The United States and Peace Operations in Bosnia Foreign Policy Victory or Defeat

Abstract : The author contends the United States faces a major foreign policy defeat in Bosnia. He examines why the US sent troops to Bosnia, what the objectives were, whether the administration followed its own guidance, and what the probable outcome will be. The author concludes the Clinton administration is perched on the horns of a dilemma. The President will be forced to choose between breaking his promise to the American people and extending the presence of US ground forces beyond one year or bringing them home and failing to achieve US objectives. In the first case, relations with Congress will become increasingly antagonistic and public trust will be damaged. In the second case, virtually every national interest President Clinton sought to enhance will be diminished. The author finds superficial harmony between the current deployment of 20,000 US troops to Bosnia and national strategy documents but also logical inconsistencies between withdrawing US forces in one year and attaining US objectives. The close identification of the United States with the Bosnian peace accord and implementation plan means the US will also be identified with failure of the plan.