Shattered Plans 1993

The year 1993 never got close to a peaceful settlement of the Balkans conflict despite the United Nations, European, and American attempts to achieve one. The siege of Sarajevo had begun in 1992 immediately after the declaration of independence of Bosnia-Herzegovina. By the end of 1993, a military stalemate persisted in Bosnia as the diplomatic challenge limped along. President Bill Clinton’s cabinet of national security leaders—the Principals Committee—gathered in the Situation Room for the first time on January 28, 1993, and dealt exclusively with the situation in Bosnia. In April 1993, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Madeleine Albright, delivered a memorandum to the national security adviser recommending use of American air power. The recommendation failed to attract sufficient support, and further diplomatic efforts to end the war also failed. “Assertive multilateralism” took a beating in Situation Room discussions as 1993 wore on.