The current conflict bares little resemblance and poses a much greater threat than our efforts in Iraq. Yugoslavia is well-prepared for a major conflict. As our president stated in his second address on Thursday, the Serbs have placed thousands of troops in and around Kosovo. The nation is also equipped with a modern air-defense system. The terrain of the region is much more imposing. Instead of clear skies and flat deserts, our troops must deal with rugged mountains and a nasty Eastern European spring. And Milosevic, the president of Yugoslavia, may be five times more tyrannical than Hussein.

Should the current struggle in Kosovo involve American troops? With a heavy heart, I must say no. Although this battle is a just course of action, I must seriously question the intelligence of it.

It is a tragic event when individuals of different ethnic backgrounds cannot settle their grievances peacefully. In conjunction with the conflict in Kosovo, our planet is dealing with similar hate-driven atrocities in Central Africa and Turkey. Even in our own nation, as displayed by the recent letter from "the Patriot," the rust of racial and ethnic discrimination continues to corrode the framework of our society. I hope and pray for the time when the children of the world can put their differences aside and live together as a single, human race. But as we see by the violent acts across the globe, this time is in the distant future.

Until race and ethnic affiliation are no longer an issue in politics, I believe it is important for all individuals to stand up for the oppressed peoples of the world. We should send a clear message that the use of wealth and intimidation will not be tolerated under any circumstances when pertaining to the issue of diversity. As Martin Luther King Jr. stated, "a threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

But on the other hand, the injustice of Kosovo may pose a threat that we are unprepared to deal with. As Clinton reiterated in his address, Yugoslavia has been a powder keg for years. Ethnic and nationalist tensions provided the catalyst of World War I. Earlier this decade, more tensions resulted in conflict between Serbia and its neighbors. Yugoslavia is more than a powder keg, it a nuclear reactor waiting for a human mistake. And the involvement of NATO may be the flaw that will crack it wide open.

Bombing will not bring peace to Kosovo. The simple presence of ground troops will not bring peace. Not even the removal of Milosevic can guarantee peace. The Serbs do not like their neighbors; their neighbors do not like the Serbs. They can't live together, and they would rather die than attempt to do so. Therefore, the only way to harness a long lasting peace will be to grant Kosovo autonomy as an independent nation.

This is where the problem settles in. Kosovo has always been a part of Yugoslavia. Its citizens, as the citizens of any nation feel, do not want to give up their land. The only way we will be able to strip the nation of this province is to enter the region on the ground. If this occurs, we will inevitably suffer a long number of casualties and most of all, violate the sovereignty of Yugoslavia, a clear violation of international conduct.

Our actions may also spread a war into other parts of the region. If we attack Yugoslavia, the Serbs may retaliate by extending the war into Bosnia and its other neighbors. If this occurs, NATO, and subsequently the United States, would be forced to defend the boarders of other nations, which would result in the deployment of more soldiers and the loss of additional life. Our relations with Russia, Serbia's long-time ally will also be strained due to a conflict.

Most of all, the war does not have the backing of a significant majority of Americans. Coming out of a year of scandal, dissonance and unproductiveness, we need to focus on our issues. At this point, Americans are not ready to endure another major crisis.

I truly would like to help the Albanians. But right now, the stakes are too high. The bloodshed may be significant now, but if a war escalates to its full potential, expect the carnage to exceed its current levels.