And friction between ethnically Muslim Turkey and Christian Greece threatened to draw the two NATO countries into the conflict. As it stands, the war dangerously deepened rifts between China, Russia and the Western world and aggravated mistrust of the West in other countries. A victory for Milosevic would have seriously undermined the power and authority of NATO and the US, especially after the weak international response to barbarity in Bosnia that left 200,000 people dead and more than a million displaced. A military presence in Kosovo would show the world that crimes against humanity would not go unpunished by the superpowers and that European nations could rely on the allied organization for protection. Beyond buttressing the bonds and authority of NATO, a victory in the Balkans would bolster the careers of politicians involved in a successful peace process.
Every international operation has a financial motive.
And, although Albania was one of Europe's poorest nations, the possibility that international support could help mold the territory into a free-market, democratic nation capable of participation in world economies was a consideration. However, as Serbian families and military vehicles ushered past the roadblocks without impediment, it became clear that the Russians had other motives for the blockade. Militarily weak and financially unstable, Russia was too impotent to impel NATO nations to halt a war they didn't believe in. By racing troops to the Kosovo finish line, the Russians were finally making a stand. Why did the Russians object to the war in Kosovo Long-time allies, Serbia and Russia shared a common religion, Orthodox Christianity, and an antipathy towards Islam.