To the Editor:

One assertion in Milan Milenkovic’s column (“What happens when the U.S. picks a fight,” 1/11) cries out for rebuttal. It is his claim the United States “in effect, single-handedly fought the war for NATO.”

It is true the United States led the strike against Serbia and Europe would never have taken military action without U.S. leadership. But to assert the United States was the sole NATO combatant is to deny the substantial contributions made by Britain, Italy, France and 10 other European NATO members.

Smart internationalists such as Milenkovic should be opposing hyperbolic claims about America’s role — not making them.

John Bullock ’01

January 11, 2001