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In Which War Zone Did You Serve ?
by James Luko (centrist)
About The Author
James Luko served with the United Nations in the Former Yugoslavia from 1994 to late 2005. His posts were during and after the war in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Zagreb, Tuzla, Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania. Luko served several years in the field as a Human Rights investigator during the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo, investigating actions by the police, justice organs and military and militia's. In his last eight years with the UN he served as the Operations Officer and Deputy Head of Office of the UN War Crimes Tribunal Office of the Prosecutor in Macedonia, Kosovo and then Belgrade Serbia.
James Luko also served in Washington DC with the National Council For Soviet East European Research, the Smithsonian Institute and two years as an analyst with the Canadian Department of National Defence.
During his time with the UN, Mr. Luko was the field representative of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights, former Polish Prime Minister, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, and former Finish Defense Minister and European Parliament Member, Elisabeth Rehn. Accompanying Ms. Rehn, Mr. Luko met, “so called” RS President Radovan Karadzic and “so called” RS Foreign Minister, Aleksa Buha in Pale in 1996.
Mr. Luko, served as the UN Mission in Bosnia's Human Rights Coordinator for Sector West, based in Banja Luka and conducted investigations of Serb, Croat and Bosniak police, courts, intelligence operations and military. Mr. Luko, while in Banja Luka served as the UN Human Rights Liaison Officer to RS President Biljana Plavsic and RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik as well as the Bosniak Judiciary in Bihac.
Mr. Luko was present during and after Operation Storm, as well as monitoring the “evacuation” of Serbs from Sarajevo as well as being in Zepa during its fall to the Serbian military forces. Luko was part of Hubert Wieland's team (Hubert Wieland, a colleague and friend, who was the Special Representative of the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights Jose Ayala- Lasso) who were the first to interview DP's (displaced persons) arriving to UN Tuzla airbase from Srebrenica.
Mr. Luko has a B.A. In International Affairs from the George Washington University- Elliott School of International Affairs and completed the Master's Program in International Politics from the University of Waterloo Canada.
Mr. Luko has been doing consulting work in Beijing China for the past two years and has appeared on the Chinese national program, CCTV9 Dialogue to discuss NATO issues, as well as several lectures at Universities in Beijing.
. About The Column
An insiders look at UN operations during and after the wars in Former Yugoslavia, including commentary and analysis of the current war crimes trials and events in the Former Yugoslavia and Balkans and other international economic and security issues. The Insider Comes Outside. Actually I've been quite quiet these years about all these issues of the OTP, ICTY, Srebrenica, UN and ICTY corruption, I decided not to comment on these issues as it seemed to have faded from the public eye. However, with the capture and arrest of Radovan Karadzic last year, I was approached by several journalists who knew me from my time in Bosnia to question my involvement in an attempt to arrest Karadzic in 1997. As these old issues have now become relevant again in the public domain, I think there are unique perspectives and inside information which I can add to the debate and lack of knowledge on many of these issues in which I can shed new light on. I realized with the arrest of Karadzic, the last chapter of this part of history has not yet been written.
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Published: November 7, 2011
In times of reducing defense budgets, nuclear weapons are not a good choice to find savings.
Fractional Reserve Banking and America's Standard of Living
Published: August 21, 2011
Most Americans today owe their standard of living to "fractional reserve banking."
Gold Standard Would Ruin Us
Published: August 14, 2011
Going to a gold bullion standard, as we and the UK had in the past, would deflate our economy to zero.
Clean Up Your Own Act Before You Throw Stones !
Published: August 7, 2011
While China beats up America on its credit rating, they themselves have never been on par with America's credit rating.
The Gold Standard, Printing Money and the Federal Reserve
Published: July 23, 2011
The gold standard didn't work, the Federal Reserve does not PRINT money and Quantitative Easing is good !
China and Russia Angry at USA
Published: July 15, 2011
The Chinese and Russians are increasingly angry over the value of the U.s. dollar.
4th of July, Americas Waterloo?
Published: July 4, 2011
Much of the media is driving the American public to believe in America's decline this 4th of July, but they are wrong.
China's Moves on Cuba Need to Be Stopped
Published: June 29, 2011
China is attempting to turn Cuba into a Chinese client state. This geostrategic move will become tantamount to the Soviet's placement of missiles in Cuba in 1962.
The Dollar as the World Reserve Currency: Voice of a Contrarian
Published: June 29, 2011
Mass media and some economists report the demise of the dollar as a reserve currency. I don't think so.
America's attack on Libya is Geopolitically and Strategically counterproductive
Published: March 29, 2011
American and non-proliferation interests are not served by our attack on Libya.
US to participate in Libyan No-Fly Zone ?
Published: March 10, 2011
US participation in a Libyan no-fly zone should result in rewards for America.
Man-made Global Warming Theory AGW
Published: March 3, 2011
Measuring scientific consensus regarding man made global warming by counting the number of abstracts is hardly a legitimate method of evaluation.
Natural Climate Change Deniers
Published: January 10, 2011
The earth's climate works in cycles and "natural" events, not man made, are the primary drivers of climate changes. Those who advocate anthropenic global warming theory are denying natural climate change.
North Korea Attacks: World War Three ?
Published: November 24, 2010
Exclusive to Nolan Chart; interviews regarding recent events in Korea
CONTAIN CHINA; The LUKO DOCTRINE
Published: November 19, 2010
The best response to confront a increasingly aggresive China is to encircle and contain China.
What is really behind Obama's BIG trip to India ?
Published: November 16, 2010
Obama masked his recent trip to India behind economics yet the trip was of massive strategic significance.
Global Warming or Global Farce?
Published: September 28, 2010
Global warming supporters are trying to recover from the recent email scandal but their science is as flawed as ever
GERMANY: Our Unreliable Partner in Defense
Published: May 21, 2010
After 55 years of NATO and American defense protection, Germany seeks to abandon America.
Made in the USA: Still Number One !
Published: May 16, 2010
Despite misinformed mainstream media and urban myth, the facts reveal glaringly that the US is still the leading manufacturing nation in the world.
Is China's GNP Number Accurate
Published: December 19, 2009
Even though its absolutely true that the Chinese economy is growing, it's also this articles contention that a significant portion of that growth and GNP number is not a result of true economic activity.
China Eclipses U.S. Auto Sales - Oh Really?
Published: December 2, 2009
The recent announcement of China auto sales eclipsing American auto sales doesn't quite add up.
SARAH PALIN Missing the Point
Published: November 23, 2009
The publicity about Sarah Palin is missing the big point that her popularity is an inverse reaction; that of the public's dissatisfaction with America's governing elites.
KARADZIC No Show
Published: October 27, 2009
Karadzic boycotted the first day of his trial, an act which highlights several reasons why its time to shut down the UN Tribunal.
BULLISH on the Dollar
Published: October 16, 2009
What goes down, Must come up
Dump the Dollar ?
Published: October 9, 2009
The reasons why dumping the dollar will not happen.
Afghanistan: Conquer and Garrison
Published: September 27, 2009
There is a way to "win" in Afghanistan, our strategic reputation is being battered by the indecision of President Obama.
KARADZIC: JUSTICE DENIED
Published: September 24, 2009
A former officer of The Office of the Prosecutor in the Hague, ICTY, exposes how and why the UN is denying justice to war crimes suspect, Radovan Karadzic.
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