[Nettime-bold] Re: U.S. Vetoes Bosnia Peacekeeping Extension

["Ivo Skoric" <ivo@reporters.net>]

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@LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU>
From:           	Ewen Allison <Wugga@AOL.COM>
Subject:        	Re: U.S. Vetoes Bosnia Peacekeeping Extension
To:             	JUSTWATCH-L@LISTSERV.ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU

In a message dated 6/30/02 6:24:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
riedlmay@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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