Milosevic Out of Cards

The long months of diplomacy, battle and bluff over the Serbian province of Kosovo came Monday to a decision that Slobodan Milosevic cannot duck. The Yugoslavian president had counted on continued disarray among his Kosovar opponents, who wanted broad autonomy under his rule. Many demanded independence; that will not and should not happen. But by agreeing to a deal worked out by British, French and American diplomats, the Kosovars have won the NATO-backed prospect of vastly increased autonomy over the next three years.

The ball bounces once again to Milosevic, who has repeatedly turned down a NATO proposal that would place an estimated 28,000 NATO troops, tentatively including 4,000 Americans, on the ground in Kosovo to cool tensions and police the province while a final political settlement is sought.

This is not back to square one in the negotiations. What has fallen into place with the Kosovars’ pledged compliance is surely the last option for Milosevic. He must agree to the NATO troop deployment and pacification of the province or expect the long-threatened and long-delayed NATO airstrikes on his military assets--the tanks, planes and artillery that sustain his power and have made him the bully of the Balkans.

Once again he is being asked to stand down his troops in Kosovo. The result if he refuses should be the air assault. But twice before NATO has held its waiting aircraft in hopes that diplomacy could resolve the crisis. Both times the Serbian strongman stood firm. Now he appears to have no cards left in his hand. He should agree to the inevitable, or else the next shadow over Belgrade will be cast by NATO air power.

Because the Kosovo crisis is largely a European problem, we are reluctant to see American troops deployed there. We remain cautious. But Milosevic must not be allowed to wriggle out of this fix. If American troops are that politically important to success, a U.S. contingent, in addition to the already pledged American air power, should join the NATO allies to resolve this crisis while prospects are ripe.