Yet Bush will not pull out without consulting NATO. He fears a European Rapid Reaction Force would undermine the organisation. The U.S. makes up 20% of Balkans troops - and 15% in Kosovo. Since June ‘99, as part of KFOR, they have guarded the war machinery left by the Serbs. Their mission is to keep peace before handing over to civil organisations. But infrastructures are poor. And US soldiers are accused of intimidation and sexual harassment. Last year Clinton visited his troops in Kosovo, rousing their sense of duty. “The most important thing you can do, apart from keeping people alive, is teach them by your example.” If Bush terminates the US Balkans mission it will be the most significant revision of NATO tasks since the cold war.

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