Was NATO on the wrong side in Yugo?

Having spent the best part of a year of my life in the region they were all a bunch of evil bastards and the region is a better place now than it was nearly 20 years ago.

A very rare video called 'The killing fields of Kosovo' gives a rather graphic account of what happened.


WW2 has virtually nothing to do with the civil war and the break up of the region.

 

Kai;
One ounce of "was there" is worth a truckload of "read about it." I guess I will take your word.
JeffinMNUSA
PS. The bombing was NOT a good idea in my estimation-but then again I am biased pro Serbian.

 

IMO Europe outsmarted the U.S. Instead of doing the dirty work herself, Europe got the U.S. to do it in order to save relations with Russia. The bombing of the region began the deterioration in relations between the U.S. and Russia.

On a side note, what is the difference between U.S. bombing Yugoslavia and Russia bombing Georgia in the South Ossetia conflict last year?

Me too

 

Fancy that. First europe was not part of WW2, and now we didn't do anything during the Balkans conflict.

Hmmm. I seem to remember that our lads got CAS from the UK forces, our (norwegian) sqn of F-16 was dropping bombs for the first time since WW2 and it made headlines in Norway. Not to mention we had forces there for some time, and still do.

 

Huh? Who said this?

From what I remember the U.S. was the main force responsible for the aerial bombardment of targets in the region including Belgrade. Yes NATO presence in the Balkan conflict can not be denied. NATO peace keepers had boots on the ground and were responsible for protecting the "No Fly Zone". It was however, the U.S. that did most of the bombing, did she not?

 

The difference was that the NATO strikes where far more precise and effective and far more aircrafts involved than the Russians used in Georgia ?

Come on Sloniksp, the NATO was not involved as a one sided direct interest party such as Russia in Georgia. The NATO airstrikes were directed entirely against Serb positions and installations for good reason, however on the ground KFOR took it's peacekeeping mission in neutrality towards all warmongering parties.

The American GI's have an entirely different approach towards defending humanity and democracy then we Europeans when it comes to using military. I can only speak for the Bundeswehr - and the vast majority of the lower ranks was thinking; why should we get involved and maybe even get killed just to stop those barbaric tribal cutthroats from murdering each other and secondly we as branded Nazi's should get ourselves into a territory where history does not look kindly upon us?

The Americans were aware about this "inner blockade" and as such took over the lead in the beginning.

Regards
Kruska

 

Who other then Russia would have defended the Ossetian population from what the Ossetians called Genocide? What happened with Kosovo is no different then what happend with South Ossetia and Obhazia. The only difference is the parties involved and their interests...

How might have NATO responded had Serbia signed a peace treaty then years later turned her back on it and launched a surprise attack killing not only a huge part of a civilian population but NATO peace keepers as well?

 

Hello Sloniksp,

right now I am really to lazy to look it up, but besides the Russian army, who are or were the "peacekeepers" in South Ossetia and Obhazia?

No the whole Georgian incident or issue is a matter between two states one of which is Russia and a group of tribals were one of them the South Ossetians are the troublespot-heated up by Russias (Putins) childish idea to issue Russian passports so as to make it a Russian intervention for the sake of Russians.

Just a bit to obvious, don't you think so?

Regards
Kruska

 

Just Russian and Georgian peacekeepers. But this was part of the treaty signed between Russia, Georgia and the trouble spots monitored by OSCE.

Thats a little harsh. While yes dirty politics are at play here, the least Russia could do is issue them Russian passports, after all, all of there electricity, economy, gas, fuel and protection comes from Russia, since Georgia shut all of that off.

Kosovo split from Serbia for reasons of genocide, religion and the inability to live together with a certain group of people. This was supported by the U.S. and Europe, however, when South Ossetia wants to split from Georgia for the same exact reason its a problem?

These are the kind of double standards which plague current east and west relations. Afterall, South Ossetia and obhazia only filed for independence after Kosovo received hers.

Why is Kosovo allowed to break away from Serbia and South Ossetia and Abhazia not allowed to break away from Georgia especially considering that Ossetia was never really Georgian to begin with?

And you havent answered one question..... How might have NATO reacted had Serbian troops launched an invasion in order to reclaim her territory and in the process killed over a dozen NATO peace keepers?

 

Well we would bloody well "hunt them down" and slaughter the rest of them, but your comparrison doesn't hold, since the Russian/Georgian issue would have been that Serbian KFOR troops would attack e.g. Bundeswehr KFOR troops in Kosovo and therefore the Bundeswehr would retaliate against the Serbian army. - and that would indeed be impossible since NATO would never be so daft as to embody Serbian troops as KFOR units in Kosovo.

And this is what makes this Georgia/Russia issue a total srewup.

Becausa America (Bush) lika Goergia Presidente very, very, muchy

Regards
Kruska

 

Huh? Im sorry friend its really early in them morning and I havent finished my first cup of coffee yet. So im currently having brain farts and am having a hard time understanding.

LOL. Well he is only in power because of Bush. Can you imagine what the outcry in Germany would be if Merkel's husband was Chinese and she herself was a Chinese honorary citizen coming to power only thanks to the Chinese financing her election?

 

Hello Sloniksp,

Thats okay buddy, I know that feeling, so maybe let's continue after your coffee??

Hmm...a great chance indeed to further develop an economic and diplomatic relationship to China.

Regards
Kruska

 

Ok I get what your saying now.

Makes sense, the point I guess I was trying to make is that when Georgia launched its surprise attack bent on reclaiming her so called territory, she not only broke the treaty but also killed over a dozen Russian peacekeepers which did not help her cause (Europe already announced that Georgia was responsible for starting the conflict). So Russian responded by crippling her ability to wage war, plus a few other perks Very similar to what happend in Yugo, just on a much smaller scale of course.

 

For the record the British Airborne was the first over the border into Kosovo and they beat the Russians to the Airport at Pristina and were ready to kick a shit storm with them in a stand off....Ask James Blunt (The Singer), he was up the front in his AFV charging full pelt to secure the Airport.

The Americans didn't have that big a roll in the Balkans military wise and they certainly did fook all at Camp Bondsteel except play basket ball and eat Burger King when I was there.

Cheers

 

Securing the Bridge North:


Race to Pristina and the Airport:

 

And it is because of such bravery and heroic actions, that set in motion the creation of a Muslim state in Europe, brilliant!


P.S.
Lets be glad that a confrontation between GB and Russia did not occur as nothing good would have came out of it.

 

HA!! I beg your pardon?

??? What ???

View attachment 6856

??? are you taking about the Slatina runway ???

Which and who's order on the 12th June did Gen. Jackson refuse to obey?? and commented ............?

Regards
Kruska

 

i blame slovenia kruska...now lets look at who rushed to push the first dominn out the box...causes lead to consequences.. And domimoes fall all over the place.

 

Hello urqh,

I am afraid I can't quite follow you on this one.

In 1998/99 elections were held in all these disputed States (not provinces) Kosovo being the exeption. - let us keep in mind that former Yugo was a Federation of States such as Germany today.

That the Serbs stupidly boycotted these votums does not really alter the fact that the vast majority of these States (Slovenia) being one of them, voted for independence from the Federation.

That the EU responded very fast in Slovenia so as to put a hold on the military confrontation was a good achievement. That later the EU governments could not come up with a solution after the Croation issue/independence is true but how could they?

There was and is no European Joint Army and NATO is not a political unit subjected to the EU government.
Due to our (somtimes tribal minded) EU countries, its people and government Europe indeed until today has not come up with a more suitable replacement of NATO.

As long as there is no EU Army these kind of conflicts will always remain a troublesome issue without the US taking actions via NATO.

Regards
Kruska

 

kruska im in agreement with much of your post, and am a complete Europhile.. However i cant ever agree with the EU support for a state that takes away welfare, health, financial and rights of abode of fellow yugos.. Not when the same eu abhore in other states.