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We Have Lost This Foolish War The Independent London April 5, 1999, Monday By Robert Fisk IT HAS all gone horribly wrong. Indeed, if the initial objectives are recalled, then we have already lost this war. And it is not only the tragedy of Biblical proportions on the Balkan mountainsides that proves the futility of what we have done. Nato, remember, was supposed to stand by the Rambouillet peace accords, force Slobodan Milosevic to accept limited autonomy for Kosovo and end the slaughter and “ethnic cleansing” of the Kosovo Albanians. Then Nato troops were to move into Kosovo in order to protect the Muslim Albanian and Serb populations. And what has happened? Rambouillet is in ashes. Serbia is refusing to budge after 13 days and nights of air raids. Those we pledged to protect are being driven from their homes in the greatest act of depopulation in Europe since 1945....

The Nation, Washington   April 3, 1999 By George Konrad We Hungarians entered NATO on March 12. Less than two weeks later, as NATO members, we provided free air lanes for military planes to Yugoslavia, and now we must identify ourselves with a war against a neighboring country. To make my position clear: I was in favor of Hungary joining NATO, and I’m glad NATO will protect us against external enemies, though as far as I know, no one intended to attack my country. Two years ago, hundreds of thousands demonstrated against Milosevic in Belgrade’s Republic Square, demanding lawful, pluralist democracy. I was invited to speak to the students and was surrounded by intelligent, enthusiastic faces and clever slogans on billboards. Today, in this same square, perhaps the same people are demonstrating against NATO aggression. The West’s actions in Yugoslavia reflect not merely the arrogance of power but a fundamental...

Nationalism Unleashed The Nation, Washington   April 3, 1999 By George Konrad We Hungarians entered NATO on March 12. Less than two weeks later, as NATO members, we provided free air lanes for military planes to Yugoslavia, and now we must identify ourselves with a war against a neighboring country. To make my position clear: I was in favor of Hungary joining NATO, and I’m glad NATO will protect us against external enemies, though as far as I know, no one intended to attack my country. Two years ago, hundreds of thousands demonstrated against Milosevic in Belgrade’s Republic Square, demanding lawful, pluralist democracy. I was invited to speak to the students and was surrounded by intelligent, enthusiastic faces and clever slogans on billboards. Today, in this same square, perhaps the same people are demonstrating against NATO aggression. The West’s actions in Yugoslavia reflect not merely the arrogance of power but...

Macedonian weekly “PULS” Q: The military conflict in Kosovo has been underway for three weeks. Could you give us your comment on its effects – both from NATO’s and FR Yugoslavia’s perspectives. A: As an university professor, who has been very proud that Macedonia is the only example among the Balkan countries where there have been established peace studies as an academic discipline, as well as a person with ethical and professional attitude against any form of violence – I am free to say that the effects of Kosovo conflict have been disastrous. The “results” are ruinous for NATO Alliance, which is being preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary with adoption of the new Strategic Concept for the next millennium. Having entered in an adventure, from which is even more difficult to get out – NATO will have to re-think its role in the next period. Definitely, FR Yugoslavia is also a...

Bombing the Baby With the Bathwater Belgrade, March 30, 1999 The air strikes against Yugoslavia were supposed to stop the Milosevic war machine. The ultimate goal is ostensibly to support the people of Kosovo, as well as those of Serbia, who are equally victims of the Milosevic regime. In fact the bombing has jeopardised the lives of 10.5 million people and unleashed an attack on the fledgling forces of democracy in Kosovo and Serbia. It has undermined the work of reformists in Montenegro and the Serbian entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina and their efforts to promote peace. The bombing of Yugoslavia demonstrates the political impotence of US President Bill Clinton and the Western alliance in averting a human catastrophe in Kosovo. The protection of a population under threat is a noble duty, but it requires a clear strategy and a coherent end game. As the situation unfolds on the ground and in...

Kosovo "Freedom Fighters" Financed By Organised Crime Heralded by the global media as a humanitarian peace-keeping mission, NATO’s ruthless bombing of Belgrade and Pristina goes far beyond the breach of international law. While Slobodan Milosevic is demonised, portrayed as a remorseless dictator, the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) is upheld as a self-respecting nationalist movement struggling for the rights of ethnic Albanians. The truth of the matter is that the KLA is sustained by organised crime with the tacit approval of the United States and its allies. Following a pattern set during the War in Bosnia, public opinion has been carefully misled. The multibillion dollar Balkans narcotics trade has played a crucial role in "financing the conflict" in Kosovo in accordance with Western economic, strategic and military objectives. Amply documented by European police files, acknowledged by numerous studies, the links of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) to criminal syndicates in Albania,...

Burundi – håb forude Burundi, hvor er det nu det ligger? Det er noget med Hutsier og Tutuer – eller hvad de nu hedder – der laver folkemord med machete-knive på hinanden, noget med fattigdom, korruption, militærdiktatur, nød og elendighed? Det håbløse, mørke Afrika i en bananskal, ikke? Tjah. Jeg har lige været der. Der er selvfølgelig noget om snakken. Der er en del årsager til at man ikke hører særligt meget om livet i dette lille land. En af dem er at der ikke foregår noget folkemord for tiden, ingen naturkatastrofer, intet kup. Der er ingen mislykket FN-mission, USA og EU har ingen interesser, Madeleine Halfbright har ikke sagt noget om det, NATO’s Solana ser ikke bombinger i Burundi som afgørende forud for alliancens 50årsdag. For nogen tid siden da et halvt hundrede mennesker var blevet dræbt valfartede hundreder af journalister med CNN i spidsen dertil . . . men...

A Letter to the New York Times about Kosovo by Marc Beginin This is what Marc Beginin wrote to TFF as an introduction to his letter to the New York Times. I am one of the few non-journalists who actually made an excursion to Rambouillet during the peace "negotiations." At that time, it came home that the primary function of the modern, mainstream journalist was to simply to increase ratings of their representative organizations in order to increase advertising revenue. This means of course sensationalism, not offending the source, and black and white reporting. I was blown away by all the "correct" questions that were asked of the powers that be and the lack of interest in actually reporting the facts. It was an added shock when all the reporters poised questions to James Rubin, spokesperson for the Secretary of State and then a voice came from the back of...

Rambouillet (Rambo-Yeah) och Rashid Det är fredagen den 19 februari. Jag har just återvänt från nästan tre veckor i Skopje, Belgrad och Kosovo. Min analys och min intuition säger det jag inte vill höra: bombningarna rycker närmare. Det var det 34:e besöket sedan 1991. Jag är delvis utbildad i Dubrovnik, sedan 1974. Jag kan inte släppa det, det är på något sätt också mitt land, som återigen hotas av den kulturkrets jag tillhör. Radmila och Peca i Belgrad, vänner sedan 1974, intellektuella som har valt att inte lämna, har just sagt nej till ett erbjudande om uppehälle i utlandet. Dottern Anja på 9 skall växa upp här. "Jag reste ned nu," säger jag, "därför att det antingen skulle falla bomber eller bli en sorts ‘förhandling’ och jag ville vara här om flygraiderna kommer, för jag skäms över vad Danmark, Norge och andra länder gör." Radmila får tårar i ögonen. En...

Rambouillet (Rambo-Yeah) og Rashid Vi skriver fredag den 19. januar. For få dage siden kom jeg hjem fra små tre uger i Skopje, Beograd og Kosovo. Min analyse og min intuition siger mig dét, jeg ikke vil høre: bombningerne nærmer sig. Det var 34. besøg siden 1991. Jeg er delvist uddannet i Dubrovnik, fra 1974. Jeg kan ikke slippe det. Det er altså også mit land, der atter trues af den kulturkreds, jeg tilhører. Radmila og Peca i Beograd, venner siden 1974, intellektuelle der har valgt ikke at forlade landet og netop har sagt nej til et ophold i udlandet. Datteren Anja på 9 skal vokse op hér. "Jeg rejste ned nu," siger jeg, "fordi der enten ville falde bomber eller blive en eller anden slags ‘forhandling’ og jeg vil være hér hvis I blir bombet, for jeg skammer mig over hvad Danmark og andre lande gør." Hun får tårer...

A European Civil Peace Corps CONTENTS Procedural page A. PROPOSAL FOR A RECOMMENDATION B. EXPLANATORY STATEMENT Annex: Proposal for a recommendation B4-0791/98 At the sitting of 17 July 1998 the President of Parliament announced that he had referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy the proposal for a recommendation to the Council by Mr Spencer and 38 other Members on the establishment of a European Civil Peace Corps (B4-0791/98). At its meeting of 24 September 1998 the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy considered the proposal for a recommendation and decided to draw up a report. At the meeting of 24 September 1998 the committee appointed Mr Gahrton rapporteur. At its meetings of 1 December 1998, 7 January and 20 January 1999 the committee considered the proposal for a recommendation drawn up by its chairman and adopted it unanimously. The following took part in...

KOSOVO – DON’T GO THERE Troopers from U. S. Army units in Europe are sharpening their bayonets; U.S.Navy ships, on station in the Adriatic Sea, are prepping their Tomahawk missiles; and U.S. jet-jockeys in Europe are doing their pre-strike drills. Will Serbia’s Kosovo province be Bill Clinton’s next military quagmire? Will this primitive land which has nothing to do with America’s national securitybe our next Vietnam? Bosnia — just one of Clinton’s current tar pits — was supposed to be an in-and-out-and-over one-year commitment. Instead, we’re going on four. The Bosnian swamp’s already cost over 12 billion bucks and almost ruined three of our best heavy Army divisions, and there’s no end in sight. On the human side, there have been more than 100 U.S. casualties, from arms ripped off to broken bones and more than a dozen body bags filled. Kosovo promises to be an even hotter and more...