- The story-context and Players positions
- How did this civil war begin
This civil war began because of the Serbs decided to establish pure ethnic towns and villages. Ethnic cleansing referred to the complete eradication of non-Serb populations through killing or retaining Muslims in detention camps where atrocities such as killing and rape were committed.
- What pushed the Serbs to become the aggressor
The population of the Bosnian Muslims was higher (72.2%) than the population of the Serbs. The unwillingness of the leading states in United Nations and NATO to provide support through ground troops and sustained air campaign strikes made the Bosnia Serb leaders reject the peace plan and decide to attack in an effort to take control of the three Muslim enclaves.
- Who were the good Guys and bad guys
Good guys in this war could be the UNPROFOR forces that were seeking to ensure that safety zones were not attacked. Bad guys include both the Muslim and Serbs as the Muslims usually were armed in their camps, and this made it unsafe for the UNPROFOR troops. The Serbs military controlled most of the supply routes hence UNPROFOR troops would depend on the mercies of the Serbs.
- Why was Europe concerned? What events/actions caused the world to focus on this conflict
Europe was concerned because of the future of European security was at stake. The shelling of Sarajevo market in 1994 portrayed the brutality of the war to the world.
- US position. Russia?
The US wanted to lift the arms embargo against the Bosnian Muslims and use air strikes to deter the Serbs attacks. Russia refused to send their troops and preferred a diplomatic intervention to end the Sarajevo shelling crisis.
- What were the goals of the early peace talks? Why did they fail?
Early peace talks were aimed at ensuring that all Muslims within the safe areas were disarmed. They failed due to lack of cooperation from most of the leading states in the United Nations.
- What did the UN support as a policy to protect? Why did they think it would work? What were the results?
The UN supported the safe area strategy. They viewed this as a way to reduce and prevent further genocide in the area. This strategy failed as attacks from the Serbs increased.
What would be the most convincing arguments for intervention by the US or European forces?
Intervention by the United States and European forces would be warranted by the need to take a stand against tyrants and governments that were violating human rights and threatening peace in the world.
- The US foreign policy was of the view that force was necessary to ensure that conflict does not continue. EU policy was more of a self-defense approach rather than an attack approach. These involved supporting the safe areas and policing all exclusion zones.
- The war began following several nations trying to get independence.
- The actions of the Bosnian Serbs and their gaining military support increased their resolve to prevent the formation of an all-Muslim nation.
- The safe area plan would seek to prevent the atrocities and prevent genocide.
- The Dutch got involved because they were concerned of the human rights of the people in Bosnia.
- The Dual key plan gave the United Nations to have further control in the decision making process. Additionally, the United Nations wanted control and use of the use of NATO planes. The dual key also ensured that there were not abrupt reactions to any Serb or Muslim attacks.
- The US did not have troops on the ground, as they would be further exposed to attacks by the Serbs.
- For the Dutch, the increasing influence of human interest groups had a major impact in its stand on the foreign policy to intervene in Bosnia. They sought to ensure to protect refugees as human rights was very vital to their culture. For the United States, the conflict was affecting peace in a strategic region of the world. The Serbs viewed Muslim Bosnians the same way the Nazis viewed the Jews. They sought to cleanse their society of these demons. European Union sought to ensure that the security of Europe was not compromised and to prevent United Sates from undermining their ability to maintain peace in Europe.
- Economic issues relate to sanction by the United Nations and United States in terms of trade barriers.
- Political-military/security issues deal with how military force and security needs to be approached carefully in the search and maintenance of peace. Issue of independence of countries is also addressed.
- Cultural issues touch on the ethnicity differences between the Muslims and the Serbs
- Social/Global civil society issues relate to human rights violations such as murder rape and torture.
- Lessons in each of these policy worlds. Peace is essential for the economic growth of the nation. Leading nations have power to influence how the country operates. Military power needs to be made by a single nation to prevent any form of relation that may be disastrous or result to additional casualties. All countries need to be involved in ensuring that human rights in different parts of the world are not violated.
