Russians in control of the theater! On CNN

cnn ^ | now | cnn

[Diddle E. Squat]

Looks like a pretty good conclusion

[ET(end tyranny)]

If my memory of Revelations isn't too poor, we will be allied with Russia at the end times. Might be stepping into them now.

I kind of wonder if Islam is the false religion and Mohammad the false prophet.

[VaBthang4]

I fully understand the average person's perspective on this. And I congratulate the Russians if the news we are getting pans out. I know from experince that after-action reports bring out much more info.

But as it stands....they did a good job and should be proud.

[wonders]

They're called "rebels" because they ostensibly just want to have independence from the Russian Federation. Well, they effectively had that 1991-1994 and 1995-1999, but they wouldn't stay in their own country and kept terrorising their moderate Muslim neighbours in Daghestan, Ossieta and Ingushetia (who asked for protection from Russian), plus committed acts of terrorism in Russia proper. So the Russians said enough is enough.

[Ramius]

Critique tomorrow.

What we're looking at tonight is a building that was NOT collapsed, killing hundreds of hostages. That is what the vermin wanted and they were denied. They lost and that is a good thing.

Could it have been executed more perfectly? Perhaps. But that is always *always* going to be the case. Tonight we grieve for the losses but more than that we celebrate for the hundreds of lives that were saved by a quick and decisive action by some heroes whos names we'll never know.

This was a victory. Leave the armchair stuff to the textbooks for a while, OK?

I have to admit... I'm another cold warrior that sits in amazement rooting for a former enemy that is now an ally. But even when I was hunting the Soviet navy in those old days we respected them as worthy adversaries. I have zero respect for the vermin that they (and we) now hunt.

[fire and forget]

You're right. However, that argument mirrors that of the Palestinians. If I'm not mistaken, the Chechyans were not a sovereign people. Their "republic" was organized by the Russians. Otherwise, they were just a Muslim community that emigrated from the Mid-East.

I could be wrong. In any event, whatever grievances the Chechyans hold, or anyone holds for that matter, violence against civilians is intolerable.

During WWII, when most of the world was in a desperate war against Fascism, population centers were specifically targeted by both the Allies and the Axis powers. That was all or nothing warfare and the targeting of civilians was started by Germany and Japan. In this case, the Chechyan cause was gaining traction in the West until the Islamic mentality, including, especially now, the Chechyan mentality, became clear to the world.

Islam as a religion ought to be on the ropes as a recognized religion in the civilized world. Any Muslim people with perceived grievances against a civilized nation ought not to be afforded any comfort so long as they resort to barbaric, inhuman (evidently Islamic) means to achieve what they view as justice.

Muslims need to get their houses in order. Contribute something to the world. Achieve prosperity and the respect of others with whom they share the world. If they continue to view the entire non-Muslim world as enemies to be exterminated, they shouldn't look to any of us for sympathy.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Ah, now I see why they are running the C. Amonpour report. It is highlighting Bush criticizing Russia regarding Chechnia, and then changes his position.

They never miss an opportunity.

[nicmarlo]

I believe the false prophet will actually be alive, not one who died.....he will pursuade many with his "miracles" and bringing economic stability.....so, I would say, Mohammed is too dead for that....

[Republic]

Thank you. Are they heavy duty Islamic types-or more moderate like their 'moderate Islamic neighbors'?

[wonders]

Oh yes, I call them "terrorists" and wrote to CNN, FOX, NPR and others today to ask them to do the same.

[SkyPilot]

Jews face Jerusalem to pray? Since when?

While in exile, Jews never stopped mourning for and praying to return to Jerusalem. The word Zionism - the national movement of the Jewish people - comes from the word Zion, one of the Jewish names for the holy city of Jerusalem. Three times every day, when Jews pray, they face to the east, toward Jerusalem, and pray for their return to the Holy City.

More Here

Of course, Jewish prayer is quite different. Muslim's "pray" 5 times a day as one of the 5 pillars of Islam. When I lived in the Middle East, the "call to prayers" was a sight to behold (and murder on the ears). Think of it as square filling a resume. If you fill all the squares (kind of, sort of)--you get your ticket punched to Islamic heaven.

Myself, I'll put my faith in Christ.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Fair enough. I'll see if perhaps Beyonce can give you a call.

[VaBthang4]

Hahaha...yeah...and they'd be right.

It is their make up to be a bit more cowboyish in their operations. Most of the time, the payoff is great....some of the time...they pay the price for it....especially if it creeps into their planning.

Still, I'd rather have a single seal operator with me than a squad of Spetnaz.

[fire and forget]

I believe they will be. It's in their interest to be on our side. Militarily and commercially. How the world has changed since Reagan took the reins.

[El Gato]

Looks like they also decided not to burn the place to the ground with everybody inside, which is a classic trademark of the ATF.

Actually it's the FBI with the pyro reputation. The BATF makes the messes, then the FBI, or federal marshalls or most anybody else, is sent in to clean it up, often with "non pyrotechnic" tear gas grenades that somehow seem to start fires.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Could be.

[VaBthang4]

Ahh....love put off. :o)

[VaBthang4]

Thank you Holy Spirit.

I'll critique as I see fit.
If you disagree....dont read it.

;)

[HairOfTheDog]

Get real. True, there are no "acceptable losses" but there sure as hell are "unacceptable outcomes".

Well put. This type of outcome, even considering the risk to innocents, is the kind of outcome that puts fear into the hearts of those who would commit such acts. Not because they might die, because they may have been prepared to die, but because they might not be allowed to WIN.

I am not sure we have the kind of guts that Spetznaz had tonight. We have become a country that allows standoffs.

I read on another comment that the Chechens aren't really like terrorists because they have a "real" beef with Russia. Well.... I don't know, and I don't care what their beef is. I am sure at one point the Palestinians had a legitimate beef. But they decided not to play the game in a civilized way. They decided to kill innocents in a shocking way as a stragety in their mission... so the righteousness of their original cause ceases to matter. Ceases to matter at all.

[Ramius]

OK. Deal.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Would you have enjoyed criticism and analysis of the firefighter's technique's within 2 hours of the WTC collapse?

Tomorrow might be a better time.