a question of visuals

[realthog]

The good news for the day is that the vile Radovan Karadzic has finally been captured (and, to their enormous credit, by the Serbian authorities themselves rather than by any external/international organization).

While reading the Beeb's report on this and letting out the occasional cheer, I was struck afresh by how normal Karadzic seems -- at least in photographs. I could see him slotting happily into my circle of friends, if only at the nice-chap-I-met-down-the-pub level:

 

In short, he looks like the kind of guy you might imagine bumping into and having an interesting conversation with -- perhaps even a professionally unsound but highly enjoyable game of pool. Hell, on the face of it, I'd buy him a pint any time. He most certainly doesn't look like the kind of person who'd order, or at the very least condone, some of the worst acts of mass murder Europe has seen in the decades since the end of WWII.

Hm. He appears like the kind of fellow you'd be happy to share a beer with.

American voters might want to think about this one.
 

Comments

[hutch0.livejournal.com]

Yes, poet, psychiatrist, physiotherapist, statesman, mass murderer, and, apparently, practitioner of alternative medicine...

[realthog.livejournal.com]

"No, ma'am, that's not a typo in the sign outside. It really should read 'homopathy'."

[hutch0.livejournal.com]

They interviewed Martin Bell about Karadzic on The World At One this lunchtime, and the impression I got was that you definitely would not have enjoyed his company. If I recall correctly, `barking mad' was one of Bell's kinder descriptions of him.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

`barking mad' was one of Bell's kinder descriptions of him

Well, perhaps I'd have enjoyed playing cricket with him, then!

[hutch0.livejournal.com]

Although he always struck me as someone who would dispute an umpire's decision with an AK-47.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Or a howzatzer . . .

[hutch0.livejournal.com]

:-)