THE CRISIS IN BOSNIA·HERCEGOVINA AND THE 'NEW WORLD ORDER

This article analyzes the brutal crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the context of the proclaimed "New World Order" that was supposed to emerge after the Cold War. It examines the causes and dynamics of the war, focusing on the aggression, ethnic cleansing, and genocide perpetrated by Serb nationalist forces. The study provides a scathing critique of the international community's response, particularly the initial inaction and indecisiveness of the United Nations and the major Western powers. The research argues that the Bosnian crisis represented a catastrophic failure of the collective security ideals of the New World Order, exposing the international community's unwillingness to intervene effectively to stop mass atrocities. The paper concludes that the tragedy in Bosnia served as a grim reality check, shattering the early optimism of the post-Cold War era and highlighting the enduring challenges of ethnic conflict and the limits of international intervention.

The promise of a "New World Order" based on international law and collective security, articulated at the end of the Cold War, was brutally tested and found wanting in the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. This paper provides a critical analysis of this failure. The study begins by detailing the descent of Bosnia into a genocidal war, driven by a campaign of aggressive nationalism and "ethnic cleansing." The core of the article is a sharp critique of the international response. It examines the role of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), arguing that its limited mandate and insufficient resources rendered it incapable of protecting civilians from the worst atrocities. It analyzes the dithering and disunity of the European Community and the initial reluctance of the United States to take a leading role. The paper contrasts the swift and decisive international action against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait with the prolonged inaction in the face of genocide in the heart of Europe. The findings suggest that the response to the Bosnian crisis was a stark demonstration of the limits of the New World Order. It revealed that without the political will of the major powers, particularly the willingness to use military force, the high-minded principles of collective security remained hollow. The tragedy of Bosnia, the paper concludes, was a defining and deeply disillusioning event of the early post-Cold War period.