Diplomacy and crisis management in the Balkans : a US foreign policy perspective

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, observers and players of American foreign policy have been wrestling with what US policy is and, more importantly, what it should be in the post-Cold War era. The breakdown of communism in the East has coincided with the outbreak of warfare in the former Yugoslavia to add a new sense of urgency for those seeking a direction for US foreign policy. This work seeks to demonstrate how reactive rather than proactive measures by the US, in both democracy promotion and in crisis management have been short-sighted, resulting in the present failure. 1. The Need For Leadership -- 2. The Second World War And Big Power Policy. The Spheres Of Influence. The Situation In Albania. Understanding The Failure -- 3. Albania's Policy Approach. Post-war Albania. Regional Relations. The Impact Of 1989. The Initial Turn. The Nato Dimension. The Preoccupation With Neighbours. The Balkan Effect. In America's Interest? -- 4. The Yugoslav Dimension: Past And Present Trends. The Bosnian Dilemma. Within A Federal Structure. National Identity. The Death Of Tito. The Rise Of Slobodan Milosevic -- 5. From Policy To Practice. Bosnia And The West's Failure. Recognizing The Problem. A New Direction? The Hypernationalist Menace -- 6. Where To Go From Here. A Policy Option? Interest Recognition. The Proper Environment. An Active Role. The Quandary Continues. The Us, Albania, And The Region. Conclusion. Gazmen Xhudo. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 188-202) And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xiv The Need for Leadership....Pages 1-12 The Second World War and Big Power Policy....Pages 13-31 Albania’s Policy Approach....Pages 32-65 The Yugoslav Dimension: Past and Present Trends....Pages 66-82 From Policy to Practice....Pages 83-116 Where to Go From Here....Pages 117-154 Back Matter....Pages 155-207 This work seeks to demonstrate how reactive rather than proactive measures by the US, in both democracy promotion and in crisis management, have been short-sighted in post-Cold War policy, resulting in failure.