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Alternative News on Kosovo For an understanding of the Kosovo crisis that goes beyond CNN pyrotechnics, here are some useful sources from around the Web. March 26 International Coverage Out There News
Reports from the Kosovo frontlines, including interviews with Kosovar pacifist leaders, a deep historical backgrounder, and on-site reportage and photos. Global Beat Syndicate: Special Kosovo Coverage
A service from New York University, featuring daily updates from analysts in and around Kosovo. Russia, U.S. Clash Over NATO Bombs (AP)
Not receiving much media attention is the fact that the U.N. Security Council has once again been bypassed by the U.S. and its allies. Under international law, the U.N. Security Council is the only body with the power to authorize the use of force, except in the case of self defense, by one U.N. member-state against another. Two permanent members of the Security Council, Russia and China, as well as current member India, have spoken out against the bombings. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has also gently pointed out that the NATO strikes are, well ... illegal. BBC News: Kosovo
The BBC's special report on Kosovo is extensive, but certainly slanted toward a pro-bombing perspective. Alternative Viewpoints NewsCenter
Though it suffers from an overdone, CNNesque name ("Crisis in Kosovo: Drumbeats of War"), this site, put together by Common Dreams (the Yahoo! of progressive media), is the best place we've found to get wider-ranging viewpoints on the attacks (scroll at the way down to "Views"). On The Ground NPR Youth Radio
Links to NPR's three-part series about an ongoing e-mail correspondence between Finnegan Hamill of Youth Radio and a Kosovar teenager. The series has been getting some mainstream media attention (CNN is reportedly picking up the story) and, more importantly, my mother called to say how much she liked it. The Party Line NATO
Although it's tough to get through to NATO's official site these days, this is the place to access NATO press releases on the bombings. U.S. State Dept.: Situation in Kosovo
Find out exactly what you need to be skeptical about, straight from the source. Kosovar Sites Kosovo Crisis Center
This advocacy group supporting the cause of Kosovar independence offers breaking news, background on the struggle, and documentation of Serbian atrocities (including photos). Radio 21
Pro-Albanian radio provides daily news reports from Kosovo in English. RealAudio or text available. The translations add a little levity to the mostly grim content. Yugoslav Sites We had trouble reaching most of the links to Yugoslavian sites (due, of course, to the multi-ton bombs that are being dropped around the country) but here are a few we reached successfully: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
On this official site, you can read the Yugoslav government's press releases on the breakdown of the peace negotiations and get a sense of their perspective that the Kosovo conflict is a battle against terrorism. There's information about the hardships suffered under U.N. sanctions (imposed in 1992) and the plight of Serbian refugees (yeah, we didn't think there were any, either). Radio Yugoslavia
Pro-Serb radio based in Belgrade has daily news reports in English. Take a quick look at the transcripts and you'll find plenty of material that would be pretty funny if it wasn't backed up by an army that's started three wars in the last nine years: "The criminal, terrorist, perfidious and cowardly attack by NATO's army on Serbia ... represents proof of the neo-Nazi policy of the United States and its satellites." Background Atlantic Monthly: A New Iron Curtain
In this 1996 piece, Anatol Levin presents an in-depth analysis of the issues surrounding NATO's expansion and search for a post-Cold-War identity. Levin is particularly concerned with how an expanded NATO will affect Western relations with Russia, an issue launched back into the news this week since Russia opposes the NATO bombing of its longtime friend, Serbia. The current scenario, including reports of Russian arms being shipped to Yugoslavia, is enough to give shivers to anyone who knows the history of WWI.  E-mail the Editors | More Kosovo Coverage |
