Yugoslav President Tito made Kosovo an autonomous province of Serbia in 1974. After Tito died, the Yugoslav Federation began to fall apart and in 1989 Slobodan Milosevic changed the constitution, revoking autonomy for Kosovo. Milosevic also used nationalistic rhetoric and Serbian hatred for Albanians to begin a purge of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo’s civil service. He also cut public spending in the region.

In response to Serbian repression, ethnic Albanians rallied around Dr. Ibrahim Rugova who led a campaign of non-violent resistance to Milosevic’s policies. Ethnic Albanians in Kosovo had called for greater autonomy since 1981, something Serbia firmly refused. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s relations between ethnic Serbs and ethnic Albanians deteriorated dramatically. The situation became even more violent when Serbian police reportedly killed 20 ethnic Albanians in the Drenica basin in Kosovo on late February 1998. Serb police units also drove ethnic Albanians from their homes, creating thousands of refugees. Ongoing tensions led to more violence that spring when armed clashes erupted throughout the region. It is estimated that the Serbian police killed more than 200 ethnic Albanians in Kosovo between February and June 1998. Drenica and Pristina are the sites of the worst violence between Serbian police and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA/UCK). It is believed that the KLA controls approximately 25-30 percent of Kosovo.

The United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia make up the Contact Group on Kosovo and have tried to bring the situation in Kosovo to a peaceful resolution. This Contact Group made four demands of the Serbian government in 1998: cease hostilities, unconditionally withdraw Serbian police and Yugoslavian Army units from Kosovo, return refugees, and allow unlimited access of international monitors in the region. Milosevic agreed to all of the conditions with the exception of troop withdrawal. According to Milosevic this would lead to Kosovo’s independence, which Serbia finds unacceptable.

In March 1998, the United Nations Security Council voted to adopt resolution 1160, condemning the excessive use of force by Serbian police on civilians in Kosovo. The UN Security Council also enacted Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which paved the way for an arms embargo against Yugoslavia. Under Chapter VII the UN called the violence in Kosovo a threat to international peace and security.

By the fall of 1998, the Serbian police were still actively driving ethnic Albanians from their homes in Kosovo, worsening the massive refugee problem. NATO issued an Activation Warning in late September 1998, meaning that NATO was contemplating military action. Shortly thereafter an Activation Request was issued, calling for NATO members to allocate troops for a NATO action. The Activation Order came as NATO extraction forces arrived in the area to evacuate civilian personnel from embassies.

In January 1999, the situation began to come to a head with the massacre of ethnic Albanians in Racak. Diplomatic efforts to reach a solution were intensified, and a meeting was held in Rambouillet, France in a last ditch effort to bring peace to the region. The Albanian delegation agreed to the terms set forth in Rambouillet. However, Milosevic refused to budge on the issue, while NATO warned Serbia that it would conduct air strikes against Serb targets in Kosovo if Serbia did not comply.

[quoted from Stratfor]


How is that for impartial? Can you deny facts? Can you deny that the US and the UN has made itself abundently clear that it would not tolerate continued violence in Kosovo? Milosevich was warned, has been continuously warned. You have only your leaders to blame Serbia.

I am Alaskan Native, and it is absolutely pertinent.My ancestors were nearly drummed into extinction. But, anyway, I would just like to say that I am extremely angry at these protests against NATO and the United States....do any of them realize what they are protesting? We are not the bad guys here,we are not slaughtering innocents. Those people are even getting killed while trying to run away. Such cowardice by the Serbs is apalling. In a perfect world there would be no war, but since when has this ever been a perfect world? God Bless our men and women in uniform that have the pride, determination, and conviction to stand up for the little guy, the underdog who cannot protect himself. I pray that no American lives are lost. Other countries should learn from our actions and strive to be as we are (the people not the politicians) Stand up for eachother and care about eachother people. God Bless.
Angie Heglin
Alaska

How's that for a "precision technologies" war?

NATO leaves electrical appliance factory in ruins
CACAK, Yugoslavia, April 1 (AFP) - Two nights of NATO airstrikes have left an electrical appliance factory at this town south of Belgrade, virtually in ruins, an AFP correspondent who visited the site said.
A score of hangars and other buildings in the Sloboda factory complex at Cacak - 140 kilometres (70 miles) from the capital - were almost entirely destroyed in the raids on March 28 and 30.

There were gaping holes in roofs, walls had come down and the bombs left several craters, some 10 metres (yards) deep and 20 metres (yards) across inside the buildings where a strong smell of explosive hung in the air.

"Our factory which used only to produce household appliances, has been 80 percent destroyed," the manager of the complex, Radomir Ljujic told journalists invited Wednesday by the army to view the damage.

Ljujic said "about 10 bombs or missiles fell on the factory on March 28 and around 10 more two days later."

Railway lines covered in debris led off to an unidentified location. A sign reading "Stop Police" discouraged the curious from investigating further.

Near a huge crater, Mihajlo Draskovik, who said he had worked at the Sloboda (meaning Freedom) plant for 10 years, was close to tears as he pointed to the damage.

"I am 46 years old and have two children to feed. What is to become of us?" he said his voice shaking with emotion.

Sergey, you have only your leaders to blame. You havent made any attempt to refute anything I have said. Milo destroyed that factory, as clearly as he has destroyed the lives of thousands of Kosovars, Albanian or otherwise.

I support Yugoslovia, and oppose NATO.
The world should be keeping peaceful.

KORPORATE KHEMICAL KLANS
in the
UNTIED STATES of ANEMICA

Fossil fuels leak thousands of gallons into lakes, rivers and seas, not even counting the exxon valdeez. 4% biomass would fuel our needs.
World cotton yearly uses 1/4 million tons of petro-sides. Half the US Chemicals are used on the cotton.Cutting down rainforests, ancient cypress and redwoods. Eco-systems destroyed,
undocumented species extinct. Corporate farms, workers poisoned for less than minimum wage. Natives, family farms and poor, loosing more everyday. Banned from growing the self fertilized pest free hemp.
Peoples, starving through-out the earth, seniors and children mal-nutritioned since birth. Jurys filled with corporate and government employees, while prisons rise faster than low income housing. Seniors jailed for illegally smiling. Fertilizer fluoridation.
Education depravation administrated on and by teachers, cops and preachers, mo money for building brownshirts and bleechers.
The hemp parchment constitution,by-passed to "ends justify means" rules. Illiteracy and unemployment maintain a steady labor pool. Incarcerating cannabis users to pay the "drug war" debt, pharmaceuticals tell us herbs are a threat.
Street people forced to dive into dumpsters, a war crime in Geneva, none of it need happen if we just used the,stalks and seeds of sativa,
or the Cannabis flowers for medicinal needs, only we the people can stop this greed.
D.E.A.th squads eradicating FARMaceuticals, getting 99.28% Food,Fuel and Fiber.
Little flipper babies of thalidomide, once banned, now FDA rebirthed to battle the heathen devil weed.
The Korpse reap, with meat, 4/1, cows/Mericans. Eating 80% of our, (half gone Ogalala reservoir watered, pestoherbofertolized) Ag. .
1/12 ratio meat/grain. Waste dung rising nitrates,causing mutated deformed, anti-choice, bible belt babies.
Reefer mad cowboys spraying agent orange. Kill grouse, pheasant homes and the most nutritionally complete food on the planet.
Now Israeli science says: CANNABIS PREVENTS BRAIN DAMAGE.....
LEGALIZE NOW!.....
Peace not WoD!
Cannabis is Food, Fuel, Fiber, FARMaceuticals
Peace not WoD
Den de Cannabist

Derek, I don't have to blame my leaders. At least not for this war. Repeat again, I'm Russian, that doesn't make Milosevic my leader. My leader - Primakov - pursuaded Milo to stop the shootout in Kosovo. He then went to Schroder, in case you still don't know and said that the holocaust may be stopped. NATO said NO. Why? Haven't you still understood? They don't need peace. They want it all either their way or no way. They can't reconcile themselves to the fact that Russia can solve such problems. Indeed, how can "the Russian bear" do something of the kind!?
Those Russians are not as civilized as the "western world". No democracy. Pray, tell me, inintelligent bear, what democracy is? Accumulating 1)legislative 2) executive 3) supreme power in one's hands? Just like Adolf Solana did it? First NATO decides who's to blame, then, without asking anyone, they decide what the cure must be (well, NATO is a conservative doctor, it's favourite enema is B52), without being given any permission from UN they become executors.
And what do the bastards answer now? Clark's basic answer to any relevant question is "I don't know" ....
-When is it going to be over?
-I don't know...

-Any other solutions to the problem?
-I don't know...

He can't tell his •••• from fis nose, and you, Derek, let such people speak for yourself.

"Milo destroyed that factory, as clearly as he has destroyed the lives of thousands of Kosovars, Albanian or otherwise. " - is emotional. I can understand you, I've already said not once that Milo, Clinton The Loverboy, Albright The SS Scareface and Solana The Hot Spanish Torrero must be stuck into each other's asses. But you are not being reasonable. You are not suggesting any way out, just trying to avoid responsibilities.

The murderer is the one with the weapon. Therefore thou shalt reap. And it will be a grim harvest. Milo will answer for every Albanian's throat cut, Solana - for the hundreds of Iraqi and Serbian people killed. Don't make yourself part of the wrongdoers. Though I'm afraid they'll pay not now. Not here. The big bastards always get away with anything they want. But there's justice for all someplace. And it sure is not in DC.

An Untitled Protest

Red and swollen tears tumble from her eyes
While cold silver birds who came to cruise the skies
Send death down to bend and twist her tiny hands
And then proceed to target "B" in keeping with their plans
Khaki priests of Christendom interpreters of love
Ride a stone Leviathan across a sea of blood
And pound their feet into the sand of shores they've never seen
Delegates from the western land to join the death machine
And we send cards and letters.

The oxen lie beside the road their bodies baked in mud
And fat flies chew out their eyes then bathe themselves in blood
And super heroes fill the skies, tally sheets in hand
Yes, keeping score in times of war takes a superman
The junk crawls past hidden death its cargo shakes inside
And soldier children hold their breath and kill them as they hide
And those who took so long to learn the subtle ways of death
Lie and bleed in paddy mud with questions on their breath
And we send prayers and praises.
Country Joe

Derek, you keep on saying that "you have warned Milo" Is that all you think needed to be done in a difficult case of ethnic conflict? Looks like you're just a little teenager having a brother and you settle all of your conflicts this way "I warn you, I'll poke your eye out if you don't stop it" - "I warn you I'll tell mom" ...

Gee, Derek go ask your mom if you should discuss the problem at all. Or if I'm wrong stop giving crap about the situation. Seems you never had a good teacher - you simply can't give reasons - only warnings.

Nick B, you made me laugh so much at you profound knowledge of history. Especially I admired the place where you let the dead indians rest in peace, because it was 100 years ago or so... That's furthest america can see. So bad.

Another extract from , probably, Benny Hill's show was when you called Russia a paper tiger adding that it "desperately needs western money". Look out, Nicky - boy, a year or two and 'democratic" propaganda will brain wash you utterly. Well, I mean democratic mass media if fine, but when they repeat time and again that Russia needs the money... It's not about Russia , it's about Serbia. But since it's one the countries who back Yugoslavia you must be taught something.

The money you try to make Russia take (you and some traitors and bastards in our government)work full-time to destroy our economy. If that makes you happy. It doesn't let agriculture develop, for you send food here(??? nobody's starving here, but people will if you don't stop), you don't let manufacturing prosper, for everybody looks for ways to pay debts to IMF.

But don't you jump from joy so much, fro it's your propaganda who makes you believe you've no stop in the world. Alas, when you believe me it might be too late.
We won't let ourselves be provoked, but NATO is playing with fire, pushung the world to the brink of nuclear catastrophy.

Hope the as**oles have children too.

I am an American, and stand behind NATO to the end.Everyone is crying the same old story, NATO is hitting electrical factories, NATO IS KILLING PEOPLE. The fact of the matter is this is war, and the Serbs are thugs.There are rumors that American special forces are being prepared to enter into combat, that would be an easy task for them to start eliminating serb military units and the so called Tigers. I look forward to watching CNN's coverage to see the Serbs begin to break.

To Hearst....
Need I remind you of a place called Vietnam?
You know when we first got into that conflict it was most peoples impresion that this little third world asian country aint nothin, and we are a super power. The War is as good as won!!! Look where it got us. One thing I have learned from the trials and tribulations of life is that YOU NEVER UNDERESTIMATE YOUR ENEMY!!!!! Remember this before you go on shouting "we can take them out, there just a pitiful little country". Remember that these people were most likley trained by the Bear (russia) back in the day. Some people just dont think about the situation.........

What a shame.The fighting even continues on the Internet. Men,women,children,parents,grandparents are being driven from their homes and in some cases killed and/or murdered.

I surely do not want to see the repeat of the Nazi regin of terror, but sadly I see shades of it coming back. I thought we had learned the lesson so pathically shown to this world.

Instead of arguing back and forth over right and wrong or this history veruses that history, take a stand for peace. No, it won't stop what is happening now, but it's a step in the right direction. Step forward, not backward.

Well, I can see everyone is off and running again today, I really thought that yesterday 3-31-99 was a very enlighting conversation with alot of very intellegent peoples. I had to go to the hospital for a miserable test for my colostomy, when I got back and started reading all of the message board, it was very interesting. First of all we will all never agree on everything, there are going to be plusses and minusses on this subject. I wish it had never started, and now I see no end to it. I think that's the way NATO is now looking at this. I really believe that ground troops are going to be put in. There really is not going to be any other choice. We (the people of the world) cannot, should not, let any murdering anywhere go on. This situation should have been stopped along time ago. Shame on all of us for not stopping it from spreading all over. The Price will now be paid for everyone. I think of all the money each bomb costs, that money could be doing good instead of destruction of Yugoslavia. Hell, I could use some myself (I'm disabled on Veterans Pension) $731.00 per month isn't much to live on here in the U.S.A. But look at all of the Serbs and Albanions, Bosnians, Croatis, I'm sure alot of people there are really having a rough time, starving - no housing - medical aid- no money - no jobs (Factories blown sky high) for what I ask you. I really do not know who is right or wrong, but murder is wrong and anyone who commits it should be put away one way or another. God give us the strength to face the things we cannot change, and give our leaders the knowledge to do the right thing.
Grant/Michigan/USA (GFitzpatrick@webtv.net)