OT - Kosovo. Strictly my personal opinion and not necessarily US policy. Lots of end games are possible. I agree with Ken Bacon that we are only part way into a 2-hour movie. Among other things, American have become addicted to quick fixes for all that ails them. I'm really starting to wonder if Americans are capable of supporting anything except their own pocketbooks.
Anyway, if the US were to abandon the military campaign now we would validate the rape, pillage and ethnic cleansing of Kosovo. We would have to stand at a conference table with Milosevic, shake his hand and thank him for allowing us to stop bombing him. Think about all that means for US and NATO leadership in the postwar era. I would rather not. Slobo would immediately crack down hard on Montenegro, and I guarantee you most Kosovo refugees would never see their villages again. Slobo doesn't want them back.
Second possibility is that we continue to bomb until Slobo gives in because he is tired of watching his army disintegrate into ever smaller pieces (small groups of thugs with walkie-talkies does not constitute a modern fighting force suitable for a top-class dictator). This could take time.
Third possibility is we soften up the JNA (Slobo's army) enough, then go in by land. At which point the myth of the ten-foot tall Serb warrior will be held up against the modern American and NATO soldier who is infinitely better equipped, trained, supplied, commanded and motivated. Once the JNA gets beaten up badly enough and they are given a chance to pull out to Belgrade (and their smashed barracks there), NATO goes in and provides protection for the return of the Kosovo refugees. Doesn't matter at that point what Slobo thinks about it. His own people might well bring him down (though a likely replacement would be a real fascist like Seselj).
All this nonsense about us strengthening Slobo's position - he had ALREADY decimated, defanged, emasculated and otherwise totally stripped the opposition of any power, influence or credibility. Quick, name the greatest opposition politicians in Yugoslavia. Huh? Can't remember who it may be. There aren't any now. Haven't been for a couple of years. It's just a clever ruse to make westerners think that hurting Slobo actually helps him. What a joke. The "opposition" hasn't said much in the past year while Slobo was cracking down on Kosovars. They don't care, apart from a few independent media outlets which were easy to shut down.
As for hating each other for hundreds of years, that describes western Europe perfectly until 1949 (or maybe 1989 if you want to count the Cold War) and it describes the good ol' USA from 1776 until 1865, or the day we wiped out the last free Native Americans.
Think we should have given up on our own country or Europe in the 1940's?
Personally I do not. End of speech. |
