Re: NATO,Kosovo,Russia

To WSN:

It is good to come into work this morning an be able to find some 
serious discussion about what is now taking place in Europe.  
Having spent a large part of last night listing to the reports coming in 
on the BBC radio,I found myself completely frustrated that there is the 
common acceptance of the stage managed information briefings that the 
military are issuing. Our Newspapers range from mild/serious criticism 
with overall support to the celebratory, with pictures of British Navy 
Cruise missles and jingoistic comments about Serbians.

I agree with much of what Peter is saying, especially about Russia, the 
Serbian perception of Kosovo and the mentalitiy of the Serbian 
leadership.  This mornings broadcasts which have repeated the Russian 
statements about the outbreak of the new "cold war", give it more 
ressonance.  However, I am also concerned with the idea of  

"PS--Non-involvement will certainly lead to Albanian genocide or
at least continued MASSIVE displacement from Kosovo.  Were it not
for the Russian factor, I would approve the proposed US policy,
and wished that it had been applied in Rwanda & Cambodia as well!"

There were many peaceful ways to solve this crisis and no doubt the 
killing and ethnic cleansing could have been stopped, if not the wider 
conflict solved, by a negotiation and greater role for the Russians.  It 
seems we are very selective about what we consider to be genocide and 
ethnic cleansing.  Israel is at this present time in ilegal occupation 
of the Lebanon, and has sought expressly to exterminate Palestinians and 
Lebanese citizens and yet there is not suggestion that the `world 
community' must inervene.  (What if Russia demanded that the British 
withdraw from Northern Ireland or bombing would commence.) Could we not 
go arround the world and name other countries that are doing the same 
and because they are considered allies, nothing is done about it.

At a time when America and the UK are also carrying out an undeclared 
war against Iraq, with US forces in now stationed in over 100 countries, 
do we really believe that that if the West intervene in Kosovo, Rwanda 
or (can you believe it) Cambodia the American and European powers are 
doing for humanitarian reasons!  The old imperial motives must also be 
recognised.  

Anyway, lets see what everyone else thinks

    

Malcolm


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