KOSOVO KAPERS
By Ronald C. Tobin
For the last several weeks, the American Imperium and some of its client states in NATO have been conducting an aerial bombardment campaign against Serbia, allegedly to stop the ethnic cleansing against Albanians in Kosovo. This spectacle is bizarre on several levels, and is clearly hypocritical on the part of the United States government. This is a blatant "wag the dog" scenario. Many Serbs are calling this "Monica's War."
First of all, the US government is a fine institution to bring out condemnation of ethnic cleansing. If what happened to the Native Americans was not an example of ethnic cleansing, I don't know what is. This stand lacks sincerity even during the 20th Century. Why wasn't NATO bombing Nigeria during the Biafra crisis? Where were they during the recent genocides in Rwanda? Kosovo is of issue because it is in Europe and because it has resources. To stop alleged ethnic cleansing is the convenient excuse, an effort to make it all seem noble and pure.
Secondly, NATO is chartered as a defensive alliance. How could the alleged activities of the Serbs in Kosovo, a part of their nation-state, be construed as an attack on a member of NATO? The answer is clear: it cannot be construed as such. This proves that NATO's charter is not worth the paper it is printed on, but then what can one expect from States?
Third, lest people forget, the Serbs look upon Kosovo as being the birthplace of the Serbian nation, due to a battle that took place there some 600 years ago. This is practically sacred ground to them, so many of them do not look at this matter rationally. Telling the Serbs to just hand over Kosovo to the Albanians is going over about as well as would telling the Israelis to hand over Jerusalem to the Palestinians. This is an emotional issue: one that people are willing to fight and die over. Reason has no place in this conflict.
Fourth, it is interesting to note that NATO's ally in this conflict, the Kosovo Liberation Army or KLA, was listed as being a terrorist organization by the State Department. The KLA's stated goal, despite statements to the contrary in recent months, has been the establishment of an independent Kosovo republic. Further, there is no denying Serb claims that this KLA did indeed commit atrocities against the Serbs. No participants' hands are clean in this.
Finally, what is the truth? Yes, the Serbian State is engaged in the mass expulsion of the Albanians in Kosovo, an action that kicked into high gear once the bombing started. The NATO countries, by and large, are just along for the ride ? save for the United States, only Great Britain under Tony Blair has any love for the campaign. Italy and Greece continue to call for an end to this campaign. Also, any military strategist can tell you that no war has ever been won simply by aerial bombardment. This war is merely Clinton?s effort to appear strong in foreign affairs. It is not about the Albanians, it is about power in the Balkans, an effort to smash Serbian and Russian prestige. Frankly, I think that the Serbs will let themselves be bombed back into the Stone Age before they will let Kosovo go. These people have been fighting for centuries, and that is likely to continue, no matter what the United States or NATO or the UN does.
The only sane solution is to butt out, let these people sort out their own affairs. Clinton needs to stop starting wars to cover up his affairs. Since this is not likely to happen, the Kosovo Kapers will go on, more people will die, and for what? Perhaps President-Dictator Clinton enjoys having blood all over his hands. Maybe he should be indicted for war crimes.
[Article originally appeared in the July/August 1999 issue of THE THOUGHT]