Posted on 09/04/2004 8:34:37 AM PDT by traumer
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has said his country had shown weakness in the face of danger and most now respond to the threat of terrorism.
"We did not understand the complexity and the danger of the process which was emerging in our country and in the entire world," Putin said of the school hostage crisis in which at least 322 people are now known to have died.
"We did not know how to react in the appropriate fashion. We have showed weakness in the face of danger and the weak get beaten up," he said in a televised address.
Officials in North Ossetia say 155 children were among the dead in Beslan, as well as parents, school teachers and Russian special forces soldiers.
It is believed 32 terrorists died when Russian troops stormed the building after an explosion and gunfire were heard inside.
It is not known if any of the gunmen - believed to include Arab mercenaries - escaped.
There are reports that the explosives and arms used by the gunmen were smuggled into the school in summer during building work.
An estimated 700 are in hospital, most of them children. Some are badly injured.
On Saturday morning, Mr Putin visited the hospital where hundreds of wounded are being treated.
He ordered security forces to seal Beslan and close the border between Chechnya and North Ossetia.
"All Russia grieves with you," said Mr Putin during a meeting with local officials."Even alongside the most cruel attacks of the past, this terrorist act occupies a special place because it was aimed at children," he added.
There has been worldwide condemnation of the siege and messages of condolence including one from the Queen.
The EU has also expressed its sympathy, although it is demanding to know "how this tragedy could have happened".
Freed hostages described the mayhem which followed the explosions on Friday afternoon.
The blasts came 53 hours after the hostage-takers first threatened to blow up the building.
"Bombs were strung all over the gym," one teenage girl told state television. "Tape came unstuck on one and it blew up."
"There were two big explosions," said a women in her forties.
"We started pushing all the children out of the windows... Everyone who was there started pushing them out."
Authorities said they had been forced to launch a rescue operation when the gunmen opened fire on fleeing children.
So far no terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the siege.
I hate to say it, but no.
The hacks at State will remain.
Not that I have heard. Maybe he prefers to stand on this one.
We need to stand with the Russians now in solidarity. They are in a much more complex situation with a fraction of the resources we have to fight terroris. We need to quit lecturing them about human rights in chechnya and do whatever we can to help them exterminate the demonic animals that did this.
We are all Israelis now. We didn't understand it until three years ago either, and unfortunately some have forgotten the lesson already.
I'm torn about how to respond. Really there are only three possibilities.
1. Be more sensitive.
2. Ask the French for help.
3. A U.N resolution to "Quit it."
Owl, just in case Secretary Rumsfeld decides to retire next year, keep your resume handy...
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