Monday, May 17, 1999 -- HONG KONG -- A reader responded to my last column by accusing me of being too anti-NATO and not critical enough of Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic. Sorry, but there are plenty of media outlets you can visit to satisfy your appetite for anti-Milosevic rhetoric. My mistake, but I thought you might want to read something more objective and less jingoistic. But just for you -- the editors at APJ all agree that Milosevic is a murdering S.O.B. A smarter than the average murdering S.O.B., but a S.O.B. nonetheless. Happy now?

It has been a long time since I was back in Britain -- and an even longer time since I was in the United States. I am not familiar with the current "join the army" advertisements. What is the catch phrase now? Be all you can be? Let civilians die before you risk your life? We'll teach you -- but you don't have to fight!

Things have changed since I was in the military. In my day we were expected to risk our lives to protect innocent civilians. That was what we were paid for and trained to do. Heck, none of us were gung-ho "let's go" and fight for no reason. But we appreciated the fact that we had a responsibility to protect non-combatants. Maybe I am being old fashioned. Excuse me.

These days it seems that some of the best trained and equipped troops in the world are sitting on the sidelines while women are raped, young men are murdered, children are orphaned. Why? Because today's soldiers are not expected to die. They are trained, get reasonable housing and medical, but fight on equal terms with someone who might shoot back? No way!! That's not part of the deal!! It is a sad fact. In war, people die. So if you don't want folks to die, and if you ain't willing to protect potential victims of a war, don't start one.

It seems that NATO politicians think their soldiers and airmen are not up to the task for which they are paid. The war was started to protect Kosovo Albanians -- and already a whole bunch have been killed. By NATO. According to the same intelligence services that put the Chinese embassy on the target list, many more have been killed by the Serbs. NATO losses: Er, none. NATO doesn't have the courage to get "stuck in." Pansy bunch of bastards. When I watch the military spokesmen making their excuses -- I am ashamed I once wore the same uniform. If I still had it -- I'd burn it. Fight this war -- or stop it.

I am sure relatives of the ethnic Albanians killed accidentally by NATO agree that it is too risky to send in Apache helicopters because after 55 days of bombing from high altitude it is still too dangerous to risk a NATO pilot. I bet they are saying that it is okay that the ethnic cleansing continues and their people die until it is "safe" for a NATO soldier to enter Kosovo. I bet they think NATO airmen and troops are really tough guys! The civilians die, NATO shoots from long range. Yeah, real tough.

The Serbs are accused of being "bullies" -- but NATO doesn't have the balls to fight them face to face. I don't know -- but I would rather be called a bully than a coward.

How many ethnic Albanians have to die by Serb and NATO hands before the Western public come to the realisation that this whole charade is political.

Negotiate for peace -- and do it now. This war only has two possible outcomes. Fight it, or negotiate. NATO doesn't want to fight. So for goodness sake negotiate. How many more innocent people have to die?