Editor’s note: The Daily is running a series this week on the crisis in Kosovo. Thursday’s story will focus on the Albanian perspective about the conflict.

The Serbian Student Association of Iowa State voiced its concerns regarding the bombings currently happening in their native land at a meeting Sunday.

“We are not here to make you feel sorry for us or impress you with our tears,” said Nebojsa Milovic, graduate student in chemistry from Belgrade, Serbia. “We just want everyone to know that the truth is far away from what the [U.S.] government is presenting.”

Milovic said he thinks the press is biased against the Serbs.

“One big issue that is being hidden by the American media, especially CNN, is that of support for the Serbs,” he said.

Serbs are upset by the current NATO military action in Kosovo because the United States took no action to help the 250,000 Serbs who were pushed out of Croatia in 1995, said Nenad Kostic, professor of chemistry and native Serbian.

Although not all of the students interviewed have approved of Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic in the past, some Serbian students feel the attacks on Kosovo have created sympathy toward him.

“Most Serbs did not strongly support Milosevic before, but when the people of the country are attacked, Milosevic was no longer the issue,” said Milan Crnogorac, graduate student in chemistry from Serbia.

Some Serbian students felt there are political motivations behind President Clinton’s decision to intervene.

“I believe America is taking this action to test the Russians,” said Jelena Stevanovich, junior in psychology from Belgrade. “Some Republicans also feel that Clinton is trying to change his legacy after the situation with Monica [Lewinsky].”

Many Serbian students said they feel American ethnocentrism is part of Clinton’s decision to launch air strikes.

“America needs to show the taxpayers that the military is active and worth the tax money,” said Predrag Popovic, graduate student in mechanical engineering from Belgrade. “The American government also is on an ego trip to say, ‘We have these values that everyone needs to follow.'”

Clinton addressed the nation Wednesday about the decision to take military action.

“How absurd it is for Clinton to say that he is not against our people, but just our president as he orders bombings to kill the innocent civilians,” Milovec said.

Although one of Clinton’s reasonings for the attacks is that Western intervention will end future conflicts, some Serbian students believe escalation of war will be the result.

“Clinton thought that once the bombing began, the Serbs would stop supporting their side and agree with the treaty,” Popovic said. “There is no way out now — bombing and occupying Yugoslavia is simply going to create more bloodshed.”

Milovic said he believes NATO’s response was not well thought-out.

“America has now entered a war with aggression and has no real strategy on what to do next,” he said.

Besides the possibility of an escalation of war, NATO’s reputation also is at stake, said Aleksandar Jeremic, graduate student in veterinary medicine from Belgrade.

“If America stopped bombing now, NATO would lose its credibility and respect,” Jeremic said.

Kostic became aware of NATO’s bombings when he was at a international conference held in California. He cut his trip short to hurry back to Ames.

“I feel America is my homeland, but Yugoslavia is my fatherland,” Kostic said. “I was shocked and could not believe the reports when I first heard them.”

A debate featuring both sides of the conflict in Kosovo will be held today at noon in the South Ballroom of the Memorial Union.