World

All Quiet In Kosovo?

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

October 2, 1998 / 8:50 PM EDT / CBS

Serb roadblocks in Kosovo are coming down, and U.S. intelligence reports significant numbers of Yugoslav army units -- half the tanks and one-third of the armored vehicles -- are pulling back to their garrisons.

As of Friday morning, reports CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin, U.S. intelligence had not detected any fighting over for a full day.

It's too soon to say whether Yugoslav President Milosevic has called off his war against ethnic Albanians, but with a NATO decision on air strikes still several days away he has time.

According to former Republican leader Bob Dole, who was in Kosovo just a few weeks ago, Milosevic has too much time.

"It's almost telling Milosevic 'Well, you know, as long as you get out next week or the next week, go ahead and do what you're doing, continue your ethnic cleansing but finish it up in 10 days,'" says Mr. Dole.

Milosevic may finally be taking the threat of air strikes seriously, but he could be pulling back because his army has completed its mission of routing the insurgents and terrifying the population.

Robert Hunter, who until this year was U.S. Ambassador to NATO, says Milosevic may well come out the winner.

"I think Milosevic will clap his hands together and say 'Well, I've done the job... Nobody pushed me aside, next spring I can get back in the murder business,'" says Hunter.

Air strikes would do serious damage to the Yugoslav military and turn victory into defeat for Milosevic, which is why Defense Secretary Cohen predicts Milosevic will do what it takes to persuade NATO to hold back.