We bombed Iraq into the stone age and there was no popular uprising to remove the cause of all the trouble, Saddam. The USA used heavy ordinance on Mogadishu and ended up with body bags and war lords still in power.

many US generals now admit that air power will not stop Serbian aggression, it IS clear that the Serbian will is now hardened, after its kidnap of three US soldiers and the downing of a stealth bomber.

This is what Alex Salmond meant. If he DID mean more then he was wrong, the Serbians must be stopped, but it will take ground forces and heavy US and European casualties, are we prepared for this?

Mr Salmond sounded a warning siren not a step down.

It is cheap and frivolous of Blair and Nu-Labour to try and make more of the statement than existed. Its Spin, of the worst kind, the kind of Union Jack flag waving jingoistic crap that cost us so dearly in the Falklands infraction.