XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1999 22:45:09 UTC XXXXX

NY TIMES: NATO MAY ADMIT THAT PLAN WAS FLAWED, ARMED INVASION IS RULED OUT

NATO may acknowledge that the basic premise behind its bombing strategy in the Yugoslav conflict, that a sufficient show of air power would batter Serb leader Milosevich into accepting Western prescriptions for Kosovo, was fatally flawed, reports Wednesday's NEW YORK TIMES.

The TIMES' Craig Whitney writes in a Page One, above the fold stretch story: "And that, in turn, would mean admitting that the world's most powerful alliance, with the world's most powerful air force at its disposal, was helpless to curb the authoritarian leader of a small Balkan country from killing and victimizing his people."

"An armed invasion has been effectively ruled out, NATO officials said, and the existing strategy has only one more option left -- bombing the Yugoslav president's nerve centers in the heart of Belgrade, with all the risks that carries of civilian casualties."

Impacting Hard...

-- a (a@a.a), March 30, 1999

Answers

Duh. They tried that on Saddam and it didn't work.

-- Helen (sstaten@fullnet.net), March 30, 1999.

Three times is the charm, I suppose. It'll take one more try to finally figure it out.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), March 30, 1999.

Although I'm no fan of the Liar-in-Chief, I don't think he is stupid. Except where the intelligence community thinks Clinton is a security-risk, Clinton has access to some of the best intelligence info in the world.

I have heard, on right-wing-whacko-radio, that there are large Oil deposits under Yugoslavia. What if our real goals are 1) give NATO a post cold-war relevance and 2) increase Western presence in the Balkans.

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous99.xxx), March 31, 1999.

Then why, today, are they expanding and intensifying the air campaign, with strikes expected on central Belgrade (NPR Morning Edition)?

-- Spidey (in@jam.com), March 31, 1999.

Not that i believe for a second that they have "all but ruled out" a ground effort, Spidey, but that concentration is directly in line with the text.

-- Chuck, a night driver (reinzoo@en.com), March 31, 1999.

Thoughts to chew on:

"Therefore, in your deliberations, when seeking to determine the military conditions, let them be made the baseis of a comparison, in this wise:

1. Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the Moral law?

2. Which of the two generals has the most ability?

3. With whom lie the advantages derieved from Heaven and Earth?

4. On which wide is deiscipline most rigorously enforced?

5. Which army is the stronger?

6. On which side are officers and men more highly trained?

7. In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment?

By means of these seven considerations I can forecast victory or defeat.

--Sun Tsu Wu: Art of War, translated by Lionel Giles Luzac & Co., London, 1910, pp.3-4

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), March 31, 1999.

OOPS. That should have been "basis."

-- FM (vidprof@aol.cm), March 31, 1999.

Sorry about all the mispellings. Didn't bother to check spellings whilst transcribing. Hopefully you can read past them.

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), March 31, 1999.