For the first time in my life, I find myself against the use of American force abroad— a very strange feeling. I fail to see any vital American interests in Kosovo; that means the American population will not support casualties, so we cannot plan to win there. If our goal is to avert a humanitarian disaster, why did we not intervene in Rwanda when far worse atrocities took place? Or why are we not in Sudan today, where the numbers and actions are far worse? The precedent of NATO intervening in a civil war has troubling and perhaps dangerous implications. Also, attacking the Serbs can cause serious problems with RI issi a Finally, I worry about our effectively aiding some very radical Islamic forces that would like nothing better than an outpost in Europe.
Daniel Pipes,
Editor Middle East Quarterly
