On Mon, 29 Nov 1999 00:22:01 +0000 Chris Burford <cburford at gn.apc.org>
writes:
>At 13:34 28/11/99
>
>>Observer (London) - November 28, 1999
>>
>>The Chinese embassy bombing
>>Truth behind America's raid on Belgrade
>>
>>The US claimed it was a tragic blunder. But the pinpoint accuracy of
>>the attack was in fact a deadly signal to Milosevic: seek outside
>>help in Kosovo at your peril
>
>
>This would appear to confirm that NATO's strategy was to hit the
>military
>and economic infrastructure of Serbian Yugoslavia, rather than to help
>the
>Kosovans on the ground.
As we would say in the States "No shit, Sherlock!"
>
>Extraordinarily confrontational, especially when you compare it to
>their
>current imperialist policy of appeasement of Yeltsin's attack on
>Chechnya.
At least two reasons for that:
(1) Russia has a much bigger army than Yugosalvia and
the Russians still have nukes, so NATO is still wary about
getting into a confrontation with them.
(2) It is in NATO's interest that Yeltsin's regime remain intact.
>
>
>Enough skeletons have come to light about NATO's war for the west to
>be
>more prudent next time.
Who is to be more prudent? Certainly not the US or NATO. The war was thought pretty much in accordance with US post-Vietnam doctrine. The underlying idea being to wage war in such a way as to achieve results quickly with minimal casualties for US forces. In that way a war will be over before public opposition has had sufficient time to be mobilized. If in the process, horrendous casualties are inflicted on the enemy including innocent civilians, well that is a price US political and military leaders are willing to pay. In the post-Cold War world there is really no force that can call them into account.
Perhaps when you speak of being more prudent, you mean that you and Democratic Left ought to be more prudent over which of these foreign adventures in the future you are going to be cheerleading for.
Jim Farmelant
>
>Chris Burford
>
>London
>
>
>
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