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<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name="Author" content="Douglas Lang"> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Mozilla/4.5 [en]C-DIAL (Win95; U) [Netscape]"> <title>Weekly World View</title> </head> <body> <center><b>From the Desk of Douglas Pepper Lang, President</b> <p><img SRC="dpl.jpg" ALT="Why's this guy smiling?" BORDER=0 height=195 width=167></center> <p>June 23, 1999 Washington, DC <br> <hr WIDTH="100%"> <center> <p><b>Lessons from Kosovo</b></center> <p>It's not clear what lessons should be learned from NATO's success in Kosovo, though from hearing their perspective, it is that tyranny can be contained. Perhaps, so. It may also be that NATO itself has been emboldened, and is chomping at the bit to engage again, its military alliance growing (including overtures to Slovenia as recent as yesterday) and its power unbeatable (not using conventional warfare, that is). <p>"Might Makes Right" is not inscribed on the United Nations building for a reason, it is not the route to resolve conflict. In the case of a ruthless autocrat like Milosevic, arguments can be made that force was the only language he spoke. Others will support an argument that only at the very end, when it appeared the KLA was linked, via air support to NATO, did he cry uncle. <p>What lesson is the world learning when a rogue group initiates extra-territorial action against a sovereign country? Could the U.N. have negotiated with success? We will never know now. Could NATO have pulled this off in Chechnya? Are you crazy? <br>What about a third party intervening here at Wounded Knee? Are we prepared to do this against the Taliban in Afghanistan? <p>Clinton anointed himself with visits to troops and a refugee camp at the same time it was revealed that the latest deaths-and first for NATO-of two British KFOR Soldiers and two civilians was while dismantling a NATO "Cluster" Bomb, not a KLA or Serb Land Mine as was asserted, previously. So much of the last three months has been a kind of stumbling over ourselves to exert and assert and project power, for nothing else than to remind ourselves we are great, burn up supplies and geographically expand our "scope of influence." This does not diminish the murderous rampage by Serb Paramilitary, or ruthless response by the KLA. Many must be astonished that all Yugoslav troops have withdrawn, as of yesterday, and that the KLA says they will support a democratic Kosovo and surrender weapons. <p>The fact that the Russians have acquiesced and joined the KFOR, albeit under separate uniform and command structure, is viewed here as a positive sign, and easing of tensions, since they grabbed the Pristina Airport. <p>What happened to the concept, floated first by Boutros Gali, of a U.N.<i> Peace Establishment & Enforcement</i> team, comprised of the same multinational crowd who support <i>Peacekeeping</i>? It appears the U.S. firstly, is ever resistant to place troops under U.N. command. We want to encourage the institution, while undermining its authority? We don't mind the U.N. when it comes to distributing food aid, managing refugee centers and others tactics toward keeping the "flood" of human destitution from hitting Europe or here. But when it comes to creating the reality of a more evenly balanced financial system, whereby natural resources are fairly compensated, as plundered, and labor rates are brought up to scale, we leave that to the "Demanders Brigade" as in the IMF and World Bank, ever ready to undermine local elections and eliminate economic subsidies. <p>So we will glow in the momentary light of victory. Clinton's ratings will spike; NATO will both re-arm and expand (it says a two year hiatus is required to put Kosovo in gear). Russia will have to decide how to view a NATO virtually at its border. But, if it is not a threat, why don't we invite them to join? It was reported that Yeltsin capitulated to Clinton regarding the ABM allowing defensive satellite tech as in a "Star Wars" anti-ballistic system. Let's see how that plays when Yeltin's back home! <p>Until next time... <p>Doug <p> <hr WIDTH="100%"> <center> <p><a href="http://www.hightech-store.com/inthefuture.html"><img SRC="globe.gif" ALT="Another view of the future..." BORDER=0 height=138 width=144></a></center> <p><br> <br> <br> <br> <p><b>Previous Dispatches</b> <br>http://www.hightech-store.com/weeklyview1.html (06-04-99) <br>http://www.hightech-store.com/weeklyview2.html (06-17-99) <center> <p><b><a href="http://www.hightech-store.com">HOME PAGE</a></b></center> <p>Copyright 1996-9 The High Tech Store </body> </html>