MIM Notes 186 May 15 1999
Imperialist economic interests in Kosovo war are mostly 
indirect
by MC12

People who know that the imperialist system is built on a vast 
system of exploitation and superexploitation are looking for the 
economic underpinnings of the current hot war against Yugoslavia. 
However, the interests of imperialists require broad strategic 
control, overall dependence of the poor countries on the rich, and 
military dominance over potential allies as well as adversaries.

All of this is often boiled down to the catch-phrase of 
"stability." Imperialists, and Amerikan imperialist in particular, 
don't want their domination boat rocked. That should not be 
confused with the idea that they want things to stay the same:  
they are always looking for more exploitation, more dominance, and 
more war. But they do try to avoid things that create openings for 
revolution or resistance, or threaten to shift the balance of 
power away from them.

So for example, some of what the imperialists say about the 
Yugoslavia war is probably true. They do want to prevent the 
spread of independence movements that might be triggered by the 
Albanian movement in Kosovo. They do want to prevent NATO members 
Greece and Turkey from increasing their hostilities. They do want 
to prevent uncontrolled refugee movements into the rest of Europe.

If some wishy-washy imperialist operatives hypocritically do want 
to stop atrocities from going on in the Balkans (while letting it 
all go on in U.$. backed countries such as Indonesia, Columbia, 
Turkey, the Philippines, etc. etc.), they are easily incorporated 
into the more serious desire to "contain the instability" coming 
from Yugoslavia.

Economic interests

However, there are specific economic benefits the imperialists 
hope to reap from the war. Kosovo does have mineral deposits such 
as lead, nickel, ore, and zinc, which are valuable, especially to 
Serbia.(1) But these in themselves are probably not enough for the 
imperialists to engage in military attacks over.

As seen with the recent incorporation of the Czech Republic, 
Hungary and Poland into NATO, the imperialists are digging their 
hooks more and more deeply into the former Soviet empire. The fact 
that Russia is so opposed to the current war is a tip-off that 
this represents U.$. empire expansion onto what the Russian still 
see as their potential or real turf.

Look at what Richard Haass, director or foreign policy studies for 
the liberal Brookings Institution, had to say a recent press 
briefing on the subject:

"Let's hold out a major economic incentive, and basically tell 
people, dump [Yugoslavian President] Milosevic, dump this sort of 
government, put something much better in its place, and then you 
can expect billions of dollars in credits and aid, but not a penny 
until then. We ought to make it very clear that so long as Mr. 
Milosevic is maintained in power, life will be miserable and the 
people of Yugoslavia will pay an enormous price for maintaining 
him."(2)

The imperialists have a vast need to export surplus capital. After 
this is over, Haass is saying, they want to be able to have 
unfettered access to the Yugoslavian economy, to make it a 
dependent member of the U.$. orbit. So that would be a long-term 
economic benefit.

Greater control is already on the way, as Montenegro, one of the 
republics of Yugoslavia, has said it may introduce the German mark 
as its main currency if the war leads to hyperinflation for the 
Yugoslavian currency.

That increased dependence is not limited to Yugoslavia. For 
example, Bulgaria recently said the war is costing their economy 
$1.5 million per day in exports from the disruption of trade. 
Romanian estimated lost trade as a result of the war was $175 
million. And Albania will be in position to "request" millions in 
aid to deal with refugees and lost trade as well.

That kind of damage will require imperialist-sponsored 
"rebuilding" afterward. German Finance Minister Hans Eichel 
recently has drawn a parallel between the cost of Balkans 
"reconstruction" the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe after 
World War II, which was a major outlet for imperialist surpluses. 
Bulgarian leaders have already signaled their desire to be bought, 
as they recently put their state-owned telephone company on the 
privatization block.(1)

There are a lot of specific reconstruction costs resulting from 
the war's destruction. For example, at least two bridges over the 
Danube river have been destroyed. Besides the disruption of trade 
from that, someone will have to get the contracts to rebuild them 
-- in addition to all the oil refineries, airports, roads, and so 
on that they plan to rebuild after Yugoslavia is beaten.

So there could be specific gains to be made from big contractors 
in the imperialist countries. On that score, however, the biggest 
is the military companies, who are unloading billions of dollars 
worth of weapons in the war -- all of that will have to be 
replaced, and Clinton has already gone to Congress to ask for 
extra military contract money.

Notes:
1. Reuters 18 April 1999.
2. April 14, 1999 press briefing, transcript at www.brook.edu.