National security Quote by Jan Willem Honig
““Back in Washington Frasureˇs delicate diplomacy was supported by his direct superior flamboyant Assistant Secretary of State R.H. To Vice-President Al Gore, Secretary of State Christopher, Ambassador Albright and Leon Fuerth, Gores representative on the National Security Council, any lifting of sanctions against the Serbs would be anathema. They still believed that Serbs had to be punished not wooed. …Frasure gave this account of talks with Milošević: ...look at him like this…he is a Mafia boss who has gotten tired of doing drugs in South Bronx and so he is planning on moving to Palm Beach and getting into junk bonds. … Milošević was not prepared to see the Bosnian Serbs getting defeated militarily, he was very keen on preventing Karadžić from becoming "King of all Serbs"…The moment in which the parties would substitute politics with force was approaching fast.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Diplomatic History of the 1990s, 2010
U.S. officials viewed the Bosnian conflict through a lens of punitive diplomacy, equating Serbian leaders with criminality and preferring sanctions over negotiation.
In simple terms: U.S. favored sanctions over negotiation with Serbian leaders
Key Takeaway
Understand the limits of punitive approaches in conflict resolution
Themes
diplomacy
conflict
policy
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- UN meetings
- peace talks
- policy drafting
- media briefings
Key Concepts
sanctions
negotiation
power dynamics
international law
Questions to Reflect On
- What alternatives could have been pursued?
- How do perceptions of criminality affect diplomatic options?
A Different Perspective
Hardline policies can close doors to peaceful solutions.
