I think NATO intervened more or less for the reasons stated: to stop yet
another humanitarian catastrophe in the Balkans and to finally tell
Milosevic that the West meant business. The reason I think this is that no
credible alternative explanation has been offered, and the historical
context of the intervention supports the stated reasons. This does not imply
that I think the motives were humanitarian. It had become clear that
Milosevic was a truly destabilizing force in the region, with likely bad
consequences for the rest of Europe, while negotiations--ten years of
negotiations, including a disastrous arms embargo--had accomplished nothing.
There were literally no meaningful options left.
--
Tresy Kilbourne
Seattle WA