The Srebrenica Massacre - Nova Srpska Politicka Misao

The Military Context of the Fall of Srebrenica
45 UN Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi’s May 25 statement continued: “It is imperative
that it be clearly understood that the purpose of these actions is to restore the
integrity of the Sarajevo heavy weapons agreement and respect for the safety of
civilians….Once again I remind the parties of the extreme gravity of the situation
and the need to reject the military option and to resume peaceful dialogue.”
(“NATO strike destroyed six Serb bunkers: Akashi,” Agence France Presse, May
26, 1995.) On the intense U.S. lobbying for military action over the entire month
of May, 1995, see Allison Mitchell, “U.S. Lobbied Allies for Weeks Before NATO
Attack on Serbs,” New York Times, May 26, 1995.
46 Ripley, Operation Deliberate Force, p. 108.
47 Emma Daley, “West confronts futility of keeping peace in war zone,” The Independent,
May 28, 1995; Roger Cohen, “2 French Killed as Sarajevo Battle Takes
New Course,” New York Times, May 28, 1995; Steven Greenhouse, “Quandary
Over U.S. Bosnia Policy: Crisis Exposes Contradictory Goals,” New York Times,
May 28, 1995; Craig R. Whitney, “Diplomatic Moves Pressed by Paris,” New
York Times, May 28, 1995; Julian Borger and Anthony Bevins, “UN crisis as Serbs
kill French,” The Observer, May 28, 1995; Charlotte Eagar, “How the West was
chained,” The Observer, May 28, 1995; Joel Brand, “French Units Attack Serbs
In Sarajevo,” Washington Post, May 28, 1995.
48 See Sarah Womack, “Major to recall Parliament after 33 British troops seized,”
Press Association, May 28, 1995; Christopher Bellamy, “Fusiliers’ capture raises
questions about British role,” The Independent, May 29, 1995; Joel Brand and
James Bone, “Serbs take 33 British soldiers hostage,” The Times, May 29, 1995;
Julian Borger et al., “Major pledges 6,000 more Bosnia troops,” The Guardian,
May 29, 1995; Julian Borger, “Nervous fingertips clasp UN triggers,” The
Guardian, June 1, 1995; Alison Cameron et al., “Nine ex-hostages handed back
to Britain,” Press Association, June 3, 1995; Maggie O’Kane, “Hostages had no
idea of danger,” The Observer, June 4, 1995; and Nicholas Wood and Joel Brand,
“Serbs now in firing line, says Rifkind,” The Times, June 5, 1995.
49 See Paul Beaver And Peter Beaumont, “Ready for rapid-reaction—but to what?”
The Observer, June 4, 1995; John Pomfret, “New Arrivals Ready to Fight in
Bosnia; ,” Washington Post, June 4, 1995; John Palmer and Ian Black , “New
Bosnia force is UN’s ‘Last chance’,” The Guardian, June 9, 1995; Farhan Haq,
“New rapid-reaction troops ready to go,” Inter Press Service, June 9, 1995; “The
UN’s last chance in Bosnia,” The Economist, June 10, 1995.
50 Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Report of the Secretary-General Pursuant to Security
Council Resolution 982 (1995) and 987 (1995) (S/1995/444), May 30, 1995,
pars. 67-68, .
51 Liam McDowall, “Risky U.N. Plan Would Open Sarajevo Lifeline,” Associated
Press, June 4, 1995.
52 Ripley, Operation Deliberate Force, p. 128.
53 Ibid, p. 140.
54 During cross-examination of the Bosnian Muslim General Sefer Halilovic, the
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