[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
[March 24, 1999]
[Page 449]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 449]]


Remarks Announcing Airstrikes Against Serbian Targets in the Federal 
Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)
March 24, 1999

    Good afternoon. United States forces, acting with our NATO Allies, 
have commenced airstrikes against Serbian military targets in the former 
Yugoslavia. I will address the Nation more fully tonight on why this 
action is necessary, but I wanted to say a few words now.
    We and our NATO Allies have taken this action only after extensive 
and repeated efforts to obtain a peaceful solution to the crisis in 
Kosovo. But President Milosevic, who over 
the past decade started the terrible wars against Croatia and Bosnia, 
has again chosen aggression over peace. He has violated the commitments 
he, himself, made last fall to stop the brutal repression in Kosovo. He 
has rejected the balanced and fair peace accords that our allies and 
partners, including Russia, proposed last month, a peace agreement that 
Kosovo's ethnic Albanians courageously accepted.
    Instead, his forces have intensified their attacks, burning down 
Kosovar Albanian villages and murdering civilians. As I speak, more Serb 
forces are moving into Kosovo, and more people are fleeing their homes--
60,000 in just the last 5 weeks, a quarter of a million altogether. Many 
have headed toward neighboring countries.
    Kosovo's crisis now is full-blown, and if we do not act, clearly, it 
will get even worse. Only firmness now can prevent greater catastrophe 
later.
    Our strikes have three objectives: First, to demonstrate the 
seriousness of NATO's opposition to aggression and its support for 
peace; second, to deter President Milosevic from continuing and escalating his attacks on 
helpless civilians by imposing a price for those attacks; and third, if 
necessary, to damage Serbia's capacity to wage war against Kosovo in the 
future by seriously diminishing its military capabilities.
    As I have repeatedly said to the American people, this action is not 
risk-free. It carries risks. And I ask for the prayers of all Americans 
for our men and women in uniform in the area. However, I have concluded 
that the dangers of acting now are clearly outweighed by the risks of 
failing to act, the risks that many more innocent people will die or be 
driven from their homes by the tens of thousands, the risks that the 
conflict will involve and destabilize neighboring nations. It will 
clearly be much more costly and dangerous to stop later than this effort 
to prevent it from going further now.
    At the end of the 20th century, after two World Wars and a cold war, 
we and our allies have a chance to leave our children a Europe that is 
free, peaceful, and stable. But we must--we must--act now to do that, 
because if the Balkans once again become a place of brutal killing and 
massive refugee flights, it will be impossible to achieve.
    With our allies, we used diplomacy and force to end the war in 
Bosnia. Now trouble next door in Kosovo puts the region's people at risk 
again. Our NATO Allies unanimously support this action. The United 
States must stand with them and stand against ethnic violence and 
atrocity.
    Our alliance is united. And I am particularly grateful for the 
support we have received from Members of Congress from both parties. As 
we go forward, I will remain in close contact with Congress--I have 
spoken with all the leaders today--and in contact with our friends and 
allies around the world. And I will have more to say about all of this 
tonight.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 2:15 p.m. in the Briefing Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to President Slobodan Milosevic of 
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro).