Civil Strife in Yugoslavia

My reaction to the crisis in Croatia is based on articles published in your newspaper. I was fortunate to escape from that part of the world back in 1956. I mainly escaped from communism, now a very badly discredited form of government. Yet surprisingly, this country’s government, the mother of all human rights, is actively endorsing Yugoslavian unity in spite of the fact that the forces in that country are full-blooded communists. Isn’t the United States sitting on the wrong side of the table?

Let us remember that the secessionist movement by Slovenia and Croatia started long after their own efforts to evolve into a more equitable and democratic union, like the United States, had failed. Seeing the desolate results of communist-ruled government, the people of those two states overwhelmingly voted for the democracy. Not fascism, by the way.

The clever communists, afraid of losing breadwinners, are using nationalism to achieve their goal. Is this really so hard to see? The blood of the killed and wounded innocent victims is badly staining the United States flag. I wish there was oil over there. Then we would have a reason to fight for human rights.

MIRKO JURICEV, Westlake Village