NATO bombed Serbia (then part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) in 1999 primarily to halt the severe humanitarian crisis unfolding in Kosovo, which involved widespread human rights abuses and the mass expulsion of Kosovar Albanian refugees by Yugoslav forces. This military intervention, known as Operation Allied Force, was presented by NATO as a necessary humanitarian intervention to prevent further ethnic cleansing and instability in the region.
The Genesis of the Crisis: Kosovo Conflict
The lead-up to the bombing was rooted in the escalating conflict within Kosovo, a province of Serbia with an ethnic Albanian majority. Tensions had been rising between Serbian forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group. As the conflict intensified throughout 1998 and early 1999, reports of atrocities and systematic violence against the civilian Kosovar Albanian population became widespread.
Key Justifications for NATO's Action
NATO's decision to intervene militarily was based on several critical factors:
- Ending Humanitarian Catastrophe: A significant justification was to end the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation. Yugoslav forces were accused of conducting a campaign of ethnic cleansing, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Kosovar Albanians who fled to neighboring countries, creating a massive refugee crisis.
- Preventing Further Atrocities: NATO leaders stated that the bombing was essential to prevent a larger-scale humanitarian disaster and to protect the civilian population from violence, persecution, and murder.
- Failure of Diplomacy: Extensive diplomatic efforts, notably the Rambouillet Accords in early 1999, failed to achieve a peaceful resolution. Serbia's refusal to sign the agreement, which would have allowed for an international peacekeeping force in Kosovo, was seen by NATO as a final rejection of a diplomatic solution.
- Regional Stability: There were concerns that the ongoing conflict and the resulting refugee flows could destabilize the entire Balkan region, potentially reigniting broader conflicts similar to those seen earlier in the 1990s in Bosnia and Croatia.
Operation Allied Force
The bombing campaign began on March 24, 1999, and lasted for 78 days, targeting military installations, infrastructure, and command centers across Serbia and Kosovo. While the intervention lacked a specific United Nations Security Council resolution authorizing the use of force, NATO asserted its actions were legitimate on humanitarian grounds to avert a greater catastrophe. The campaign concluded on June 10, 1999, with the signing of the Kumanovo Agreement, which led to the withdrawal of Yugoslav forces from Kosovo and the establishment of the NATO-led peacekeeping force, KFOR.
Summary of Driving Factors:
- Mass Expulsion of Refugees: Large-scale displacement of Kosovar Albanians.
- Human Rights Abuses: Allegations of widespread atrocities, including killings and forced expulsions.
- Diplomatic Stalemate: The breakdown of peace negotiations, particularly at Rambouillet.
- Preventing Regional Instability: Fears of the conflict spreading beyond Kosovo.
