ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is twofold: first, to examine the extent to which the shift towards relying on NATO military capabilities to resolve the conflict in the Balkans was partly the result of the political strategy pursued by a 'policy community'. It will be beyond the scope of this book to provide an in-depth account of the Western Allies' diplomatic strategies towards former Yugoslavia.1 For this reason, the analysis will be restricted to outlining the key diplomatic events in relation to NATO's involvement in the conflict. Second, we will evaluate how the experience of military engagement in the Balkans influenced the internal debate about the Alliance's future. To deal with this issue we will identify the sections of the policy-making structures that most significantly contributed to the following developments: the drafting of a NATO peacekeeping doctrine, the concept of the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) and initiatives towards NATO enlargement, which later came to be known as the Partnership for Peace (PfP).
