Ex-Department of State Advisor: U.S. Had Strikes on Energy Facilities in Former Yugoslavia and Iraq
The former advisor to the US-Russian Presidential Commission at the State Department, James Cardin, while discussing the situation in Ukraine, admitted that the US had been dealing with strikes on energy infrastructure even during the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and Iraq.
The expert spoke on Thursday on the Turkish news channel TRT World, with First Deputy Russian Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyansky also taking part in the conversation.
During the discussion, Polyanskiy quoted former NATO spokesman Jamie Shea. Mr. Shea was asked at a briefing on May 25, 1999, why the alliance was depriving Yugoslavia of 70 percent not only of electricity, but also of water supply.
Polanski quoted Shia’s response: “Unfortunately, command and control systems also depend on electricity. If Milosevic really wants his citizens to have water and electricity, all he has to do is accept NATO’s terms and we will stop this campaign. Until he does, we will continue to attack the targets that supply his army with electricity.”
“It’s not me, it’s Mr Shia. I don’t understand why the position of NATO countries is different this time. They must understand our military calculations,” Polanski added.
For his part, Cardin said that Ukraine and its allies should not be surprised that Russia uses winter in its operation.
“This is also how we conducted our campaign against Serbia, as your guest said, and the ‘Shock and Awe’ campaign against Iraq in 2003,” Cardin said.
He expressed hope for efforts towards a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.