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Warriors in Peace Operations - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army

Warriors in Peace Operations - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army

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APPENDIX<br />

“ZVORNIK SEVEN” QUESTIONS<br />

AND ANSWERS<br />

1. Was it the correct decision to hand the seven Muslims,<br />

who had surrendered to IFOR, to the Republika Srpska<br />

Police?<br />

A. Yes, it was. This was clearly an armed group<br />

with<strong>in</strong> the mean<strong>in</strong>g of the Dayton agreement.<br />

Military or civilian, it constituted a threat to peace<br />

<strong>in</strong>side RS jurisdiction. As such, we were obliged to<br />

turn them over to the local civilian authorities if they<br />

had an <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> them.<br />

We cannot, on the one hand, <strong>in</strong>sist that the local civil<br />

authorities accept their responsibilities as required<br />

under the agreement and then, on the other, keep<br />

them from exercis<strong>in</strong>g those responsibilities when<br />

they have a clear and legally justifiable opportunity<br />

to do so.<br />

2. Would you do the same, given similar circumstances<br />

aga<strong>in</strong>?<br />

A. Yes, for the reasons I have just given.<br />

However, with the benefit of h<strong>in</strong>dsight, we would<br />

have held them longer ourselves <strong>in</strong> order to establish<br />

their bona fides with<strong>in</strong> a neutral environment.<br />

Notwithstand<strong>in</strong>g this option, we would still have had<br />

to hand them over to the RS authorities with<strong>in</strong> 72<br />

hours.<br />

3. Why did General Nash countermand the major’s<br />

decision and try and recover the prisoners?<br />

165

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