Just heard on Paul Harvey (WMAL AM Radio in Dee Cee) that Yugoslavia is withdrawing troops from Kosovo. Anyone else hear this?

I realize that this is Y2K off-topic, but, but, but...

-- Anonymous99 (Anonymous99@Anonymous99.xxx), May 10, 1999

Answers

Breaking News from CNN's website.

R.

Yugoslav army announces partial Kosovo withdrawal

May 10, 1999 Web posted at: 11:04 AM EDT (1504 GMT)

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) -- The Yugoslav army Monday announced a partial withdrawal of military and police forces from Kosovo.

An army statement, distributed by the state-run Tanjug news agency, said the withdrawal order was effective as of 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) Sunday night. There was no indication how many forces had actually been removed or how many would be affected by the order.

"Considering the fact that the actions against the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army have been completed, the Yugoslav army supreme command ordered the beginning of the partial withdrawal of the army and police units beginning May 9, 2200 hours," the statement said.

"At the same time, it was concluded that when an agreement with the United Nations is reached regarding the deployment of a U.N mission in Kosovo, it will be possible to realize a plan with which the army and police units in the province would be reduced to peace-time levels prior to the (NATO) aggression."

The statement said that with a "well-secured state border which prevents infiltration of terrorist rebel gangs from Albania and Macedonia," the army and police will be able to guarantee "the full security of the citizens and property throughout Kosovo."

"Individual terrorist attacks by small groups of the dispersed KLA could not be excluded but would fall within the activities of the regular units," the statement added.

About 40,000 soldiers and special police are believed deployed in Kosovo, a province of Serbia, the main republic of Yugoslavia.

The verifiable withdrawal of Yugoslav units is among the key conditions set down by NATO for stopping the bombing campaign that began March 24.

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has in the past insisted that about 11,000 Serb troops should remain in Kosovo after an agreement to provide normal policing and security functions. Kosovo borders Macedonia and Albania -- the latter of which is considered hostile territory.

Copyright 1999 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), May 10, 1999.

Check out any internet news site. Yahoo.com has "full coverage" Talks about "partial withdrawal" looks like good news...?

-- newlurker (no@no.com), May 10, 1999.

Sounds like a start.

Now if China will just calm down.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 10, 1999.

IMO, Russia (with Chinese agreement) are playing Milosevic at this stage who is, in turn, playing us. Enables world pressure to be upped dramatically to stop the bombing. The question is: is Slick a player "in" the same game or another one?

Prediction: "temporary" NATO bombing halt by the end of this week to "give negotiations" a chance.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), May 10, 1999.

ABC Radio News just reported that although the Administration welcomes the news, "it remains skeptical of the "so-called" compliance efforts by Milosevich."

A Clinton spokesman said "There are 5 (FIVE) conditions that must be met before we stop the bombing."

It's an all-or-nothing aggression pact folks.

This will not be over any time soon. We are being set-up for the utter demise of NATO, and the isolation of the U.S. and Britain.

Y2K will only make a bad situation worse.

The geopolitical arena currently being played out is the canvas Y2K will be painted on.

I see much black on our American canvas....and indeed the Western World.

-- INVAR (gundark@sw.net), May 10, 1999.

I don't have the answers on this war (tend to agree with BigDog, INVAR), but one thing it SHOULD teach us: dramatic events can happen overnight (or faster). Think of the things that have happened in the last 30 days! One day soon it may well be to late to prepare; this has been pointed out so often on this forum, but bears repeating. One day the "unprepared" will wake to find out there is a Y2K crisis or discover what Russia did with those suitcase bombs, just like we found out the Chinese embassy was bombed, but this time it'll be a lot more personal.

If you think the news is coming quick and is overwhelming now, what will you think/do when it's our turn?

It can happen here.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), May 10, 1999.

Yes, it can. It probably will, but it may be a generation away: or more. Y2K severity only hastens the process.

Simplify, simplify.

-- Jim the Window Washer (Rational@man.com), May 10, 1999.