ABSTRACT
Any evaluation of the performance of shortcomings of the international community in coping with the security situation in Kosovo should be part of the larger endeavour to assess UN long-term missions as a form of governance sui generis. Kosovo’s plight demonstrates how inherent dilemmas of UN protectorates, contextual factors, limited international capacities and the configuration of local political forces substantially confine the scope and depth of internationally assisted restructuring of the security sector. The key political and academic dispute is whether the international community should bolster its commitment and resources in order to bring Kosovo closer to ‘standards’ or whether most security competencies should be transferred to Kosovar institutions because failure to do so would lead to stalemate, desperation and discontent with the interventionist powers.
