The Other Side of Reason

By Aleksandar Krzavac

Behind the scene of air strikes against Yugoslavia, Top story of the Globe in the spring 1999, there is an inside drama in Radio Television of Serbia.

CEO of RTS makes decisions as if he is NATO ally not the head of State Broadcasting Company in charge of company policy and employees in particular. Life of other employees is only a step on the large scale of his promotion.

Aleksandar, journalist in News Editorial tries to explain CEO that his primary duty is to protect people in company not to sacrifice their lives due to some vague “Superior Goals”. Small journalist versus CEO; Aleksandar, alone, can not protect employees; forthcoming tragedy is on the way. Sixteen people, mostly young, were killed on April 23, 1999.

This is the story about people who are ready to do literally anything to keep their positions and privileges NO MATTER what price OTHER PEOPLE will pay.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Éditions Dédicaces
• Release date: Dec 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781770765597

Book preview

Aleksandar Krzavac

The Other Side of Reason

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Based on true story

Editions Dedicaces

The Other Side of Reason

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Although based on true story events and characters it doesn't necessarily conform fully to history (real events and characters. Namely, some parts were fictionalized, including, events, characters and locations.

Copyright © 2015 by Editions Dedicaces LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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Published by:

Editions Dedicaces LLC

12759 NE Whitaker Way, Suite D833

Portland, Oregon, 97230

www.dedicaces.us

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Krzavac, Aleksandar

The Other Side of Reason / by Aleksandar Krzavac.

p. cm.

ISBN-13: 978-1-77076-558-0 (alk. paper)

ISBN-10: 1-77076-558-1 (alk. paper)

Aleksandar Krzavac

The Other Side of Reason

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Based on true story

War: a massacre of people who don’t know

each other for the profit of people who know

each other but don’t massacre each other

Paul Valery

Politicians are masters of the art of deception.

Martin L. Gross

To all spinning masters

whose highly sophisticated lies

and half(truths) make

our lives go this (wrong) way

Table of Contents

Shall I ever be forty?!? Being the Target

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty Two

Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Thirty Four

Chapter Thirty Five

Chapter Thirty Six

Chapter Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Eight

Chapter Thirty Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty One

Chapter Forty Two

Chapter Forty Three

Chapter Forty Four

Shall I ever be forty?!? Being the Target

(Instead of Preface)

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Shall I ever be Forty !?! That dilemma seems to be ridiculous, speaking in regular terms. However, for Belgrade citizens from March 24 to June 8, 1999, it was quite real, Life Dilemma. For me, in particular.

I was born on April 15, 1959, so I was supposed to cross the border of fifth decade on the same day this year. In April NATO was supposed to be at Fifty (April 4). For sure, without running the extraordinary risk, compared with me, almost in leisure NATO has celebrated its Anniversary.

The building I have worked in, as simple as that, was the Target. Legitimate or Not, the Outcome is same. Actually, I am journalist with News  Department of State Broadcasting Company. So, regarding the fact, that NATO has performed HI-TECH Joystick Air War against Yugoslavia, Dilemma – Shall I ever be Forty !?!  Was real.

As far as I am concerned my own life  was, is, and will be extremely important to me. I have worked night shifts... So day by day, coming one following another looked as sequence of birthdays. If we take statistics and probability forecasting, chances for survival weren’t great (night shifts, building is the target). But there was WHAT IF !?! And the  H O P E.

Anyway, my survival is none of others` business. That fact is natural. What one can do !?! Leaving the job means stay without money for living, continuing work means (what if NATO strikes the building)...? That’s contradictory. Isn’t it?

What is a matter of survival !?! Staying or leaving. Could be each of them.

According to air strikes statistics, on April 23 NATO celebrated 50th Anniversary in Washington, so daily target had to be very important, might be most exclusive in whole air war.

There were no multiple, diversified solutions, only two ends of binary system – Life and Death. Frankly, we usually have only TWO options, making the most important decisions in our lives. Ordinary people in ordinary living live in Binary system. They are married or single, employed or unemployed, with children or without.

Looking from time distance our selection between two seems to be by pure chance. However, choosing between one and another option is a must regardless consequences and side effects. Simply, Life is Ongoing process, no matter we are right or not. There is nothing, so far, that could be compared with experience of Being hit by cruise missile, approximately 100 feet from workplace.

I guess, everybody has an assignment so do air strikes` pilots. They do it for living; no matter killing people is unavoidable side effect of their assignments. I hope I survived that night due to something that is much more powerful than the most powerful men in this damned world, more powerful than joystick pilots, in particular. 

April 1999

Survivor & Author

Chapter One

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White House, Washington September 1998

Spacious, luxury, bur full of some intimate and thrilling atmosphere room in east wing on White House. That space has been definitely intended for strictly private and personal use. Although part of Presidential Palace nor a single official business meeting or even short encounter has been held here. It’s strictly for close family events and/or something that nobody wants to speak about in public. In other words, media access to this space is strictly forbidden.

The ceiling-height thick silvery white curtains block nice view to beautiful park full of vivid color flowers placed in modern ornamented flower beds. Room is neatly furnished for leisure and pleasure of persons who spend their time here. There is almost nothing that can make one thinking that he or she is in official residence of  US President.

Extra-large king-size bed for is spacious enough for two very bulky and fat adult persons, three spacious armchairs of genuine leather, two are placed 10 to 15 feet from bed; third is inner corner of the room close to high exit door, in front of that armchair is nice stool. Walls are decorated with several nice oil landscapes, paintings that could, probably, sell good at Christie auction. On the floor below paintings a couple of big Chinese vases ornamented with ancient Chinese history characters and events.

Contrary to that, nest to third isolated armchair is ultramodern, as if it’s prototype sample, Hi FI stereo surround system with massive six brown wooden loudspeakers, designed for first class relaxation listening to the music.

One can notice that there is nothing that could damage or prevent harmony of people or pair who spend their leisure spare time in that room. Yes, it seems it is the truth, but only at first sight. US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton are the only persons in that room. Atmosphere is extremely tense, at this point, not for some hard political, but for very private, personal reasons.

They stand at more than 30 feet distance turning their back each other. Hillary is furious over Bill sex scandal with White House interim Monica Lewinsky. She has thoughtful, blank, angry face looking through windows somewhere outdoors.

Almost all high circulation mainstream media buzz on Bill and Monica sex affair. Photos of  Bill and Monica are on front cover page of magazines and newspapers such as Time, Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington post... Hillary is deeply humiliated and hurt by her husband adultery. That terrible feeling is intensified particularly by media headlines that mark US president as sex maniac or even mid-aged man who suffers from some mental illness, not as decent man who leads the most powerful nation in the world.

Hillary turns around to Bill, in trembling, but loud voice: Wh... What kind of man you are... Shame on you, Mister President.

Bill decides to keep quiet for it`s well known that no use debating to hysterical woman. He knows that Hillary wouldn`t accept any justification or excuse in any case. She is to proud woman who has too much self-respect.

Our daughter Chelsea has just enrolled in college... I guess you are informed on it. Instead of being proud of you she is deeply ashamed of her daddy. Hillary continues almost weeping: She has confided to me that her friends mock you and her using some dirty words and jokes. She adds in very ironical tone: Can you make out what have you done Mister President?

At that point Bill reacts: Hey, Honey. You know that I have nothing with that girl... Do you really believe media bullshit?!? You know what media in this country can do to boost its circulation. It’s just media story telling. Pure fiction... Just another fairy tale.

Hillary furious replies: Oh, please. Do not call me honey. How can you dare it after all... You must be zero morale person. Address Monica cute words, not me.

She reduces her anger for grade or two: Do you think I’m so naive to believe your lies. You cannot erase your dirty orgy with Monica with a couple of short Honey-Darling Statements.

There is debate in progress, Bill shortly replies: The only physical contact was shaking hands in White House exterior in front of media, nothing secret, all public. There is official footage. It’s just part of protocol.

However, Bill words cannot persuade Hillary. He is still suspect who has committed unexusable crime for wife who strongly believes her husband.

She continues: Hey, Bill don’t talk to me like that, I am not stupid.

She is making several short steps to small coffee table with bunch of various political magazines picks one and starts reading: I will just quote media... Listen to me carefully... Citation – He focused on me pretty exclusively, kissing her bare breasts and fondling her genitals.

Hillary makes strange grimace as she was disgusted