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Milosevic stays defiant despite NATO air strikes ivusuvu from page 1 gets were hit in the first waves, but he claimed that damage was “minimal ” Explosions resounded in Kosovo’s capital of Pristina starting at 7:55 p.m. (12:55 p.m. CST), and the city of 280,000 was plunged into darkness when the electricity failed The official Tanjug news agency reported four heavy blasts in the city, including three from the area of Slatina airport. More than a dozen explosions were heard around Belgrade, the Yugoslav capital, including some near Batajnica military airport and one near a power plant In neighboring Montenegro, which with Serbia forms Yugoslavia, an army military barracks in Danilovgrad was in flames after being hit One soldier was reported killed and three others were wounded, officials said Serbian televi sion said several civilians were wound ed in attacks throughout the country. Montenegro’s pro-Western leader, Milo Djukanovic, blamed Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic for the attacks, calling them “the tragic conse quences of an irrational policy of con frontation with the entire world” Reporters were not immediately able to get to the targets to see the effects of the strikes. The center of Belgrade was quiet and not hit, and state-media reported early Thursday that the air alert had been called off. But at least four more cruise mis siles were later fired from two U.S. ships in the Adriatic Sea, the first from the vessels since the attack began six hours earlier. NATO bombing targets were spread throughout the country. In Kosovo, the targets appeared to be at least 15 miles from Pristina, in areas where it is dangerous to travel at night. During the bombardment, about 25 foreign journalists on the roof of the Hyatt Hotel in Belgrade were detained by police. Some were later released. CNN said those detained included four of its producers and photographers. In Belgrade, many military-age men left their homes, spending the night with friends to avoid the draft “This is serious, but I don’t want to be killed without knowing why,” said Filp Pavicevic, 30, as he packed his bag to take refuge in another apartment. Scores of cruise missiles and one ton bombs were fired at Yugoslav tar gets. Dozens of warplanes were used, including six U.S. B-52 bombers and two B-2 stealth bombers. “We are attacking the military infrastructure that President Milosevic and his forces are using to repress and kill innocent people,” U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen said in Washington. “NATO forces are not attacking the people ofYugoslavia.” ' A NATO spokesman in Naples, Italy, denied a claim by Pavkovic that two NATO planes had been shot down. “We have not - repeat not - lost an air craft,” Capt. Steve Burnett told the British Broadcasting Corp. German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping said without elaborating that Yugoslav planes were shot down. The NATO bombings drew harsh condemnation from Russian President Boris Yeltsin, who ordered his nation to pull out of its partnership with NATO and warned of possible farther steps to protest the airstrikes. Softball Teams Registration Lincoln Parks and Recreation Athletics Office 3001 So. 9th Street Returning Teams: March 23, 24 & 25 New Teams: March 30 & 31 UMPIRES NEEDED!!! For more information call 441-7892 Reactions to NATO bombings of Yugoslavia mixed REACTION from page 1 ing the president’s and NATO’s inter national credibility,” he said. The airstrikes could strengthen Serbian support for Slobodan Milosevic, he said, and could also accelerate the slaughter of ethnic Albanians by Serbian forces. Whatever happens, Bereuter said, forcing ethnic Albanians bent on free dom and Serbian forces aligned against them to sign a peace agree ment will probably fail. “It’s a peace-enforcement mission and therefore likely to not be success ful,” he said. Fellow Republican Reps. Lee Terry and Bill Barrett both said they have not supported sending troops, but they backed the forces that are now committed. “Whether or not I or anyone else agrees with the politics or the reason ing behind the attack is no longer the issue,” Barrett said. “Now that the bombing has begun, I support our forces over there 110 percent.” He said he hopes Milosevic comes to his senses soon and agrees to a peaceful solution. Both Sens. Chuck Hagel and Bob Kerrey voted Tuesday for a Senate resolution supporting NATO airstrikes. “Actions have consequences. Non-actions have consequences,” Hagel said in remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday. “History will judge us harshly if we do not take action to stop this rolling genocide.” Kerrey told The Associated Press the United States had to join its allies in the airstrikes, but he does not sup port sending U.S. troops. “It’s important for us to know when the answer is ‘no,’” he said. David Forsythe, UNL professor of political science, shared concetns that ground troops could be committed. He said he had read of accounts of Serbs setting fire to a city in Kosovo. Such tactics could require ground forces, he said. He said he and students in his United Nations class have focused on international legal issues. “If we get bogged down, this whole thing is going to come back to haunt the Clinton administration,” he said. “On the other hand, there’s noth ing that succeeds like success.” If the operation is successful, he said, it could set a new precedent for humanitarian intervention. If not, the United States could be open to politi cal and psychological sanctions. “There’s not a clear rule about when outside parties can go in and stop atrocities.” NATO forces are proceeding without authorization from the United Nations Security Council, he said. One of his students, sophomore political science major Alyssa Archer, said the bombing is scary. “It’s such a gray area, whether we are even justified in going over there,” she said. “We really don’t have any legal standing to go over there, espe cially with Russia’s veto in the Security Council.” If the United States is going to apply moral stances, it should do so in a more even-handed manner, she said. For example, the United States is not involved in civil wars in the western African nation of Sierra Leone. But Tomas Balco, a student from the Czech Republic who is studying international relations and interna tional economics during his one-year Robitschek Scholar program, sees no gray area. “There is no right on their side,” he said. “There is nothing that actual ly authorizes NATO to perform the strikes.” Only the Security Council could give NATO the right to attack, he said. Contrary to the arguments made by the Clinton administration, he said, the attack will only bring more insta bility to the region. He cited strong objections from Russia and China as examples. His own country, which just joined NATO, is sending a hospital to the fighting area instead of an armed force, he said. “I don’t think that a bomb is a message of peace,” he said. He said the problems in Kosovo should have been dealt with earlier. “The international community starts to solve problems when it’s too late - when the conflict has gone too far and people start dying,” he said. The solution he would offer now would be a cease-fire followed by a Security Council Resolution autho rizing a peacekeeping force. But UNL Political Science Professor Bill Avery said the United States should stabilize the area, stop the killing and make sure the killing • __ k won’t start again. “I think what Clinton is trying to do here is stop the killing, and then get Milosevic back to the negotiation table,” he said. “Some people negoti ate better when they have a gun to their head.” Although there are questions about attacking a nation that did not attack another, die United States has a responsibility to contain regional con flicts to prevent them from becoming global, he said. Nick Medlock, a junior political science major, said he thinks the bombing was the right policy to pur sue, but he disagrees with Clinton’s arguments that the conflict could escalate to a global level. “We can’t allow Milosevic to just slaughter people in Kosovo,” he said. “I generally agree with his view on the necessity of the airstrikes. I differ with him a little bit on the strength of the’ threat.” The Kosovo conflict particularly interests him because he will join the military after graduation, he said. Medlock is in Air Force ROTC at « Its a peace enforcement mission and therefore likely to not be successful 9 Rep. Doug Bereuter UNL. The current conflict no doubt hits close to home for 59 Nebraskans and 18 Kansans who make up the 24th Medical Company. Lt. Col. Bob Vrana, deputy public affairs officer for the Nebraska National Guard, said the group was mobilized Feb. 10. Right now, he said, they are operating in Bosnia, about 150 miles from Wednesday’s action. So far, he said, the group’s mission has not changed. It is scheduled for a tour that would have to end by November barring Congressional action, he said. ■ ■ . . :I Open House! I | X j March 30, 1999 U ?£|& 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.^ ■ / '</4, at CELLULARONE 620 N. 48TH ST., ste 200 > 111 Lincoln, NE 68504 i’’ • »SL1SjS 1 New service, accessories or cnstomer service-: -f - - 1 .. , f ' Lied Center for Performing Arts presents Tango Buenos Aires Friday, March 26, 1999, 8pm Danny Gottlieb, Percussion Drummer's Fantasy Discovery! Saturday, March 27, 1999, 8pm Johnny Carson Theater Locally sponsored by Dietze Music House, Inc. Tickets: 472-4747 or 1-800-432-3231 Box Office: 11 :00am-5:30pm M-F
