Global Policy Forum

Articles dated March 1998 - April 1999

House Fails To Authorize Yugoslav Air Strikes (April 29, 1999)
Background information on the Congressional votes against Kosovo War.

Congressional Votes on Kosovo War (April 29, 1999)
Figures on the Congressional votes.

NATO Chief Admits Bombs Fail to Stem Serb Operations (April 28, 1999)
New York Times report on NATO assessment of the impact of airstrike against Kosovo: "The military commander of NATO acknowledged on Tuesday that five weeks of intensive allied bombing had failed to reduce the size of the Yugoslav force in Kosovo or its operations against Albanians there."

The Case Against Inaction (April 26, 1999)
In an article in The Nation two writers argue in that NATO air strikes are justified and that the UN's stature would have been diminished even more by inaction.

Secrets of the War (April 23, 1999)
New York Times article showing the hypocrisy of US foreign policy by comparing the war in Kosovo with the situation in other parts of the world, especially in Sudan. It states the increasing predominence of economic over humanitarian issues, saying that "Even in peace, the West now struggles for human rights only where its trade interests are not risked."

Consigning Their Future to Death (April 23, 1999)
The Guardian article warns that bombing Belgrade's chemical plants and the current use of depleted uranium weapons in Kosovo will poison the future generations.

Violence is The Victor (April 22, 1999)
An analysis on NATO airstrike, concluding that "The mission of mercy morphs into ever-escalating mayhem, as we send out an air force to do an angel's job.

The War NATO Wanted (April 16, 1999)
Diana Johnstone analysis, published in In These Times, reveals "Rambouillet was never about negotiations."

The Worst-Case Scenario (April 16, 1999)
In These Times article by George Kenney, a former foreign service officer, arguing "bombs are no substitute for diplomacy."

Follow the Leader (April 16, 1999)
Article by Seth Acherman, published in In These Times, about manufacturing consent in support of the war in Kosovo.

Reckless and Cruel Pride at America's Heart of Darkness (April 15, 1999)
New York Times article analyzing US foreign intervention policies - "Our crusading zeal no doubt satisfies our image of ourselves."

End Eco-Destruction Yugoslav Scientists Plead (April 14, 1999)
Extensive pollution and destruction which effects neighbouring countries as well as the wider region of Central Europe.

Press Conference at NATO Head Quarters, Brussels (April 13, 1999)
Jamie Shea and General Wesley Clark present the NATO position on the Kosovo crisis. Accompanying maps and photos.

War in the Balkans - NATO Spokesman Accused of Exaggeration by French (April 10, 1999)
This article in the Independent has a look at the way NATO spokesman presents the crisis in Kosovo. He talks about "the sound of angels", meaning NATO jet engines, and says that "the bombing of Yugoslavia brought nothing but relief to Kosovo's oppressed Albanians."

Kosovo 'Freedom Fighters' Financed by Organised Crime (April 7, 1999)
The author explores the connections between the KLA, the US, Germany, and the European heroin trade.

Iraq and Kosovo: Two Regional Wars and a Global Pentagon Budget (April 6, 1999)
Bennis argues that the current US/NATO policy is no way to reach peace. Instead, sanctions and relentless bombing entrench the likes of Hussein and Milosevic in creating nationalism among the people. She suggests that resources be put forth to attempt at a peaceful solution.

Let's Bomb Turkey (April 5, 1999)
This comment takes a satirical, yet insightful, look at the situation in Kosovo, ironically dealing with the question what "the Kosovars" have done to merit America's "humanitarian bombs".

Bombing the Seeds of Democracy Out of the Soil of Yugoslavia (April 3, 1999)
Article written by editor-in-chief of a Belgrade radio station. He brings up the point that NATO's strikes are endangering all people in the region and stamping out the forces of democracy.

Might is Not Right. What Price the UN Now? (April 2, 1999)
A very important critical analysis of NATO's breach of international law by Ingvar Carlson and Shridath Ramphal, two distinguished international figures.

UN Current Events (Spring 1999)
A collection of links to UN sites on the Kosovo crisis.

Protecting the Kosovars (April 1999)
Edward Said speaks out against the bombing campaign and criticizes US foreign policy.

Peril Seen in Supporting Kosovo Independence (April 1, 1999)
An analysis in the Boston Globe on the "dangerous precedent that has set the Kosovo airstrike and that may embolden other independence-minded peoples to press for statehood'"

NATO Had Signs Its Strategy Would Fail Kosovars (April 1, 1999)
In this New York Times Article, the authors show that NATO had, from various sources, including a high-ranking Yugoslavian General, remarquable signs that bombing will worsen the situation in Kosovo.

Call for End of US Bombing and for Creative Resistance to Genocide (March 29, 1999)
This paper by Nicholas Arons (International Fellowship of Reconciliation) proposes some "creative" alternatives to stop the ongoing and worsening genocide in Kosovo.

UN Watching Yugoslavia From Sidelines (March 27, 1999)
An analysis of UN's role in current and future peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations.

The Current Bombings (March 1999)
Noam Chomsky analyzes US policy and the bombing of Kosovo through a comparison of the "rules of world order" applied historically and in Iraq, Colombia, Turkey and Laos.

Leaders and Scholars Disagree Over Legality (March 26, 1999)
Kempster reviews some of the main arguments for and against the NATO action in Yugoslavia.

Stop Barbarity (March 26, 1999)
This excerpt from a Beijing China Daily shows the Chinese position on NATO's Airstrike in Kosovo and deals with the role of the Security Council.

West Acts Outside UN framework: Kosovo Need for Caution (March 26, 1999)
This article explains why enthusiasm over the NATO offensive must be tempered with caution, and it takes a look at the possible impacts of NATO's acting outside the UN framework.

Russia Takes Protest to UN Security Council (March 26, 1999)
Russia demands an immediate end to NATO's airstrikes against Yugoslavia, denouncing them as a "flagrant violation" of the U.N. Charter.

Reactions Mix Worry of 'Leap Backward' and Support for Lesser of Evils (March 26, 1999)
An overview of the reactions in Europe towards NATO airstrike in Kosovo

Serbia Offensive - UN Swept Aside by Bombing Offensive (March 26, 1999)
An analysis on the role of the UN in NATO Military Action in Kosovo

Russia's Move To End Strikes Loses; Margin is a Surprise (March 26, 1999)
A report in the New York Times on the rejection of Russia's resolution demanding an immediate end to NATO's air attacks on Yugoslavia

Statement by the Rio Group on the Kosovo Conflict (March 25, 1999)
The Rio Group, made up of 14 South American, Central American and Caribbean countries, was established in the 1980's to examine international issues and to coordinate common positions on these issues. They have come out in opposition to the bombing in Kosovo.

UNA-USA's Roundtables on NATO, the UN, and the Use of Force (March 1999)
Papers done for, and summaries of discussions at, United Nations Association of the United States of America's (UNA-USA) policy roundtables to help build public awareness of the NATO/UN dilemmas.

A Legal Guide to the Kosovo Conflict
A range of analyses of the Kosovo crisis compiled by The Law Professors' Network.

Secretary General on NATO Military Action against Yugoslavia (March 24, 1999)
Secretary General acknowledges use of force may be sometimes legitimate in the pursuit of peace, but stresses security council should be involved.

Belgrade Seeks UN Security Council Move On Kosovo (March 19, 1999)
Yugoslavia asked for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to have NATO stop threatening to bomb the country if it does not sign up to peace with Kosovo Albanians.

China Vetoes Macedonia Peacekeepers' Extension by UN (February 25, 1999)
China's veto is a major blow to the United Nations, and is the first veto cast since 1997. (See our veto table)

Interim Agreement for Peace and Self-Government in Kosovo (February 23, 1999)
Text of proposal: Rambouillet: Appendix B

NATO: Last Resort, Not a Panacea (November 9, 1998)
This article raises some of the problems connected with NATO bombing and particularly analyzes the question why it is problematic not to involve the UN in NATO's decisions.

UN Measure Skirts Outright Threat of Force Against Milosevic: Russia and China Differ Sharply with the West Over Kosovo (October 25, 1998)
About the use of force against Yugoslavia in the event of non-removal of forces from Kosovo.

Key Points of NATO-Yugoslavia Agreement (October 13, 1998)
This is a careful summary of the actual agreement between President Milosovic of the Yugoslav Federation and Ambassador Holbrooke of NATO. (Central Europe Online )

Statement by Secretary General on Kosovo Crisis (April 28, 1999)
Kofi Annan calls human cost of violence in Federal Republic of Yugoslavia unacceptably high, saying that "each day's delay in search for political solution means more deaths, more displacement and more destruction." False History Lessons (April 26, 1999)
In the same issue of The Nation as the article above, Kai Bird argues that the crisis in Kosovo clearly demonstrates that "We need a standing UN army available to smother ethnic violence and serve as neutral, truly international peacekeepers."

White Lies, Black Propaganda (April 25, 1999)
Times of India article uses as an example the destruction of a Belgrade TV station to examine the ways propaganda works, drawing the conclusion that "Freedom is killed when a source of dissenting views, however disagreeable they may be, is silenced by violence."

Notes on the Kosovo Problem and the International Community (April 1999)
Diana Johnstone provides historical and cultural background on the Yugoslav region and analyzes handling of the current situation.

Call for End of US Bombing and for Creative Resistance to Genocide (March 29, 1999)
This paper by Nicholas Arons (International Fellowship of Reconciliation) proposes some "creative" alternatives to stop the ongoing and worsening genocide in Kosovo.

Seeing Yugoslavia Through a Dark Glass: Politics, Media And the Ideology of Globalization (March 1998)
Diana Johnstone's speech takes a critical look at the ideology of economic globalization as a cure for current problems. Through the exemple of the post-Cold War Yugoslavia, she also analyzes the powerful role the media can play and its ability to impact on global policy-making.