Safe Areas in Bosnia: Their Impact on the UN Peacekeeping Operation and theBosnia Civil War

摘要

This paper examines the impact that safe areas had on the UN peace operation, onthe opposing factions, and on the overall course of the war. Ironically, the very safe area measures that were initially conceptualized to relieve the suffering of the civil populace, stem the fighting, and promote the conditions for conflict resolution actually encouraged more fighting and brought further hardship to Muslim civilians. As the UN attempted to deter attacks and defend the safe areas, the Bosnian Government forces converted these safe areas into military bases of operations in the heart of Serb held territory, and they exploited these safe areas as tactical stepping stones to regain lost ground and to force Western intervention From their initial implementation in April 1993, the safe areas directly contributed toward a dramatically changed military and political situation, and they hamstrung the UN's humanitarian mission on the ground. This paper also examines US policy toward Bosnia and how the US attempted to exert its influence through NATO airpower to defend the safe areas and to achieve US policy objectives in Bosnia.