26 years after the start of NATO bombing of Serbian military and police targets, Jamie Shea, who was NATO's spokesman at the time, said that it was one of the best decisions NATO has ever made.
"And this time, to take decisive action on behalf of human rights. And I think it was one of the best decisions NATO has ever made. And I think Kosovo today fully proves that it was the right decision to make," says the former NATO spokesman, Shea said in a statement to KP.
He also spoke about the concerns he felt at the time.
“It was a moment that made you think. How long would it last? Would NATO be successful? Strategically, yes, but for how many weeks? What could happen on the ground in the meantime? What would be the security of the people of Kosovo? These were all very worrying things. Being involved in a war is an anxious time for everyone. But on the other hand, my main feeling was that there was no alternative. NATO had invested too much in its credibility to be willing to use force if there was a good reason and it was absolutely necessary,” Shea said.
He also spoke about how he sees Kosovo today.
“And when I’m in Pristina, not as often as I would like, you know, do I see progress? Absolutely. New roads, new hotels, new buildings, government offices, people look better, people are certainly dressed a lot better. They’re not billionaires, but they certainly look wealthier than the traumatized people I found when I visited Pristina in June 1999. Right after the air campaign, there’s a very vibrant young population, there’s educational institutions everywhere, there’s really a sense of a culture of society that is, in motion, dynamic, has problems, but is looking forward. So, yes, I see progress,” Shea says.
