on you. That's how modern day dictators operate... and
frankly, watching CNN, I see you American are not too far away either.

> If you can I'd certainly appreciate someone to exchange information
> with in Belgrade.

Well, I can't be of much assistance there, since I'm probably further
away from Belgrade than yourself :-) But if you wanted an opinion from a
Belgrader - here it is :-)

Cheers,
Vladimir