Russian school children under seige

[ruskiegirl]

Events like this make me feel guilty for being here in the US and not having to share the collective burden of my country in its struggles, especially with terrorism. 

I don't understand how anyone, no matter their political or religious affiliation, can prey upon children to make a political point. 

Please keep the hostages in your prayers. 

[ruskiegirl]

Does no one care?

[thinknpositive]

i like russian tennis players

[Freak]

It makes me mad when I think about it.

But it seems to happen so often throughout the world that I get desensitized.

[akwolf]

I saw a headline, today, that referred to the Chechens as rebels, but the American propaganda machine will always refer to the enemies of the United States as terrorists. In the United States, just about any group in opposition with Russia will get some support from American interests just because those groups are in opposition with Russia. In my opinion, the Russian Federation should take a lesson from the Soviet Union and simply obliterate anyone or anything that remotely resembles a Chechen terrorist. Then, when the United States or United Nations bitches about how the Chechen terrorists are treated, the Russians should tell them to shove it. (Need I say that I hate those Chechen bastards? If they want to be martyrs, plenty of people will line up to kill them.)

[ruskiegirl]

I saw a headline, today, that referred to the Chechens as rebels, but the American propaganda machine will always refer to the enemies of the United States as terrorists. In the United States, just about any group in opposition with Russia will get some support from American interests just because those groups are in opposition with Russia. In my opinion, the Russian Federation should take a lesson from the Soviet Union and simply obliterate anyone or anything that remotely resembles a Chechen terrorist. Then, when the United States or United Nations bitches about how the Chechen terrorists are treated, the Russians should tell them to shove it. (Need I say that I hate those Chechen bastards? If they want to be martyrs, plenty of people will line up to kill them.)

I don't necessarily agree with your assertions.  It is common knowlege that the Bush administration is very sympathetic to Putin's delimma with radical terrorist from Chechnya.  I don't believe that political tensions between Russia and the US are prevalent today.  Some policy disagreements do exist, but there is no evidence of the outright competition, disapproval and mistrust that existed during the Soviet era. 

I am not here to excuse the modes by which the Chechens choose to make their political points, but I comiserate with Chechen nationals on a human level.  Russia's refusal to grant this state sovereignty is nothing more than an indication that not all totalitarian tendencies were eliminated with the Soviet state.  Chechnya's only practical use to Russia is that of an oil whore and the Russian government will sooner exploit the resources of a mini-state full of ethnic minorities than it will dig into the vast resources available in Siberia.  Russia's policy toward the nation as a whole is unexusable.  They have destroyed the Chechen infrastructure, economy and the spirit of the people.  I can't blame them for their outrage, but, as mentioned earlier, I, in no way, support the means by which the small segment of the Chechen population of which radical terrorists are comprised chooses to voice its concerns.

Anihilation of an entire population has never proven ethical or effective.  We have to keep in mind that we cannot blame an entire nation because some of its nationals resort to terrorism.  You cannot blame the people of Iraq for Saddam Hussein, you cannot blame the people of Afghanistan for the Taliban, just as you cannot blame those Chechens who are suffering and starving on a daily basis for the actions of a group of 15 people.  Their characters are hardly representative of the whole -- logical reasoning will confirm this fact.

One of my fondest childhood memories is actually about some Chechen men who came to train at the coal mine where my father worked.  They were good-hearted and spiritual people. I remember one of them helped me build castles in my sandbox and told me about the beautiful mosques they had in Chechnya.  I spent the rest of my childhood drawing them, remembering him. I often think where he may be now. Probably dead.  My heart bleeds for the Chechen people as much as it does for my own.

[akwolf]

Ruskiegirl:

That's exactly the kind of rational, level-headed, thinking that will allow Chechen terrorism to continue indefinitely. The Chechen terrorists do not want sovereignty for Chechnya; they want to rule the region (not only Chechnya) with their own brand of totalitarianism. They are not rational, and they cannot be dealt with through reason. Chechnya is Russian territory. Why should Russia give over the land and citizens to the rule of terrorists? My suggestion is that Russia go into Chechnya, again, and simply kill anything that shoots back or even anything that talks back. And I suggest that they continue to kill until no one shoots back or talks back. In my opinion, it's disgraceful that the Russian government hasn't already done that.

One cannot defeat terrorism by being nice to the terrorists and their sympathizers. Chechen terrorists are simply evil and without any redeeming qualities, and the whole of Chechnya is suffering because of the terrorists, not because of Russia. The Russian government is the only institution that stands between the citizens of Chechnya and the terrorists's goal of a brutal regime in the region. Do you really believe that Bush cares about Chechan citizens? Bush cares about the preservation of American capital and little else.

[ruskiegirl]

I don't disagree with you on the point that terrorists in general -- Chechen or otherwise -- have no redeeming qualities.  I do, however, know a little something about Russian policy towards the republics where the majority of the population is made up of ethnic minorities.  Russia acquired these republics through brute force, maintained control of them through a totalitarian regime and has refused to recognize and respect the cultural differences that have lead these people to demand -- and rightfully so -- their sovereignty.  Russia's historical occupation of these micro-states is no different than British colonialism in Africa.  It imposed a culture and a way of governance upon the citizens that was not consistent with their world-view, moral heirarchy, custom and religion.  Russia, even now, is far from an exemplary government.  Besides, if you are a proponent of democracy, which I hope you are, you would concede that these people deserve to have a government of their choosing, not one that is imposed upon them by their occupying forces.

[dgatl]

has this situation resolved yet?  i hope the children made it out OK.  @#!* terrorists

[ruskiegirl]

has this situation resolved yet?  i hope the children made it out OK.  @#!* terrorists

no, still more than 1000 under seige. only 26 were released earlier today. the terrorists are refusing offers to pass on food, water and medicine for the children.