Victory by Accident: An Assessment of the Political and Military Dimensions in Kosovo

The resurgence of regional instability is an apparent manifestation of the post Cold-War era. Unlike during the Cold War period most of the instability is intra-state vice inter-state conflict in the post-Cold War period. Regional instability manifests itself in a wide range of behaviors: from small border disputes to ethnic conflict to violent acts of terrorism, and in some cases, wars for independence. The war in Kosovo is a case study of how devastating post-Cold War regional instability can be and how humanitarian crisis can lead to state sovereignty challenges and the introduction of force to resolve abusive human rights violations from dictatorial regimes. It also reveals the struggle in formulating policy around the issue of sovereignty and internal abuse of that sovereignty. Because of the rapid rise in regional instability, a cohesive mechanism is needed that helps prevent and resolve such crisis. The thesis this paper will explore the political and military dimensions of the Kosovo conflict. While NATO did secure a victory in Kosovo, victory was achieved largely by accident more than by design. It was highlighted by failed international agreements, diplomatic miscalculation, reluctant militaries, and constrained by local politics, both in Washington and across the Atlantic with our European allies.