In 1989 communist leader Milosevic took over as president of yogoslavia. Soon after, he revoked Kosovo's autonomous status. His apparent goal was to create a Serb-dominated Yugoslavia, with himself as leader. Milosevic's brutal efforts to rein them in ignited bloody conflicts in Bosnia and Croatia and earned him the nickname "Butcher of the Balkans". International pressure in the form of NATO warplanes and sanctions eventually forced Milosevic to accept the republics; he even participated in the 1995 peace talks that ended the conflict.

But during the ensuing three years without war, the Serb leader found his power base eroding at home. Massive student protests began in November 1996, after Milosevic ordered election victories by the opposition party be oeverturned, and he was almost overthrown.

Then, in February 1998, another ethnic war broke out in Kosovo as Kosovars pushed for the return of their autonomy and other reforms. Milosevic has repeatedly been accused of sponsoring "ethnic cleansing," and at least 2,000 people have been killed and more than 400,000 driven from their homes. After Milosevic refused U.

S. and NATO demands for a settlement with Kosovo, the two forces launched airstrikes against Yugoslavia in March 1999. The bombings prompted a wave of anti-U.

S. and NATO sentiment that boosted Milosevic's support among Serbs. However, Yugoslavia could not hold out against the bombing campaign, and was forced to accept a NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo. Jubilant ethnic Albanians who had fled Kosovo poured back into the process, but Serbs, frightened of revenge, left.

The loss, in effect, of Kosovo caused Milosevic's popularity to plummet. On Sept. 24, 2000, he was defeated overwhelmingly at the polls by opposition candidate Vojislav Kostunica. Milosevic acknowledged Kostunica had more votes, but said the margin was so close that a runoff was needed. Thousands of protesters hit the streets of Belgrade. On Oct. 5, Milosevic finally conceded. After 13 years, his reign was finally over. However, Milosevic hinted he thought his exit would be temporary.at the moment milosevic is held captive at the international criminal tribunal in the netherlands, accused of crimes against humanity.

SEE ARCHIVES OF PAIN [phrases] ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THIS SONG.see also: * srebrenica