RAND Research Brief: Operation Allied Force. Lessons for Future Coalition Operations
Abstract
On March 24, 1999, NATO initiated Operation Allied Force as a means to compel Slobodan Milosevic to cease ethnic cleansing in Kosovo and to pull Serbian forces out of the disputed province. Although initially expected to last a few days, the operation did not conclude until June 10, 1999-78 days later-when Milosevic agreed to NATO's terms. Operation Allied Force marked a water- shed in the Alliance's history and a significant departure from NATO's exclusive Cold-War focus on the defense of its members' borders. As demonstrated in the Kosovo campaign, the Alliance's new missions can involve crisis response and crisis management throughout Europe, including countries outside the NATO treaty area. In Operation Allied Force, the Alliance showed itself capable of acting when challenged even in circumstances where the territorial integrity and sovereignty of NATO's members was not directly affected.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA396612
Entities
People
- John E. Peters
- Nora Bensahel
- Stuart Johnson
- Timothy Liston
- Traci Williams
Organizations
- RAND Corporation