The Airplane

Possible NATO air strikes on Bosnian Serb positions have overshadowed the first signs of normalized relations between the regimes in Belgrade and Zagreb. But coinciding with this is a report leaked out from rather reliable sources on the crash over Krajina of a Croatian MiG 21.

Early last September, the plane was flying over the house of a Serb fighter in Kordun. The man runs out and spots Croatia's Checkered flag on the plane. He picks up an "arrow'' and a bottle of brandy from his cellar, activates the missile guiding system, pours brandy, drinks it. The plane makes a maneuver, overflies the house again. The man shoots the "arrow...'' Neighbors flock around the fighter to celebrate the action, with brandy. The proud shooter puts on his uniform and goes to the nearest command to report his brave action. At first, no one believes him--perhaps because of his post-festive condition. But he insists and euphoria erupts after parts of the plane are found on the crash site.

But then, a party breaker-- in this case an officer comes up with embarrassing questions as to how has the "arrow'' come to private hands. Euphoria gives way to a shocked silence.

Epilogue: the downing of the Croatian airplane has been ascribed to the Antiaircraft division of Krajina army, which, by the way, did not fire a single shot at the aircraft.