Why is NATO Bombing Yugoslavia?
By Richard Sanders, Coordinator, Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT)

Here are some insightful and perceptive writings which present a variety of different, yet inter-related, theories regarding NATO's real reasons for bombing Yugoslavia.  These quotations are excerpted from essays, articles, pamphlets, letters and statements about the war.  The authors' views reflect a refreshingly complex understanding of the history, politics, economics and culture not only of the Balkans, but of the United States and NATO.  These perspectives are obviously at odds with the prevailing rationale for war which is being presented by NATO, the Pentagon, Canada's Department of National Defence, other NATO governments and military leaders, the mainstream media, and the many right-wing "peace activists" who have
recently revealed themselves.  The predominant view, that hundreds of NATO war planes are bombing Yugoslavian infrastructure in order to protect human rights and to promote peace and justice, is presented to the public with almost complete unanimity by government, military and media sources.  The intensity of NATO's attack on Yugoslavia has only been matched by the intensity of the media bombardment which the public in NATO countries have endured.  This programming has been so incessant that the supposed truth of the "bombing for peace" or "humanitarian war" theory is very difficult for some to even question.

 The struggle which the peace movement now faces is one of educating ourselves and others.  A good place to start is to critique NATO's stated motives. We must develop a deeper understanding of the real reasons behind the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.

 During this war, the internet has played an unprecedented role in providing a venue for alternative perspectives which challenge the status quo version of reality.  The world wide web has grown immensely since the Gulf War in 1991. Despite the mainstream media's general willingness to comply with NATO's worldview, the contradictions in their rationale for the war are
slowly being exposed.  Largely as a result of the internet, it has become increasingly difficult for economic and military institutions to wield their usual degree of control over the information which is made available to the public.

 There is an immense body of historical evidence -- now readily available through the internet -- which supports the alternative analyses which are cited below.  It seems likely that it will only be a matter of time before this war backfires on NATO.  A major scandal is brewing just beneath the surface of millions of computer screens.  The tide is turning!  Join the wave!