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Il Corriere della Sera and The Guardian

Il Corriere della Sera and The Guardian form a separate group because they express
a balanced position. First, the authors of the articles, even when their own per-
sonal opinion with regard to intervention is being expressed explicitly, do not
use the same terms as the other newspapers in their arguments. In particular,
they do not make judgements on the necessity, the rapidity, the legitimacy or the
effectiveness of the mission, and nor do they consider it as being unavoidable,
indispensable, or destined to be victorious. In fact, all these variables have an
effect on the weight of the modality from 12.9 percent to 10.1 percent. Many
doubt the necessity, the speed, the legitimacy or the effectiveness of the mission
(weight of the modality about 13 percent). On the other hand, some consider it
as being unavoidable, indispensable or destined to succeed (average weight of
the modality, 12 percent).
Furthermore, neither paper considers intervention as an issue of victory
because the majority of those involved are against Serbia (11.2 percent), or are
of the belief that it is legitimate regardless of the lack of a UN mandate because
the aim is to get help to the people of Kosovo (9.5 percent), or are in favour of
giving a lesson to those who violate human rights (9.5 percent), or consider the
problem lies in the UN being blocked by certain members’ vetoes (9.3 percent).
Intervention is not considered to be necessary, unavoidable or indispensable to
guarantee the international security which the situation in the Balkans threatens
(8.5 percent), or to put on a show of force to the bellicose people in the region
(8.9 percent), or to block the construction of a Greater Serbia at the expense of
others (8.4 percent), or because the peace negotiations at Rambouillet were left off.

The Times and The Guardian

This group is characterized by a balancing of opinions. Half the authors of the
articles, although not necessarily journalists, declare themselves to be against
intervention in as much as they believe that the operation is not (in this order)
successful, or rapid, or effective, or necessary, or indispensable. The other half
declares itself to be in favour of action for those same reasons (weight of the
modality between 21.60 percent and 19.79 percent). Even the opinions quoted in
the articles are balanced.
Those against action feel that the Serbs have their roots in Kosovo and are
therefore defending their rights and that the conflict will worsen because Russia
and China will become actively involved in the fighting on the Serbian side.
However, it is also preferable to use diplomacy in these situations. Those in
favour emphasize the fact that human rights have been violated, that Milosevic
is authoritarian and that the UN has been blocked by vetoes (from 19.43 percent
to 10.36 percent).
The characters of both hero and anti-hero are well delineated. The former’s
main value objects are democracy, equality, liberty, independence and cultural
independence. The latter’s are authoritarianism, justice, peace and nationalism.