Posted on 09/07/2004 1:15:21 AM PDT by stlnative
Disregard for Human Life
By Pavel Felgenhauer
There can be no justification or sympathy for the hostage-takers who last week took the lives of innocent children in the school in Beslan, North Ossetia. The final body count still isn't in following the reckless, poorly organized attempt to free the hostages by Russian special forces. But it's already clear that only about 10 percent of the hostages escaped unharmed; the rest were killed or wounded, most of them children.
In his address to the nation last Saturday, President Vladimir Putin rightly said that a full-scale terrorist war is being waged against this country. Within two weeks, two passenger jets were blown out of the sky, a bomb killed pedestrians outside a Moscow metro station, and then came the slaughter in Beslan.
In has address, Putin acknowledged that Russia's law enforcement and judicial systems are corrupt and inefficient. Again, one can only agree, recalling the Yukos case and many other instances of blatant judicial bias.
Elsewhere in his prepared address, however, Putin referred to unnamed, hostile foreign powers that "think that Russia, as one of the greatest nuclear powers of the world, is still a threat, and this threat has to be eliminated." Terrorism, Putin said, "is only an instrument to achieve these goals." Since al-Qaida and other Islamist extremists couldn't possibly be threatened by Russia's nuclear arsenal, Putin was apparently referring to the West.
Putin said that although the Soviet Union had disintegrated, "the nucleus of that giant" was preserved. "We have called the new country the Russian Federation." His remarks seem to imply that present-day Russia is not a country in its own right, and that it could just as well be called something else. This falls into line with the praise for the Soviet past, and for Josef Stalin in particular, in programs on state television and in newly revised history textbooks used in the schools. For Putin, Stalin seems to be something of a role model.
In the Stalin era, anything that went wrong in the Soviet Union was blamed on foreign powers and their agents. The country, like Stalin himself, was paranoid and xenophobic. Putin seems to suffer from the same sickness, and is doing his best to make the entire nation paranoid along with him.
In his address, Putin promised to prepare "a complex of measures aimed at strengthening the unity of our country." He also pledged "to create a new system of forces and means for exercising control over the situation in the North Caucasus" and an "effective crisis management system." Such measures will mostly likely involve the further restriction of civil liberties, elimination of the few remnants of a free press and enhanced powers for the secret police -- all in the name of fighting terrorism.
Two prominent journalists critical of Putin, Andrei Babitsky and Anna Politkovskaya, were prevented from traveling to Beslan last week. Politkovskaya was apparently poisoned. Novaya Gazeta editor Dmitry Muradov told me that she is currently recovering from kidney and liver damage.
Stalin regularly used the secret police to harass or murder critics and opponents. The plight of Babitsky and Politkovskaya indicates that in Putin's neo-Stalinist Russia, the same methods will be used to eliminate terrorists and their "sympathizers."
Journalists are easy targets, but terrorism in Russia will only be bolstered by repression. Many in Chechnya and Ingushetia view the terrorists as freedom fighters. Only political dialogue can change their thinking. But Putin's address contained no reference to holding negotiations with anyone.
During the Beslan siege, the authorities deliberately and consistently lied about the true number of hostages taken, reducing the numbers to make the crisis appear less grave and the imminent attack by special forces less reckless. As they did in 2002 during the Dubrovka theater siege in Moscow, the authorities deliberately refused to negotiate with the hostage-takers. They did not reveal that the terrorists' only condition for releasing the children was for Putin to sign a decree on removing Russian forces from Chechnya.
A piece of paper could have saved hundreds of lives. Instead, a bloody attack by the Russian military and special forces was carried out to demonstrate Putin's resolve.
Terrorists in Russia display a blatant disregard for human life, and the Kremlin does the same. The victims of terrorism and the wrath of the state -- all of us, potentially -- are left in the middle with no protection.
Pavel Felgenhauer is an independent Moscow-based defense analyst.
A piece of paper could have saved hundreds of lives.
*Sigh*
I hope that's not true.
I think Russia views us with disdain in that we supported the Moslems in Kosovo so they would believe that we are also supporting the Chechens.
After 9/11, Russia chose, rather than to support us with Iraq, to side with the EU. Obvioulsy this was because of contracts with Saddam in the oil for food deal.
Russia hasn't quite figured out yet what its priorities are. Making money for the few or national security for its populace. Chechneya will be Russia's litmus test. If they give in, expect the others to do the same in regards to terror. If they fight, expect pols with communist ties to try to get rid of Putin.
The EU chose money because it believes that it is immune to terror due to support for Arab causes, like the Pallies.
It is safe to assume that France will cut a deal. Germany is playing both ends against the middle and right now are pretty safe.
Tough times in Europe. Tough decisions to make and on November 3, the cards get shown.
Both countries have had press calling for Russia's nuclear stock to be put under international control.
And if he had been referring to the US, he had to mean our support of Georgia. I am not finding anything to support this, at least not yet. But I will continue to work on it.
The North Ossetians are a small group of Christians with radical islam almost all around them. Chechen warlords, who run the country, want the entire Caucasus "returned" to Wahabi, according to them. Killing 1000 children of your only Christian neighbors is a good way to really reduce their population. I believe that was the goal.
Ah see, he did mention Brussels. Thanks.
Russians have been complaining about lack of internal security for some time now. Putin was acknowledging his need to listen to them and respond.
And actually this is untrue. One demand was for the president of North Ossetia to come and talk to them. He never came. There are lots of questions about this, and a mob-like attitude building among the citizens with talk about a lynching of this president. There is much suspicion that he was involved or knew this was coming.
The other demand was for the release of Ingush terrorists held prisoner, from a raid in Ingushetia on the police. Stolen police uniforms were used in this attack on the capital and some 98 police officers were killed, along with about 20 civilians.
The real intentions were to kill the children and re-stir the unrest between Christian North Ossetia and muslim Ingushetia.
It is working. The North Ossetians were on the border last night planning to attack citizens in Ingushetia but were restrained by police from doing so.
There are serious problems between Georgia and Russia right now. We have supported Georgia. Georgian politicians are speaking of recognizing chechnya as an independent state.
The US has been talking to, and just recently granted asylum to, a former chechen rebel commander.
Neither of these actions makes us look trustworthy. Russia feels like we did just after 9-11, hurt, scared, and angry, but afraid to know who to trust also. Lots of rumors flying. We really need to pray for them, if you pray.
Have you seen the specific european criticism of Putin and the handling of the massacre? Swiss and other leaders, I think Danish, were the ones who suggested he should have talked to the scum holding the hostages. And this would have made it all go away and be nicey-nice.
Boris and Clinton had a father and son relationship. WE taxpayers were used to buy out Boris and his buddies via algore and Clintons adopted N.Korea from them because they could no longer afford their upkeep.
This nation sent signals to "Russia" that we were joining them during Clintonism in that stated foreign policy of "EQUALIZE ALL NATIONS".
Putin has his hands full and time will tell what direction he ultimately takes, but I have doubts it will be in favor of US.
Well stated!
This information adds to the picture of human beings mired in unfathomable depravity. Evil exists. Those who shot six-year-olds in the back are burning in hell.
Sooner the better.
ping
Ping
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.