The conflicts in the Balkans presented a new challenge to politicians and churchmen alike, as the first serious conflict in post-war Europe emerged from a combustible mix of ethnic, religious, territorial, and socio-economic factors, as well as personal political ambitions. For many church people there seemed to be no easy response, beyond encouraging humanitarian support for those most affected. Even as the horrors on the ground escalated, many struggled to see a way out that might not make the situation worse for those being victimised. In the Bosnian case during the early 1990s, there was a perception that the European powers had acted too late, so when conflict broke out many bishops found themselves uneasily in the ‘something must be done’ party when it came to defending the Kosovars and were willing to support military intervention, though they became more critical when Western planes targeted civilian infrastructure in Serbia.