This electronic version has been made available under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) open access license. Analyses the international response to the crisis in Kosovo, and its broader implications by examining its diplomatic, military and humanitarian features. Unravelling these implications can be challenging as it remains an event replete with paradoxes - the originality of this book's approach lies in its exploration of these paradoxes. The crisis in Kosovo has been a headline grabbing event - a serious study of the implications of the conflict on wider European security issues and institutions is urgently required.

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Kosovo saw the last European war of the twentieth century, the first fought by a NATO force, and possibly the end of America's direct involvement in European military affairs. This book explains how Kosovo came to be 'the crucible of a poisonous ethnic struggle' and examines the implications of the international response.*A unique presentation of the events by nine specialist writers makes this the only book of such scope and international dimension available on the Kosovo crisis. *Sets out the causes, chronicles the events and evaluates the motivation of the major participants in the conflict in a manner unattempted since the hostilities ended. *Multi-disciplinary in nature, the book establishes a link between politics and media. *Presents a close examination of the respective international responses and provides provocative, original and informed conclusions. *Includes analysis of German and Italian positions in NATO allowing students to examine the lesser known policies of these countries. *Presents a coherent post-Cold War interpretation of events of great importance to Europe, NATO and the USA. *Presents a view which underlines the need for a new foreign policy for the EU, par

The Kosovo conflict has the potential to redraw the landscape of international politics, with significant ramifications for the UN, major powers, regional organizations, and the way in which we understand and interpret world politics. Can the veto now effectively be circumvented to launch selective enforcement operations? Can the humanitarian imperative be reconciled with the principle of state sovereignty? This book offers interpretations of the Kosovo crisis from numerous perspectives: the conflict-parties, NATO allies, the immediate region surrounding the conflict, and further afield. Country perspectives are followed by scholarly analyses of the longer-term normative, operational, and structural consequences of the Kosovo crisis for world politics.

The war in Kosovo was a turning point: NATO deployed its armed forces in war for the first time, and placed the controversial doctrine of 'humanitarian intervention' squarely in the world's eye. It was an armed intervention for the purpose of implementing Security Council resolutions-but without Security Council authorization.This report tries to answer a number of burning questions, such as why the international community was unable to act earlier and prevent the escalation of the conflict, as well as focusing on the capacity of the United Nations to act as global peacekeeper.The Commission recommends a new status for Kosovo, 'conditional independence', with the goal of lasting peace and security for Kosovo-and for the Balkan region in general. But many of the conslusions may be beneficially applied to conflicts the world-over.