U.S. Vetoes Bosnia Peacekeeping Extension
Ivo Skoric
ivo at reporters.net
Mon Jul 1 19:17:52 CEST 2002
Yes. This is how situation in Macedonia got both out of hand and
out of the media. No UN presence there means that local
warmongers prevail, and it also means that nobody outside cares.
Did China veto continuation of UN mission there to make
Macedonia more directly dependent on its neighbours like Serbia,
which is very dear to China in recent years? Well, that's China.
Nobody expects from a communist tyranny to behave any better
but minding its own narrow selfish interest, do we?
Here, however, we have the declared lone superpower, the touted
ordering power of the world, the self-proclaimed gurantor of the
global stability, the country that loudly thinks that it can attack
others pre-emptively and alone, that country vetoing a U.N.
peacekeeping mission. And why? For an ultimately selfish reason
of not getting what they wanted from the world - and that is
immunity for their 'boys' from the scrutiny of the International
Criminal Court.
The Bush doctrine is very simple. It can be summarized in the
question: "Why does dog lick his balls?" Current U.S.
adminsitration showed from its beginning certain disregard for the
world's institutions, agreements and treaties. It believes that
because nobody can compete with U.S. militarily, that sheer power
gives U.S. the right to do what it wants, strike whom, where and
when it pleases AND be accountable to nobody. The international
law is there merely to keep others in check. It is just another tool
of American global rule. Therefore, it is silly to think that the U.S.
would allow to be subjected to it, isn't it?
The UN peacekeeping mission in Macedonia was never that
numerous and that ubiquitous as it is in Bosnia. Therefore ending
the UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia would be a far larger
shock for that country than it was for Macdeonia. Bosnia is virtually
divided in two countries: Bosnian-Croat Federation and Republika
Srpska and only the UN peacekeeping mission is what holds them
together. There are strong tendencies within Republika Srpska
leadership to separate from Bosnia and join with Serbia. Without
UN peacekeepers, this process may not be prevented. Renewal of
hostilities is therefore foreseeable. Refugees have yet to see the
day of return to their homes - seven years after the war. That day
now may never come. And war criminals like Radovan Karadzic,
Zeljko Mejakic (the rape commander from Omarska) and Ratko
Mladic are still at large, and likely to remain now with no UN
presence in Bosnia.
U.S. veto of Bosnia Peacekeeping Extension is a cheap blackmail:
either the world will hold the U.S. troops above the international
law, or the U.S. will let both the international law and the world go
to hell: the war criminals will go unpunished and the small
European country will spiral back to war. Well, world, it is your
choice, isn't it?
ivo skoric
Date sent: Sun, 30 Jun 2002 20:00:27 EDT
Send reply to: International Justice Watch Discussion List
<JUSTWATCH-L at LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU>
From: Ewen Allison <Wugga at AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: U.S. Vetoes Bosnia Peacekeeping Extension
To: JUSTWATCH-L at LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU
In a message dated 6/30/02 6:24:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
riedlmay at FAS.HARVARD.EDU writes:
> As predicted, the Bush administration put ideology first and instructed
> American U.N. Ambassador John Negroponte to cast a veto, scuttling a
> Security Council resolution extending the mandate of United Nations
> peacekeeping operations in Bosnia.
Lessons of history. *sigh* Isn't this how the recent mess in Macedonia got
out of hand? No UN force there because China vetoed extending the force's
mission?
Ewen Allison
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