Humanitarian bombing
Encyclopedia
Humanitarian bombing is a phrase
referring to the 1999 NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (24 March – 10 June 1999) during the Kosovo War
used by its opponents as an ironic
oxymoron
in response to the stated goal of NATO to protect Kosovo Albanians, and later about other military interventions stressing human rights
reasons. The closely related phrase humanitarian war appeared at the same time.
The phrase is often ascribed to Václav Havel
, then President of the Czech Republic
, strong proponent of the intervention and critic of Slobodan Milošević
's regime. Havel however forcefully refuted his connection to the phrase as such in May 2004, going as far as to call MEP candidate Richard Falbr
who criticised him for coining it a liar: "Of course not only I haven't invented the obscure term "humanitarian bombing", but also never even used it and could not have used it, since I have – I dare say – good taste."
It is generally pointed (as Falbr did in response) to Havel's interview for the French newspaper Le Monde
published on April 29, 1999 where he used the two parts of the phrase in looser connection:
The phrases "humanitarian bombing" and "humanitarian war" quickly found their way into media. Opponents of the war criticised them as a war propaganda or employed them as an irony. In an ironic sense they are used also about later war campaigns.
Phrase
In everyday speech, a phrase may refer to any group of words. In linguistics, a phrase is a group of words which form a constituent and so function as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence. A phrase is lower on the grammatical hierarchy than a clause....
referring to the 1999 NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (24 March – 10 June 1999) during the Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
used by its opponents as an ironic
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
oxymoron
Oxymoron
An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms...
in response to the stated goal of NATO to protect Kosovo Albanians, and later about other military interventions stressing human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
reasons. The closely related phrase humanitarian war appeared at the same time.
The phrase is often ascribed to Václav Havel
Václav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
, then President of the Czech Republic
President of the Czech Republic
The President of the Czech Republic is the head of state of the Czech Republic. Unlike his counterparts in Austria and Hungary, who are generally considered figureheads, the Czech President has a considerable role in political affairs...
, strong proponent of the intervention and critic of Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
's regime. Havel however forcefully refuted his connection to the phrase as such in May 2004, going as far as to call MEP candidate Richard Falbr
Richard Falbr
Richard Falbr is a Czech politician andMember of the European Parliament with the Czech Social Democratic Party, part of the Socialist Group and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.He is a substitute for the Committee on Regional Development, a member of...
who criticised him for coining it a liar: "Of course not only I haven't invented the obscure term "humanitarian bombing", but also never even used it and could not have used it, since I have – I dare say – good taste."
It is generally pointed (as Falbr did in response) to Havel's interview for the French newspaper Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
published on April 29, 1999 where he used the two parts of the phrase in looser connection:
- French: Dans l'intervention de l'OTAN au Kosovo, je pense qu'il y a un élément que nul ne peut contester: les raids, les bombes, ne sont pas provoqués par un intérêt matériel. Leur caractère est exclusivement humanitaire: ce qui est en jeu ici, ce sont les principes, les droits de l'homme auxquels est accordée une priorité qui passe même avant la souveraineté des Etats. Voilà ce qui rend légitime d'attaquer la Fédération yougoslave, même sans le mandat des Nations unies.
- English: I believe that during intervention of NATO in Kosovo there is an element nobody can question: the air attacks, the bombs, are not caused by a material interest. Their character is exclusively humanitarian: What is at stake here are the principles, human rights which are accorded priority that surpasses even state sovereignty. This makes attacking the Yugoslav Federation legitimate, even without the United Nations mandate.
- Czech: Domnívám se, že během zásahu NATO na Kosovu existuje jeden činitel, o kterém nikdo nemůže pochybovat: nálety, bomby, nejsou vyvolány hmotným zájmem. Jejich povaha je výlučně humanitární: to, co je zde ve hře, jsou principy, lidská práva, jimž je dána taková priorita, která překračuje i státní suverenitu. A to poskytuje útoku na Jugoslávskou federaci legitimitu i bez mandátu Spojených národů.
The phrases "humanitarian bombing" and "humanitarian war" quickly found their way into media. Opponents of the war criticised them as a war propaganda or employed them as an irony. In an ironic sense they are used also about later war campaigns.
See also
- Legitimacy of NATO bombing of YugoslaviaLegitimacy of NATO bombing of YugoslaviaThe legitimacy of the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has been subject to question by many bodies and individuals from the time of the action continuing to this day. The key basis governing the legality of any act of war is international law...
- Strategic Bombardment in the Kosovo War