Ask Onix
Behind-the-scenes rescue of US soldiers in Kosovo conflict
In May 1999, U.S. Army Sergeant Andrew Ramirez and two fellow soldiers were released from Yugoslav detention after Reverend Jesse Jackson defied White House objections to negotiate their freedom. Jackson, who died this week at 84, had a long history of securing the release of Americans held abroad.
Capture during a routine patrol
Ramirez, Sergeant Christopher Stone, and Specialist Steven Gonzales were on patrol near the Macedonian-Yugoslav border when they encountered enemy forces. After a brief firefight, the soldiers surrendered and were taken captive. Ramirez later described enduring weeks of isolation and interrogation, unaware of efforts to secure their release.
Jackson's defiance of U.S. policy
The Clinton administration opposed Jackson's involvement, warning that NATO airstrikes would continue regardless of his actions. Meanwhile, Yugoslav officials reached out to Illinois Representative Rod Blagojevich, the only Serbian-American in Congress at the time. Blagojevich, later advised by political consultant David Axelrod, partnered with Jackson after securing guarantees to meet the detained soldiers.
"The State Department wouldn't allow me to go. I was just a junior congressman," Blagojevich told the BBC.
High-stakes negotiations in Belgrade
In late April 1999, Jackson, Blagojevich, and a multi-faith delegation traveled to Belgrade to meet with Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević. Jackson later recalled pressing Milošević on the consequences of continued conflict, emphasizing diplomacy over military action.
"One of the failures of war is a failure of diplomacy, communication, and trust," Jackson told the Associated Press.
Milošević initially offered to release only one or two soldiers, but Jackson refused, insisting on the freedom of all three. After days of tense negotiations, the Yugoslav government relented.
Soldiers' surprise release
Ramirez and his fellow soldiers were unaware of the negotiations until Yugoslav guards escorted them to a room filled with CNN cameras. There, they saw Jackson for the first time.
"We had no knowledge, and no idea what was going on. I later joked to him that I thought the place was crazy-they even got Reverend Jackson captive!" Ramirez said.
The soldiers were released on May 1 and flown to a U.S. base in Germany the following day.
A lasting bond
Ramirez left the Army a year after his release and returned to California. He remained in contact with Jackson, introducing him to his newborn son and attending events where Jackson spoke. Reflecting on Jackson's death, Ramirez called him a man who acted out of compassion.
"He did something for us. He didn't have to do that. I truly believe he did it because he saw somebody in need and thought he could intervene," Ramirez said.
