Stop painting NATO supporters as ignorant

I am frankly getting a bit tired of hearing about how stupid us Americans are when it comes to the events in Kosovo.

Without exception, everyone who has opposed the U.S. involvement in the region has characterized any who support it as being uninformed, if not just plain ignorant. I do not know how many times I have heard that we should not be involved because we are incapable of understanding the history of the region.

One professor even went so far as to say that Clinton cannot possibly be informed enough, since the relevant people have been fighting since before he was born. The obvious implications of this statement in relation to the professor's ability to be knowledgeable about the conflict are left to the reader.

While accusing Americans of stupidity is a time-honored tradition, it does little to address the issue. If my support of U.S. actions in Kosovo is wrong, then tell me why, and try to do better than some vague references to the turbulent history of the region. If I am wrong, give me a reason for why my argument is illogical, instead of presuming that my support can only be defined by my supposed ignorance of the conflict.

Please, someone tell me what in particular I do not understand about the situation in Kosovo that would lead me to the conclusion that Milosovic's actions are acceptable and should not be opposed. Please explain to what exactly occurred during these centuries of conflict that justifies the atrocities being committed today.

Jeff Heidman
Computer science senior