Bill Bartlett writes:
> [...] they don't need any further justification (for a ground war).
> The barbararity going on is Kosovo is all the excuse they could
> hope for [...]
>
> [...] But the expulsion of Kosovan Albanians is definitely shaping
> up as one of the all-time propaganda and tactical blunders of the
> 20th century. In strategic terms it is a classic case of allowing
> tactical objectives to violate the overall strategic plan.

These two can't both be right.  If NATO *hoped* for a justification to
start a ground war, then getting the civilian population out of the
way is also what NATO wanted - unless you mean NATO *wants* the
civilians to be in the way when they start the ground war.  I can
believe a lot of things about NATO, but I don't believe it is that
evil.

I think NATO didn't want to start a ground war, and their lack of
preparedness to start one is the evidence.  I think they ( the
governments, not the respective militaries) expected Milosevic to
capitulate, given that they thought it was air strikes that made him
capitulate last time.  I think the US government ignored the advice of
the CIA, et al, that the Serbs would accelerate their efforts in
response to the air strikes.

> God help the Serbian people now. Their leaders certainly aren't
> serving them well.

How many Serbs have been killed or injured so far?  I've not seen an
estimate of the total.

martin