Bernie Sanders Town Hall on NATO's Air War on Serbia May 3, 1999

[Cheese Sandwich]

If you want to hear Bernie Sanders give a strong speech on a difficult foreign policy and defense issue, here is one.

The audio has a pretty bad echo but if you get past that the speech is good. Audience members challenge him on his support for NATO air strikes against Serbia.

[donf]

1. Tough, fair, reasoned.

Exactly what I would expect from Bernie Sanders when it comes to foreign-policy. Foreign-policy is the one area he hasn't spoken about much, yet. Hearing his nuanced approach to this complex foreign-policy matter, only serves to increase my confidence in him! Bravo!

[Cheese Sandwich]

2. Completely agree. And I think he made the right call. History shows it.

There is currently thread in General Discussion: Primaries criticizing Bernie for supporting this NATO action, but I think it was the right move because something had to be done, and this was a good strategic choice at the time.

I was particularly impressed at his willingness to take criticism from his constituents in a town meeting setting and to give this kind of passionate and articulate answer on this.

[eridani]

3. I think he was wrong

Milosevic was a world class asshole to be sure, but Tudjman of Croatia and itzbegovic of Bosnia were every bit as bad--actual WW II Nazi allies. Odd that nobody gave a shit about the successful ethnic cleansing of the Krajina by Croatia with NATO help.

The Kosovo incursion could very well have been stopped by dealing with the Serbian parliament, 2/3 of which was opposed to Milosevic, who became prime minister only because that opposition was split.

That said, I don't think that foreign policy under a Sanders presidency will change as much as we hope it might--the MIC is highly entrenched. Even to figure out what is really going on he will have to rely on self-interested sources.