Gosh, Those Uniforms Look Familiar

By Janice Castro

Who is supplying all those Croatian soldiers with U.S. Army gear? Washington is barred by a U.N. resolution from supporting either side, but news footage clearly shows the Croatians wearing nearly complete American battle dress. Fatigues are available in U.S. Army surplus stores, priced at $66 for a field jacket, $7 for a helmet. In August, U.S. Customs investigators arrested members of a secret Croatian-support group as they tried illegally to buy Stinger and Redeye antiaircraft missiles, night-vision goggles and other American combat goods. Seeking assault rifles, members of the group simply walked into Doug's Sport and Gun Shop in Calumet City, Ill., and ordered 3,000 M-16s.

With reporting by DANIEL S. LEVY