Serbia forgets its war veterans?

This story is really sad and the government is doing its best, when we know that, at the same time, governmental money has been used to harbour criminals of war, and pay them pensions.

There are so many things that shocked me coming from Serbia. I often wondered if we're living on the same planet. I don't want to be insulting but when I read what Ida writes and some other Serbs, I really wonder why I am so different... even though we ( them and myself ) all seem to be educated people.

This is a mystery to me!

Victor, the differences that separate you from Ida, or you from me, or whoever is how we first read these articles, second, how we interpret them, and lastly how we apply them to a larger picture of state and society.

Do we know the history of Zoran? Was he called up to fight? Did he volunteer? Was he a Milosevic supporter or someone who came of age to serve in the VJ and was sent to Borovo Selo in the same way an American is sent to Iraq? We don't know this, and we can't pass judgement.

We have similar stories in the US of Americans serving their country in Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere, being touted as the defenders of freedom, justice, etc. etc. etc. but as soon as they are injured and rendered incapable of fighting, we sweep them under the rug and forget about them. We have numerous cases of American soldiers being terminally crippled, yet no media reports make any effort to raise awareness. We occasionally hear stories of young men and women who signed up in the military to get college tuition and some some semblance of a trade, only to be sent into a war as front line infantry and then forgotten. Our government refuses to even report the names of the dead or hold any memorials for them. They drill into our heads how we need to support our troops in Iraq, but have decided to fight the war on the cheap.

This story in Serbia seems no different from America, or any other country, and I think it's incredibly presumptuous of you or anyone else to single-handedly pass judgement on someone who's life has already been shattered by the war, and who for all intents and purposes may have had no idea what he was getting in to.

Governments love to use soldiers as proxies to implement their own agendas and purposes, and I think that if people put their life on the line for their state and their government, both state and government should at least repay that service in kind when medical treatment and rehabilitation are needed.

This is a DISGRACE and this man should get his treatment immediately.1000 naturally blind men is a statistic but ONE which can be corrected is a tragedy.Serbs in the diaspora should lower their heads in shame if they do not rectify this now.

I hope money can be raised to support Zoran's eye surgery in Portugal. People could start a drive and have charity functions/races/etc. to send money for the Portugal surgery fund. Croatia does a lot for its veterans; Serbia could do better.

you mean war criminals?

Serbian doctors should be sent to be trained in this technique in Portugal. I'm sure many people in Serbia could benefit from this.

you mean war criminals?

This story is really sad and the government is doing its best, when we know that, at the same time, governmental money has been used to harbour criminals of war, and pay them pensions.

There are so many things that shocked me coming from Serbia. I often wondered if we're living on the same planet. I don't want to be insulting but when I read what Ida writes and some other Serbs, I really wonder why I am so different... even though we ( them and myself ) all seem to be educated people.

This is a mystery to me!

This is a DISGRACE and this man should get his treatment immediately.1000 naturally blind men is a statistic but ONE which can be corrected is a tragedy.Serbs in the diaspora should lower their heads in shame if they do not rectify this now.

I hope money can be raised to support Zoran's eye surgery in Portugal. People could start a drive and have charity functions/races/etc. to send money for the Portugal surgery fund. Croatia does a lot for its veterans; Serbia could do better.

Serbian doctors should be sent to be trained in this technique in Portugal. I'm sure many people in Serbia could benefit from this.

Victor, the differences that separate you from Ida, or you from me, or whoever is how we first read these articles, second, how we interpret them, and lastly how we apply them to a larger picture of state and society.

Do we know the history of Zoran? Was he called up to fight? Did he volunteer? Was he a Milosevic supporter or someone who came of age to serve in the VJ and was sent to Borovo Selo in the same way an American is sent to Iraq? We don't know this, and we can't pass judgement.

We have similar stories in the US of Americans serving their country in Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere, being touted as the defenders of freedom, justice, etc. etc. etc. but as soon as they are injured and rendered incapable of fighting, we sweep them under the rug and forget about them. We have numerous cases of American soldiers being terminally crippled, yet no media reports make any effort to raise awareness. We occasionally hear stories of young men and women who signed up in the military to get college tuition and some some semblance of a trade, only to be sent into a war as front line infantry and then forgotten. Our government refuses to even report the names of the dead or hold any memorials for them. They drill into our heads how we need to support our troops in Iraq, but have decided to fight the war on the cheap.

This story in Serbia seems no different from America, or any other country, and I think it's incredibly presumptuous of you or anyone else to single-handedly pass judgement on someone who's life has already been shattered by the war, and who for all intents and purposes may have had no idea what he was getting in to.

Governments love to use soldiers as proxies to implement their own agendas and purposes, and I think that if people put their life on the line for their state and their government, both state and government should at least repay that service in kind when medical treatment and rehabilitation are needed.