Volu m e I - Purdue University Calumet

own right, ready to pursue its own agenda. The United States will have accomplished what it set out to do - it
brokered a peace, stopped genocide, and stabilized a country. Concluding the Dayton process would result in
freeing up of much needed American resources for use elsewhere. While this option initially appears very
attractive, serious consideration must be given to the possibility that Bosnia is not yet prepared to assume full
responsibility for its own democratic destiny. The foundation for democracy may not yet be established and
capable of sustaining itself. If that is true, Bosnia may see a regression in its quest to be a stable democracy.
It is important to note that the EU and the United States share similar foreign policy goals relative to
Bosnia. Each entity has made a commitment to support Bosnia for the long term – through and beyond the
dissolution of the OHR. Thus, perhaps a "hybrid" policy option could be crafted. In this scenario, the EU
would assume the primary responsibility for implementing Dayton while the United States would continue to
play an oversight role. The United States could monitor the speed of the process and ensure that none of the
essential Dayton steps are omitted.
Foreign Policy Options Relative to Economic Relations
The United States has the opportunity to pursue foreign policy options which allow for mutually
beneficial economic ties with Bosnia. Bosnia is very open to foreign investment and there is great potential for
growth in various industries. For example, Bosnia has significant mineral reserves, including bauxite, copper,
nickel and cobalt, which are in demand on the world market. The United States could partner with Bosnia,
ensure a steady supply of these minerals for purposes of our economic growth, and simultaneously provide
Bosnia with a cash infusion. Clearly, given the current Bosnian unemployment rates, there is a substantial
labor market that could be tapped as well. A potential down side to this option lies in the fact that the
American public may react negatively to the out-sourcing of jobs and capital. Additionally, this option may
not be in Bosnia's long term economic interest as it does not encourage the development of internal
industries. On the other hand, it is likely that Bosnia does not have the internal capital required to develop
these industries and foreign direct investment would be needed. Such an approach could potentially be
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