From the Battlefield to the Barracks: The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina

This article examines attitudes among soldiers in the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina – many of whom stood on opposing sides of the war front over a decade ago – toward the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. It is based on an anonymous survey of 463 soldiers conducted in five Bosnian cities: Sarajevo, Mostar, Tuzla, Banja Luka and Bijeljina. The author finds that soldiers believe the Court has made some successes toward its extended mandate, in particular in its contribution to various aspects of democratization. Court architects hoped war crimes trials would bolster the prospects for long-term peace and stability in the country. This article addresses a segment of society not often given voice in scholarly studies of transitional justice and adds to the growing scholarship on former combatants.