Objectives

The objective of Operation Allied Force was to attack the military infrastructure that President Milosevic and his forces used to repress and kill ethnic Albanians, and thus ensured full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1199.

The military objectives of Operation Allied Force:

  • Reduce the ability of the Serbian military forces to continue their offensive operations against the people of Kosovo.
  • Return of the refugees.
  • Withdrawal from Kosovo of all military, police and paramilitary forces.
  • Permit the deployment of an international security force.

On March 25, 1999, NATO commander General Wesley Clark said:

"We are going to systematically and progressively attack, disrupt, degrade, devastate" (Serb military targets)

In an interesting article for CNN, James Hooper[1] suggested that NATO's objectives should have been extended:

  • Removal of Serbian forces from Kosovo plus the destruction of military infrastructure and related targets in Serbia.
  • Return of all refugees to Kosovo.
  • Detaching Kosovo from Serbia and establishing democratic self-government for three years. If the Kosovars act democratically, allow an independent state.
  • Provision of full NATO security guarantees against Serbian interference in Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania.
  • A declaration that Slobodan Milosevic is regarded as a war crimes suspect and will support his indictment by the UN war crimes tribunal.

[1] Deputy director of the US State Department's office for East European and Yugoslav affairs from 1989 to 1991, and adviser on US policy during the Bosnian war.

G8 Peace Plan

The G8 peace plan did not differ much from the NATO demands. The highlights of the G8 peace plan:

  • An end to fighting in Kosovo.
  • A withdrawal of all Yugoslav troops and Serb special police.
  • The safe return of all refugees.
  • The installation of a NATO-led peacekeeping force to protect returning refugees.
  • The creation of an interim administration for the province.
  • The eventual autonomy of Kosovo within Yugoslavia.
  • A formula for the economic redevelopment and stabilization of the province.
Source: CNN, British MoD, Washington Post, Reuters, AP, de Telegraaf.