Global Issues: Humanitarian Intervention ~ Lessons from Kosovo

The NATO bombing of Serb forces in Kosovo to protect ethnic Albanians in the late 1990s is often cited as a successful example of humanitarian intervention. The events in Libya are sharpening the argument over the use of the R2P doctrine and also there is a debate as to how effective just air power can be in ultimately resolving issues in the long term. There is an excellent article in today’s Guardian - Kosovo: a template for disaster in which David Gibbs argues that the idea that Kosovo is a model for humanitarian intervention in Libya is based on a series of myths. This article is a must read for those doing th Global Issues paper highlighting key aspects of the HI debate and serving to give much needed historical context.

A brief exerpt is: As they weigh up whether to support the attack on Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, some western commentators are taking comfort from the 1999 Nato air war against Serbia, which is widely viewed as a successful humanitarian mission that protected Kosovans from Serbian aggression. Moreover it was done at low cost to the intervening powers, who suffered no combat casualties. And ultimately it led to the ousting of Serbia’s villainous leader, Slobodan Milosevic. The Libya intervention, it is hoped, will have a similarly positive outcome.

In reality, Kosovo presents little basis for optimism with regard to Libya. Its success is based on a series of myths