Like Rick I hope this thread continues, so many seem to die when Part 2 is started.

One more thing to worry about, which I don't think has been covered before, is what happens to Europe if NATO "fails"? I don't mean with regards to the situation in Kosovo per se, but if it is seen that Europe cannot act in concert to police itself, what hope does that give us? Although the means taken by NATO may be qestionable from the point of view of efficacy, and although I still believe that military action could and should have been avoided, surely any hope for a continuing peace in Europe must include the resolve to take collective action against States who's behaviour is immoral or unethical with respect to the cultural norms of the greater collective?

Any attempt to impose an external will on a sovereign state's internal behaviour is decried by some as illegal in terms of the UN charter, but what I think is clear from all those who contributed to part 1, is a concern for doing what is right morally, not necessarily what is "legal". Clinton and his clone Blair, are not my idea of good leaders, but until proven otherwise I will grant that they sincerely believe that the action they are taking is in the long term best interests of Kosovo and Europe. What does worry me even more is that in particular Clinton's resolve will not outlast the arrival back in the US of the first plane load of body bags, and we will be left with the mess and no viable means of cleaning it up. Then we really will need to worry.

In the meantime, knowing that there are others who are prepared to spend the time to understand the situation, and to discuss it, certainly helps me.

Pete M