Wednesday, March 24, the President explained the air war against Yugoslavia by saying, “We act to protect thousands of innocent people in Kosovo from a mounting military offensive.” Although I agree with the President’s goal, I do not support his methods.

According to the newspapers, a strong nonviolent movement has existed in Kosovo. The leader of this movement, the Kosovo equivalent Gandhi, is a man named Ibrahim Rugova. He is the head of the Albanian Democratic League of Kosovo and he has condemned the use of violence. Instead Rugova has encouraged the ethnic Albanians to mount a disciplined and nonviolent resistance to the Serbs. They established a parallel government by conducting balloting in private homes and electing a parliament. Rugova was elected President during these 1992 shadow government elections. The Serbian authorities did not recognize the vote, although in most communities the police allowed the balloting to go on freely. To fund services the shadow government collects money from Albanians in Kosovo, Albania and abroad. With these funds ethnic Albanians run their own schools, universities and health clinics. The “Republic of Kosovo,” grants diplomas and certificates, although no foreign government, including the United States, will recognize the republic. When the violent Kosovo Liberation Army arose, Ibrahim Rugova scorned the rebel group and its brutal methods. Rugova believes Serbs and ethnic Albanians can resolve their differences peacefully.

If I were making American foreign policy regarding Kosovo, I would look for creative ways (short of bombing) to support Ibrahim Rugova and the Albanian Democratic League of Kosovo. I find myself agreeing with Henry Kissinger, who said, “We can have our preferences. We can use economic pressure. We can use diplomatic pressure. But the use of military power and of American ground forces and risking American lives for these purposes is something that I fear we will regret as this unfolds.”