There is a reason the Balkans are called the Balkans. It is an historically troubled area that admits of no easy solution. What the prevailing view asks is that we send American troops into this quagmire, that we put American lives at risk.

And for what? The Balkans do not represent a strategic interest of the United States. There is no oil in Bosnia. This is not to condone ethnic cleansing. But those who say that not intervening is tantamount to complicity are ignoring the enormous cost in American lives that intervention will eventually entail.

And let's face it, an American life is worth more than a Bosnian life, at least to our government. It may sound callous, but would any patriotic American really want the U.S. Government to care more about, say, Zimbabweans than U.S. Nationals? The only thing that can justify putting our servicemen in such grave danger is the national interest, and that clearly is not involved here.

Some may claim that the conflict might engulf Europe. In that case, why doesn't Europe appear as concerned as we? After all, it would be far less costly for them to intervene than for the U.S. to do so. And it is Europe that directly faces the consequences. Could it be that (heaven forbid!) the U.S. is wrong? That this whole mess is not all that strategically important?

Then there are those who assert that we are merely going to bomb the Serbians. But what are we going to do after that fails (and it will)? Can we expect the U.S. to withdraw? All we really can expect are chants of "peace with honor" and more and more blood. Are Americans willing to send their children into this potential Vietnam? Are we prepared to watch our brothers and sisters return in bodybags?

Let Europe put its own house in order.