8 minutes agoJames Blunt talks again about Kosovo, claims he prevented World War III
Periskopi(5 years ago)
(5 years ago)The renowned international author and singer, James Blunt, has again talked about his experience as a member of the British Army during the Kosovo War. Blue this Sunday in “BBC Radio 5 Live” has restored a moment when a soldier thought he'd start “World War III” During the war in Kosovo [...]
Blue this Sunday in “BBC Radio 5 Live” has restored a moment when a soldier thought he'd start “World War III”
During the Kosovo war, Blunt was the leader of the British Army forces in Kosovo, and during his introduction to Pristina he led more than 30,000 soldiers. At the time the NATO Army sought control of Pristina's airport, only Russian forces were there.
I was given direct command to defeat about 200 Russians who were there”, Blunt says.
This situation was unacceptable for NATO leaders, and they ordered Bluet to retake control of the airport, but he replied: “that he was not willing to start the Third World War” and, according to him, immediately,<x2 was unfortunately withdrawn”.
I was the lead officer with my men's body behind us. The soldiers right behind me were from the Parascow Regiment, so they're definitely a war game”.
The direct direction [that] came from General Wesley Clark was to defeat them. Various words were used that we found unusual. Words like “destroyed” on radio”.
He added: “We had 200 Russians lined up pointing their guns at us aggressively, which was... and you know we were told to reach the airport and catch it. And if we had a point of support there, then it would make life much easier for NATO forces in Pristina. So there was a political reason to apply this. And the practical consequences of that political decision would be aggression against the Russians”.
When James was asked if following the order would endanger World War III, he replied:
“Absolutely. And that's why we were looking for guidance from an American general. Fortunately on the radio came General Mike Jackson, whose exact words at the time were: “I won't make my soldiers responsible for the start of World War III” and told us why we shouldn't give up the” road.
And after a few days the Russians there said: “Wait, we don't have food and water. Can we share the airport with you?
James said that if General Jackson had not blocked the order, he would have refused that order even if this refusal posed a danger to him in a military court.
