New British Commander Takes Helm in Bosnia Amid Ongoing Tensions

Strategic Insights -

Lieutenant General Rupert Smith has arrived in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, to take command of the United Nations peacekeeping forces. Smith's predecessors have faced significant challenges, including tensions with NATO and the government, a legacy he is expected to continue, albeit with a lower profile. The situation remains precarious, with a fragile cease-fire in place and the possibility of a new war erupting in Croatia. General Smith has been involved in planning for the Bosnian conflict for the past two years and has a military background, having enlisted as a private and rising through the ranks.

Key Takeaways:

  • General Rupert Smith has taken command of the UN peacekeeping forces in Bosnia, replacing General Sir Michael Rose.
  • The situation in Bosnia remains tense, with a fragile cease-fire in place and the possibility of a new war erupting in Croatia.
  • General Smith is expected to maintain a lower profile than his predecessor, General Rose, and build on the current cease-fire agreement to achieve a lasting peace.
  • The foreign officials involved in the "contact group" are pursuing fruitless talks with the Bosnian Serbs, who have rejected a map outlining the division of Bosnia, with 51% to a Muslim-Croat federation and 49% to the Serbs.
  • The Serbs currently hold 70% of Bosnia, and the government insists that they accept the plan before any further talks begin.
  • General Smith has been deeply involved in planning for the Bosnian conflict for the past two years and may have to lead a difficult evacuation of peacekeepers if the cease-fire collapses.
  • General Smith's military background includes command of the British Army's 1st Armored Division in the Persian Gulf war and service in Northern Ireland, where he was injured in a car-bomb attack.

Statistics:

  • 24,000: The number of troops patrolling the streets of Sarajevo under General Smith's command.
  • 51%: The proposed percentage of Bosnia to be allocated to a Muslim-Croat federation under the rejected map.
  • 49%: The proposed percentage of Bosnia to be allocated to the Serbs under the rejected map.
  • 70%: The percentage of Bosnia currently held by the Serbs.
  • 12,000: The number of UN troops scheduled to depart from Croatia this spring, potentially leading to a new war.
  • July 1995: The month in which the rejected map outlining the division of Bosnia was presented.
  • 1978: The year in which General Smith commanded a rifle company in Northern Ireland.
  • 2 years: The amount of time General Smith has been involved in planning for the Bosnian conflict.

Sources:

  • The New York Times, no date provided.
  • The article does not provide specific sources for the statistics and information cited.