European Countries Unite Behind NATO Peacekeeping Force in Bosnia

Strategic Insights -

As the signing of a peace treaty in Bosnia draws near, European countries have rallied behind the NATO peacekeeping force, with many already having troops stationed in the region. France and Britain, which have lost significant numbers of soldiers in Bosnia, will provide the NATO operation with approximately 24,000 troops together, drawing from their existing United Nations contingents. This move is seen as a significant boost to the peacekeeping efforts, which aim to establish stability in the region.

Key Takeaways:

  • France and Britain will provide the NATO operation with approximately 24,000 troops together, drawing from their existing United Nations contingents.
  • The United States will have a comparable number of troops in Bosnia and in support assignments in Croatia.
  • Britain, as a former empire, has a long history of deploying troops to trouble spots and takes pride in its peacekeeping operations short of war.
  • European officials believe that American fears of casualties in Bosnia are overdrawn and that the lightly armed United Nations mission was "quite useless" in preventing ethnic cleansing.
  • The Netherlands will put its 2,100 troops under NATO command, citing the debacle at Srebrenica as a turning point in their decision-making process.
  • Germany, in contrast, had initially hesitated to join the peacekeeping effort due to historical concerns, but is expected to provide 4,000 support troops to the NATO force.
  • Many young Germans seem to be more supportive of military involvement than the 1968 generation, which dominates the Greens and Social Democratic parties today.

Statistics:

  • France has lost 54 soldiers in Bosnia and has almost 600 wounded.
  • Britain has lost 18 soldiers in Bosnia.
  • The Netherlands will provide 2,100 troops to the NATO operation.
  • Germany is expected to provide 4,000 support troops to the NATO force.
  • Approximately 24,000 troops together from France and Britain will be part of the NATO operation.

Sources:

  • "France has lost 54 soldiers in Bosnia, and almost 600 have been wounded," Defense Minister Charles Millon said.
  • "We have a long history of having an essentially professional army which was sent all over the Empire to fight, and that attitude has tended to survive a bit," said Sir Laurence Martin, the director of the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London.
  • "If you go to war, you get killed from time to time," said Andre Querdon, spokesman for the Belgian Foreign Ministry.
  • "At least these troops will be able to shoot back when attacked, and they won't just look on passively at ethnic cleansing," said Christian Soussan, a student at the Institute of Political Studies in Paris.
  • The Netherlands will put its 2,100 troops under NATO command.
  • Germany is expected to provide 4,000 support troops to the NATO force.