Kosovo NATO Intervention 1999

Emergence of struggle Kosovo – a state in (past) Yugoslavia Was under authoritarian control of president Milosevic Impoverished, 90% ethnic-Albanian 10% Serbian Milosevic promoted a new proud chauvinistic Kosovo, used ethnic Albanians in Kosovo as scapegoats for Serbia’s economic and political problems. Sparked Kosovo opposition and revolution in struggle for self determination and independence through the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) Serbia responded by a ‘ethnic cleansing” -> to purge Serbia of the ethnic Albanians

The actions that NATO took in Kosovo were necessary to force the Serbian government to ensure peace.

NATO gave the Serbs many warnings: Feb Serbia rejected foreign peacekeepers in Kosovo Feb NATO warned Serbia, if no peace deal, they’d attack Mar Serbs launched massive attack on KLA, farms, homes, Mar Nato offered 28,000 peacekeepers Mar Milosevic denied peacekeepers Mar NATO goes to war with Serbia There were 78 days of continual bombing, Milosevic stayed defiant until finally agreed to Kosovo NATO peacekeeping plan June NATO ceased bombing

Serbs blamed NATO for many deaths from the bombings… “…cargoes of death which NATO has been unloading” Approx. death toll of: NATO bombings – 1,500 Serbian “ethnic cleansing” – 11,500 –Mass graves, torture chambers, concentration camps, mass rapes

NATO’s intervention had ulterior motives, NATO only caused more havoc, and did not solve the problem.

From: The Case Against Intervention in Kosovo by BENJAMIN SCHWARZ and CHRISTOPHER LAYNE Clinton's explanation of the Kosovo conflict's background was misleading. He glossed over the fact that the province of Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia's sovereign territory. Clinton was misleading in placing sole blame for the breakdown of the peace plans on the Serbs. The ethnic Albanians also refused at first to sign the NATO peace deal, because it failed to guarantee their eventual independence from Serbia. The United States finally induced them to sign by threatening to cut off the KLA’s arms.

NATO was concerned that if President Milosovich continued his onslaught on the Kosovars, that over time, extra regional Muslim influence may grow and a Greater Albanian Muslim state may emerge in the heart of Europe - a Greater Albania which may have found support from Albanians in Macedonia as well. The NATO intervention did not cure Kosovo of what ails it. Serbs and Albanians still disagree on what is to be done with Kosovo. Albanians will not give up their struggle for independence, and Serbs insist that Kosovo remain an integral part of Serbia and Yugoslavia.

Stop the bombing

Audio/Visual Controversial Kosovo music video CBC News in review clip, April 1999 “NATO Hits Kosovo”