The People of the Region and the Global Community Will Feel the Effects of the U.S./NATO Action for a Long Time

TERROR BOMBING OF CIVILIANS The NATO bombing was announced as necessary to stop the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo/a. Seventy-eight days of bombing killed hundreds of civilians throughout Yugoslavia. NATO "smart bombs" hit the Chinese embassy, hospitals and nursing homes and a camp of the Kosovo Liberation Army - U.S. allies. Dozens of refugees from Kosovo/a were killed on bridges and in truck convoys as they tried to escape the dual terrors of the Serbian paramilitary forces and the NATO bombs. Unexploded NATO cluster bombs and other ordinance make Kosovo one of the most dangerous places on earth.

YOUR TAX DOLLARS PAY FOR DEATH

· The U.S. portion for 78 days of the NATO air campaign
  against Yugoslavia cost as much as $38 million per day,
  $3 billion total.

· Stationing 7,000 U.S. troops in Kosovo/a as part of a
  peacekeeping force witll cost about $2.5 billion per year.

· During the war, Navy ships launched about 450
  Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles at $1 million each,
  and Air Force B-52 bombers launched some 90
  conventional air-launched cruise missiles at $2 million
  each, totaling $630 million for the missile attacks.

· Each 31-hour trip by a B-2 bomber from Missouri to
  Yugoslavia cost $5,700/hour.

· In January, President Clinton called for the biggest
  increase in military spending in a decade with at
  least half of each tax dollar going to military spending.

· In May, Congress passed a $15 billion emergency
  spending bill, including an $11 billion increase in
  our current military spending - most of it for the war
  in Kosovo/a. At the same time, members of Congress
  proposed $26 billion in cuts for domestic spending
  in the next fiscal year budget.

WHY IS THERE ALWAYS 
MONEY FOR WAR?

· Over the past 18 years the federal government has
  cut $1 trillion in aid to cities.

· The U.S. is behind on its dues to the U.N. and owes
  about $1 billion for 1997 alone.

· $1.6 billion would provide Pell grants for one
  million low-income students.

· $188 million is enough to build 31 new elementary
  schools.

· $1 billion would employ 13,000 teachers for 2 years.

· $1.25 billion was cut from the Food Stamp
  program and $350 million from low-income
  housing programs to fund the May emergency
  military spending bill.

THE BOMBING DESTROYED THE PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT Within Yugoslavia's civil society, the bombing undid nearly a decade of effort by pro-democracy and nonviolent civilian groups from all ethnic backgrounds working to ease tension and to change Yugoslavia from within. The ethnic cleansing of Albanians from Kosovo/a could have been stopped by concerted efforts at negotiation. Lacking reconciliation, Serb residents of Kosovo/a now flee their homes in fear.

THE BOMBING UNDERMINED ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT In a economically weak region, the bombing destroyed factories and undermined trade. Bombing chemical plants and oil refineries spread toxic fumes. Ongoing damage from use of depleted uranium weaons will not be known for months to come.

THE BOMBING CIRCUMVENTED UNITED NATIONS EFFORTS Globally, the blow to international law will continue to reverberate. The U.S. and NATO chose to circumvent the United Nations, knowing that many member states preferred a diplomatic solution to problems in Yugoslavia. The bombing directly violated the U.N. Charter. In the U.S., the Clinton administration ignored the War Powers Act.

the messages in today's flyer reprinted from the WAR RESISTERS LEAGUE.
They quote as some of their sources:
"Why Kosovo: How the U.S. Maintains and Expands the System of Militarism", by Carol Jahnkow and Molly MOrgan, printed in Draft Notices, newslettter of Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft, San Diego: email: comdsd@aol.com;
The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, in Washington D.C.;
and the National Priorities Project, in Northampton MA.