Fifteen years ago, when then-Yugoslavia was falling apart in a series of ethic civil wars, those of us who opposed American military intervention argued that no significant threat was posed to U.S. vital interests. The caveat was always that, if things got out of hand in Kosovo, we’d have little choice but the jump in to prevent it becoming a regional crisis.
When that did indeed come to pass, the idea that Kosovo’s independence would eventually followed would have seemed incredible. Now it’s buried on A10 of the Post.
I read on the dragoons.ca website that one of the officers took his HLTA from the sandbox in Croatia. dragoons.ca/Regiment/SoldiersPerspective.html
I know it’s not Kosovo, but it does underscore the point being made here
Nothing sells papers like war and war protest. Kosovo is a stellar example of a media hobby horse (15 years ago) that was abandoned by its media patrons the moment “peace broke out”….peacful democractic resolution does not sell papers.
On the reflective side; I think Kosovo was one of NATO’s shining hours where the NATO partners came together to put out a fire that the UN dropped the ball on (again)
The moonbats don’t like to admit that Kosovo ever happened. The can’t stand to be reminded that Bill Clinton, a Democrat, invaded a Muslim Nation, without UN approval (he said “there isn’t time!”).
I think the only reason Bill went in to Kosovo was to distract people from Monica-gate.
The moonbats also hate to be reminded that Slobodan Milosevic was a SOCIAL DEMOCRAT. Moonbats can explain this, of course, they say that he wasn’t REALLY a Socialist. They will try to claim that Milosevic was REALLY a Right-winger posing as a Socialist in order to use the “good name” of Socialism to advance his right-wing agenda. They will then point out that every single sick, gencidial bastard in history was also just posing as a socialist. Yeah, right.
“The moonbats don’t like to admit that Kosovo ever happened. The can’t stand to be reminded that Bill Clinton, a Democrat, invaded a Muslim Nation, without UN approval (he said “there isn’t time!”).”
We must mingle with a different set of moonbats. Most of the moonbats I know applauded Clinton’s action. The mission’s main detractors if memory serves were people obsessing over a stain on a dress.
Really, Jose? My recollection of the left’s reaction was protest, hand ringing and outrage over the “indiscriminate” bombing of civilian targets.
(I detested Clinton, but supported the intervention.)
It’s a taped response, actually. They’ve been playing it since the 60’s.
The democrats refuse to admit or face the fact that the only time Clinton did anything was to get the news off of an impending sex scandal. He could have got OBL, he was offered him, he refused, he refused to give the order to shoot when they had him in their sights, he wasted 8 years and the americans and the rest of the world are paying for it, and will continue to pay for years to come. The love-in with the media and clinton will go down in history as the medias worst moment. When clinton poked the abc anchor, and got very mad re questions of his inaction on OBL, it was passed off as a minor incident, compare that to the coverage of Cheneys staredown with Wolf. They say Hillory was the brains behind her husband, and he failed in all areas, and now the same people want to elect her for another 4/8 years of catastrophe. Strange world we live in.
In the history of the US, how many ex presidents have spent their years out of office dissing the country they led. Carter and Clinton are the only ones I can think of. And they are both democrats.
Those who opposed this intervention in the first place had several points:
Fabricated genocides against Kosovo.
Didn’t happen. In fact it was the Christian Serbs who were ethnically cleansed.
A greater (muslim) Albania was the goal. An “independant” Kosovo was the first step.
Well, now we have ethnically cleansed Kosovo of Christians (thanks Bill Clinton) and now an “independant” Kosovo will unite with Albania.
And the muslim fighters who have been working at this for years, gratis Saudi money, will celebrate a foothold in Europe.
Ahh, Kosovo. How times have changed.
Back then you had Democrat Clinton and Liberal Chretien leading humanitarian military intervention against atrocities.
Back then, it was OK to speak a critical word against the President at war even though now any criticism of a President at war is considered treason by many.
Back then, you had a bunch of Republicans saying the following:
“You can support the troops but not the president” -Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
“You think Vietnam was bad? Vietnam is nothing next to Kosovo.” -Tony Snow, Fox News 3/24/99
“I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission with very vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There is no clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our overextended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for war when the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today” -Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
“President Clinton is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation’s armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy.” -Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA)
“American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy.” -Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
“If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy.” -Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of George W. Bush
“Well, I just think it’s a bad idea. What’s going to happen is they’re going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years” -Joe Scarborough (R-FL)
“Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?” -Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99
“Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is.” -Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)
“Bombing a sovereign nation for ill-defined reasons with vague objectives undermines the American stature in the world. The international respect and trust for America has diminished every time we casually let the bombs fly.” -Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
(http://canadiancerberus.blogspot.com/2005_07_01_canadiancerberus_archive.html)
Remember, because it is all too easy to forget, that these were REPUBLICANS speaking out against a DEMOCRACTIC President about KOSOVO; not DEMOCRATS speaking out against a REPUBLICAN President about IRAQ.
I just love the talk, especially from Governor Bush, about the importance of having a clear exit strategy when you employ American troops.
Ted
And in case someone thinks that quoting what Republicans were actually saying about Kosovo at the time is some kind of anti-right rant, it’s not. I think that the worst of partisan bias comes out of Americans at times of any kind of war, by both parties in the US.
The war is bad if they started it, but you’re a traitor if you oppose the war we started.
But I did want to add a quotation or two into the mix so no one tried to paint a different picture of the past.
Ted