SERBIA, KOSOVO, ALBANIA

Robert Gard says:
     I find Tom Moore's analysis persuasive. It is not sensible to corner a wolf, issue him an ultimatum, and refuse to negotiate. As I understand it, M gagged only on the NATO occupation force. Now we speak of an "international" troop presence; too bad we didn't do so at the outset. [ M is reported to have specified that it must not include troops from NATO countries. RH]
     Let's hope that the Russians can broker something acceptable to both sides so that we can stop what has turned into a desperate attempt to make life suffiently miserable for the civilians in Yugoslavia that they will demand that M fold. [There is a third side, the Russian one; Russia is not impartial.RH.]
     Our immculate conception of warfare, by bombing from high altitudes, plus an apparently irresponsible intelligence effort guarantees "collateral damage" and the death of scores of civilians.
     My comment: How does one deal with a wolf? I want to add my own comment on Tom Moore´s disputing my claim that the example of Northern Ireland justifies the plan to offer the Kosovars a chance to vote on their future status. I still think that in general such a procedure is valid, but the case of Kosovo and Albania is special for two reasons:
     1. The Curse of History. Each side has its own version of history. the Serbian version claims that in World War II the Mussolini-Hitler axis forcibly expelled hundreds of thousands of Serbs from their historic Kosovo home. Serbs became a minority as 375,000 of them were expelled and 1 million Albanians moved in. The Serbs are reclaiming their land. Is this Serb version correct?
     2. Crime. In a long article, "Albanan Clans Trying to Take Over Kosovo Crime Network" (S.F. Chronicle, 5/11/99), Frank Viviano, an excellent reporter, claims that rival Albanian and Kosovan drug gangs vie for control. If this is so, NATO must to put it mildly be very careful.

Ronald Hilton - 05/08/99