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Balkans

I have to do a research project on the Army's purpose on the Balkans and any and all help would be appreciated. I need factual sources for this. Thanks guys..I can't believe our platoon is going to school now.. :glare: This is so stupid..an essay during a deployment :headwall:
 
Adam,

We stressed diplomacy until the mass graves started showing up on our evening news. At that point it became obvious that military action had to be taken. We as a people and as a military could no longer stand by and let the Bosnian Muslim population suffer such horrors.

http://www.gendercide.org/images/pics/graves6.jpg
This one mass grave is 20 feet deep and 100 feet long

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Just google terms like "mass graves" "Srebrenica"

Lest we forget
Av
 
I can't believe our platoon is going to school now.. :glare: This is so stupid..an essay during a deployment :headwall:
Maybe it's just me but I'd prefer classrooms to places where people were trying their best to shoot or bomb me ... :scratch:
 
the Balkans are kinda like Afghanistan, most African countries and to a lesser extent Iraq, several different groups that just dont get along and have never really gotten along......an area that has always been in some sort of turmoil and likely will always be no matter what anyone tries to do to help......
 
What a topic ... everyone can give a different answer and all can be correct. Av's answer is one of the correct ones, but it doesn't explain why the US is involved in 2010. What the Balkans have in common with the other places Rattler mentioned is the meddling of outsiders who have their own agendas. Lots of imperialistic ambitions seem to bang against each other in the Balkans and outsiders (and insiders) exploit the usual divides of nationalism and religion. The US, EU, Russia, and some kind of Muslim coalition have tried to "help", but the help is pretty self-serving and not helpful.
 
I probably should add that it doesnt need to be the current year. Any point in time in which the US Army was involved with the Balkans including major battles, events that changed history, effects still lasting and effects on soldiers morale (deaths, injuries, hardships) key personnel etc..
Hows that ???
 
Adam,

We stressed diplomacy until the mass graves started showing up on our evening news. At that point it became obvious that military action had to be taken. We as a people and as a military could no longer stand by and let the Bosnian Muslim population suffer such horrors.
Just google terms like "mass graves" "Srebrenica"

Lest we forget
Av

Our government is so altruistic. Maybe they just overlooked, Cambodia (1,700,000 dead), East Timor (300,000), Rawanda (500,000), Darfur (2,000,000), and now the Congo
(3,800,000 dead). These are the low estimates. Unless their is enough to gain monetarily or strategically we do nothing and do out best to ignore it.
 
Chezilla,

If you remember our govt didn't go in to the Balkans until the public outcry over the images became overwhelming. Two years prior we decided not to send troops in until a peace agreement could be reached... We were still licking our wounds from a similar episode in Lebanon where our barracks were bombed and 241 American "Peace keepers" lost their lives. Also around this same time as the Balkan conflict we are already dying in a relief / "Peace Keeper" mission in Somalia (Black Hawk Down).

Understandably, the American public and our government had little taste for another "peace keeping" mission with boots on the ground.

Our govt rarely takes such major action until the people endorse it.... be it the result of direct attack, images of mass graves or now, sadly...even false rumors of immediate threats. You have got to explain to that mother and father in Idaho why their child's life may be lost fighting in East Timor, a place they probably have never even heard of (To my Aussie mates, please forgive the example).

Just as we watched, just as Europe watched, just as the Africa watched, just as SE Asia watched, just as South America watched, just as the Middle East watched etc etc etc... we are not alone in our complacency nor guilt, but we do try.... as do many others

Unfortunately but realistically, sometimes the battles you fight or don't fight depends on many variables...

I wish it was as simple as go in kick arse and and get out...

Just my 2 cents, nothing more
Av
 
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