>Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 14:15:39 -0400
>From: Senator at boxer.senate.gov (Senator)
>Subject: Rule: Re: Bombings in Jugoslavia
>To: tzk <tzk at eexi.gr>
>
> Thank you for contacting me with your views on military
> intervention in Kosovo. I appreciate hearing from you.
>
> As you know, on Wednesday, March 24, the United States Armed
> Forces joined other NATO member-nations in launching air strikes
> against the Serbian forces responsible for the brutal attacks on
> the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. We did this for many reasons.
>
> We acted to halt the Serbian army's attacks against innocent
> Kosovar civilians. The crisis in Kosovo is not war in the
> traditional sense. It is an attack by a fully armed force--the
> Serbian army--on a largely defenseless populace--the ethnic
> Albanians. As members of the international community, we cannot
> stand by while scores of people are killed not for what they have
> done, but for who they are.
>
> We also acted because containing the crisis in Kosovo is in
> America's national interest. Kosovo lies at the crossroads between
> three volatile regions--Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
> The clash we see in Kosovo today can easily spread to neighboring
> countries, most of whom are struggling themselves with the challenges
> of building a democratic style of government.
>
> We must remember that the Balkan region--of which Kosovo is a
> part--played a critical role in the spread of both World Wars I and
> II. I agree with President Clinton and other NATO leaders that it
> is better to act now, and prevent another regional crisis from
> turning into an international war.
>
> Please know that I understand the legitimate concerns about
> NATO intervention in Kosovo. As a member of the Senate Foreign
> Relations Committee, I will continue to monitor the situation there
> as well as the progress of our air strike campaign.
>
> Again, thank you for writing.
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
> Barbara Boxer
> United States Senator
>