The United States has an interest in preventing violence from spreading to neighboring countries. It would be disastrous if NATO allies Greece and Turkey became ensnared in Balkan strife. Committing U.S. ground forces to Kosovo or along its borders, however, would not be wise. According to NATO, as many as 20,000 troops may be necessary to secure the mountainous 100-mile border between Kosovo and Albania. If such a deployment involved U.S. troops, it would crimp the ability of the United States to honor vital security commitments elsewhere.
History shows that Balkan conflicts defy quick solutions by outside parties.
By conditioning the withdrawal of U.S. troops on vague criteria, the Clinton Administration, in effect, has committed the United States to an open-ended deployment in Bosnia. Absent a well-defined Kosovo policy, the United States risks stumbling into another protracted commitment. Public support for another Balkan peacekeeping deployment appears to be nonexistent. The United States should pressure Serbia to grant the province greater autonomy while providing incentives for the KLA to defer the question of political independence. A major ground commitment is not necessary for an effective containment strategy.