| The United States , ending a post-Sept. 11 trend of avoiding criticizing Russia's campaign in Chechnya, accused Moscow of using "overwhelming force" in its battle with Muslim rebels there. The sharp words came a day after Moscow announced results of one its bloodiest crackdowns in the secessionist province for a year, saying it had killed 92 rebels in a month. The US has just used "overwhelming force" in Afghanistan with good results. The Chechens made up a significant portion of the problem we faced there. What makes the State Department think they're "freedom fighters" back home? How can the al-Qaeda ties be ignored? The US should be congratulating the Russians - and expressing sympathy for their dead and wounded. |