NATO Has Already Lost Morally and Politically; Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Leader of the Soviet Union, Writes for the Mirror on the Air War against the Serbs

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FOR almost two months the world has witnessed a huge humanitarian tragedy. And a crime against human rights.

Two thirds of the world's military might is crushing a small European state. Yugoslavia's economic infrastructure has been practically destroyed.

Innocent people are dying. And still the aim of Nato strategists has not been achieved.

Aggression has only aggravated the situation.

Is it possible to achieve legitimate aims by violating international law? Where is the mandate? Why are international agreements ignored - especially the United Nations' Human Rights Declaration?

As the German politician Oskar Lafontaine said recently, the USA and Nato appropriated this mandate - they assumed the rights of judge and hangman.

In Yugoslavia and in Kosovo, we are dealing with …