One month before the announced failure of the talks American bombers and giant B52 cruise missile carriers were arriving in Britain and the rest of Europe. At the same time, 20 February 1999, British embassy staff in Belgrade were evacuated and all the UK citizens in Yugoslavia were advised to leave. (21)

NATO made preparations for war and announced these preparations to the world media. NATO was ready to be the KLA’s air force. On 12 March General Wesley Clark told Mr Milosevic through a statement to the media that “a vast air armada” was ready to strike. “I think Milosevic has to understand that NATO does have the capability and means to make a very devastating series of attacks against him.” Thousands of NATO troops were assembling in adjoining Macedonia.

Did NATO leaders ever consider what military response the Yugoslavs might make to preparations for war by the NATO side? The US State Department web site report of May 1999 tells us, “extensive mobilisation of Serbian security forces beyond earlier force deployments began several days prior to 19 March . . . in anticipation of NATO air strikes.”

The Pentagon, which flew pilotless aircraft over Kosovo to monitor events there, seemingly surprised, said on 17 March that there was an “ominous” build up of Yugoslavian forces - 16,000 to 21,000 troops - on the border of Kosovo.

The US Defence department complained on the same day that the troop levels were far in excess of those allowed under last year’s ceasefire deal and that Belgrade was “bracing for war” with NATO. (22) Had the Defence department not noticed a radical change in circumstances? Had the department forgotten who had made the first move in the imminent war between Yugoslavia and NATO?

The Yugoslav action was in response to NATO threats and war preparations. The Yugoslav army was built up in readiness to enter Kosovo as a response to the NATO build-up, a fact that was acknowledged in the statements of both the US Defence department and US State department.

On Friday 19 March, the OSCE monitors in their bright orange vehicles rolled out of Kosovo. William Walker, the head of the team, said that the Yugoslav troops went into action as soon as the monitors left. (23)

 NATO ON TRIAL INDEX PAGE