Trusted Mole: A Soldier's Journey into Bosnia's Heart of Darkness

This book should, along with Martin Bell's 'In Harm's Way', be recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the Bosnian war. The author, a British officer of Serbian background, went out to the Balkans as an interpreter for UNPROFOR and came face-to-face with a nigh-on impossible situation in which he was expected to deal with the top brass on all sides - negotiating cease-fires and the release of UN hostages while organising the clandestine evacuation of civilians from a city under constant siege against a background of ruthless civil war and shifting alliances in which even the unity of the UN mission was questionable to say the least. As my old unversity tutor pointed out, nothing in the former Yugoslavia can ever be seen in black-and-white terms; there are only varying shades of grey - and this account more than backs that up.

If I have any criticism, it is the lack of detail given to Stankovic's ordeal at the hands of the morally cowardly MoD, who ruined his military career by arresting him on the evidently pretty vague suspicion of being a spy for the Bosnian Serbs. For this alone, the people in charge of this country's military should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for what they did to a very brave man.

A Sordid Tale of a Sordid Time (Best By Far) (0/0 people found this helpful)

This has to be the best piece of writing by far covering the Balkan Conflict. Having served in Sarajevo durng this time with the UN Civilan Police I can assure you everything Stankovic writes is authentic and right on the mark. I had always hoped to never forget my experiences in Sarajevo but placed them in a "drawer" that I seldom visited. Soon after cracking this book the sounds, the smells, the people,the futlity,and the danger all came back. Any book that can accomplish this is a tribute to the author.
Stankovic covers the back room deals, the absolute ineptitude of the U.N leadership and most of all the suffering endured by the "the little people". Sarajevo was a dangerous place not only because of the conflict, but also because foreign intelligence services used it as an operational training ground. These services operated behind the scenes but always ended up at the PTT looking for assistance from the same people they were cutting off at the knees. There is no doubt in my mind it was through such people Milos Stankovic met his demise.
This book should be required reading for any member of the military, police,or a civilian contemplating working in an area of conflict.

The Best of the Lot (0/0 people found this helpful)

My copy of Trusted Mole, is now covered in red ink and pencil marks. I have consulted it on numerous occasions in recent years and every time I read it I am struck by the power and honesty of the words. This is not just one of the best personal accounts of the conflict in Former Yugoslavia - it is THE best of the lot by a mile - and I concur completely with the view that it should be mandatory reading for both military and civilian students of the period. For those who never set foot in the Balkans during the war Stankovic gives a unique insight into what it is was really like trying to survive, and do some good, in total chaos. For those who did, he brings the perception, deception and downright dishonesty of it all sharply back into focus. No more than many others Milos Stankovic is also a victim of the Yugoslav conflict and he will carry that burden with him for the rest of his life. That makes his story invaluable, and more so because it is also reflective of thousands of other similar personal forgotten tragedies which nobody cares about anymore. Buy the hard back edition - you will read it over and over again!!

BUY IT, READ IT AND THINK (0/1 people found this helpful)

As an aid worker in Bosnia at this time I was perplexed by what was going on, angry and frustrated. Milos Stankovic's book has filled in so many blanks for me and others who were in that tragic place witnessing the horrors of war. The book has rekindled some difficult memories for us but the extraordinary insight and background we are given is utterly unique. The appalling way the author was treated by the Ministry of Defence adds an additional element of incredulity to the story and I truly hope that things have now worked out for him.

Highly recommended but misses the bigger picture (3/3 people found this helpful)

I'm going to criticise this superb book. It is extremely well written, engaging and includes many pictures and maps that are as good as any I've seen in a military history book. The insight into events on the ground could not be provided by anyone who was not there and the whole story is delivered with an admirable lack of bitterness, considering how the author believes he was wronged by the MoD.

For a truly unique first-hand account of a British, UN officer's role in the Bosnian crisis buy this book - the author lost his legal case against the MoD and was lumbered with huge legal costs.

Now the rub. I feel this book commits a number of crimes of omission. For starters, there is practically no detail of the Crown's case against the author or even the outcome of the case. Given the prominence given in the promotional material for the book of his arrest etc, this is pretty disappointing. Like another reviewer, I would also have appreciated more coverage of the specific details discussed in meetings with the BSA top brass.

In addition, Stankovic unconsciously peddles the MoD and FCO line throughout the book of moral equivalence between all sides - ever ready to describe Muslim and Croat misdemeanours without any reference to the relative enormity of the atrocities committed predominantly by the BSA.

Never is the bigger picture of the war analysed and the author frequently criticises US involvement without ever considering that his own presence as part of a British / France sponsored UN spoiling tactic was fundamental to preventing successful military intervention on behalf of non-combatants. This is hardly surprising from a British officer born to a Serbian family.

In summary - this is an excellent read but the authors assertion that the book merely represents his perspective should be strongly born in mind.

Trusted Mole: A Soldier's Journey into Bosnia's Heart of Darkness

Milos Stankovic

Reader Reviews:

Highly recommended (0/0 people found this helpful)

A Sordid Tale of a Sordid Time (Best By Far) (0/0 people found this helpful)

The Best of the Lot (0/0 people found this helpful)

BUY IT, READ IT AND THINK (0/1 people found this helpful)

Highly recommended but misses the bigger picture (3/3 people found this helpful)

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