Submit your comments on this article |
Russia |
Putin Plan Not Stopping Chechen Bloodshed |
2004-09-02 |
By JIM HEINTZ, Associated Press Writer Wed Sep 1, 4:22 PM ET MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin's rise was powered largely by a pledge to take down Chechen separatists. Yet the rebels are still killing Russian soldiers and appear increasingly bold in spilling civilian blood blamed for three dramatic attacks in little over a week. His refusal to negotiate with the rebels and his rhetoric on wiping them out suggests he's leaving little room to maneuver. This article neglects to mention how the fight against terrorism is also "leaving little room to maneuver." A campaign to win an overwhelming military victory in Chechnya appears remote as well. The 20-month war against the separatists in 1994-96 showed that the Russian army, underfunded and plagued by low morale, was ultimately not effective against a small but motivated Much like most non-nuclear approaches to fighting terrorism. When a nuclear submarine that was the pride of the Russian fleet blew up and plunged to the bottom of the sea four years ago, killing 118 sailors trapped inside, Putin was widely criticized for his slow and seemingly hesitant public response, but he recovered quickly. Western governments and businessmen have criticized Russia's moves to rein in independent-minded TV stations and recent legal pressure on Yukos, the country's major oil producer, but investors remain eager to tap Russia's vast markets and Putin maintains good relations with Western leaders. In the midst of the hostage crisis, President Bush called Putin and said the United States is prepared to give any help needed to resolve the situation, the Kremlin said, emphasizing the United States and Russia are Any real US-Russia cooperation hinges upon Putin abandoning all further assistance of Iran's nuclear program. Until then, it's all The U.N. Security Council scheduled Which is as it should be. The past week's paroxysm of violence could have the same effect, even though the explosions and attacks contradict official claims that the Until Putin stops facilitating Iranian dreams of regional domination, he's pissing up a rope. The hostage crisis is one of his own making. |
Posted by:Zenster |
#6 I don't have any interesting predictions: I don't believe that it would affect the Russian-Iranian relationship much. It's based on profit after all, not on ideals. (And I believe the Iranians have been careful not to support the Chechens so far). As for the hostage crisis itself, well since the Russians abandoning the whole of Chechenya because of this seems rather implausible, I imagine it would end in bloody massacre with all the terrorists and dozens of children being killed. I hope I'm wrong on this. On the longer term, I imagine that Putin and Russian media might use this North Ossetian tragedy to encourage acting to save *South* Ossetia from a Georgian-Chechen presumed alliance. |
Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2004-09-02 10:03:46 PM |
#5 Aris, you've been calling the cards on Putin's plays very well. What do you forecast for the schoolchildren hostage crisis and, moreover, how this (if it does at all) will or should affect Russian-Iranian nuclear cooperation? |
Posted by: Zenster 2004-09-02 8:31:05 PM |
#4 EUrabians=those EU members that opposed the US liberation of Iraq (notably Fwance, Germany, Belgium). Also those that took the chamberlain exception in the course of affairs later on, like Al Andalus (former Spain). |
Posted by: Zarathustra 2004-09-02 7:48:58 PM |
#3 Given how more EU members supported the US in the war on Iraq than opposed it, what *exactly* do you mean by "EUrabians"? |
Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2004-09-02 7:43:30 PM |
#2 Folks, if Russia blows up, we're screwed. Former SU nukes will be on suitcases faster than you can wire money from Paris to Dubai. BTW, "blowing up" means a collapse of the central Russian state and dissolution of Russia into one island of western prosperity (aka Moscow) surrounded by various mafiya/FSB/governor-bandit fiefdoms and a Chinese proxy in the Far East. Time for us to get serious about intensive cooperation to Putin to help him fix that toxic waste zone that is the Russian military in exchange for an end to Russian support for Iran's nuke program and a massive increase in US trade and investment into the Russian oil industry. France and Russia are both trying to balance us and the muslims. But whereas France is not an ally, never will be, and is already gone over to the EUrabians, Russia can be transformed into a friendly rival given the right diplomacy. New Entente: US + Israel + India + Turkey + Russia. Dream it, believe it, make it happen. |
Posted by: lex 2004-09-02 5:50:13 PM |
#1 Poking a stick in the eye of the Russian state has always been a very bad idea, leading to massive death and destruction for the eye-poker as a general rule. Since Peter the Great, at least, and quite possibly long before that... |
Posted by: mojo 2004-09-02 5:44:07 PM |