Article

2004-09-02 Russia

TERRORISM IN RUSSIA. WAR ON AN INVISIBLE ISLAMIC ENEMY

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Posted by Mark Espinola 2004-09-02 12:44:40 AM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Sorry, Mark. This article pegged my hand-wringing meter a few too many times.

The majority of the industrialised countries are not ready to counteract terrorism effectively, though they are investing great efforts in this cause. Even huge sums of money and advanced technologies are not enough to solve this problem.

And how does this, in the least way, affect the urgent need to vigorously pursue and dismantle terrorism wherever it manifests? Pure negativism.

Even the most experienced counter-terrorist experts, the Israelis, do not yet know how to combat this evil.

Again, more blather. The Israelis do know how to "combat this evil" and they do it rather effectively. Vaporizing Yassin and Rantissi took the piss and vinegar out of Hamas to the point where it required months before any retaliation was forthcoming. In the meanwhile, Palestinian factions have been chewing each other up like so much bubble gum.

Nor is classical Islam prepared for an effective struggle against terrorism. Armed people in a mosque, and explosives at Muslim cemeteries (this has happened more than once in Chechnya and now in Iraq) show how far Islamic radicals have departed from the Koran.

Another heaping helping of bullsh!t on a stick. The more vital issue is how the "Islamic radicals have not departed from the Koran." All of what's being done is right there in the book, including dispensation to slaughter all and sundry that pose the least interference with Islamist goals.

The media continues to vomit up this sort of defeatist twaddle and then purports to ponder why so much dithering occured in Najaf. They need only look into a mirror for the reason.

Posted by Anonymous6166 2004-09-02 1:22:19 AM|| 2004-09-02 1:22:19 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 A6166 = Zenster

Major cookie issues today, folks.

Posted by Anonymous6166 2004-09-02 1:24:18 AM|| 2004-09-02 1:24:18 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Zen, way to go. I've been hopeing all day that something good will come about this black day for Russia.

Maybe it will take those kids massacre to make a difference. May RBrs who are so inclinded say a prayer, right now, for something good to happen.

Funny how one high can be constrasted by something so low.

As any of this is an accident. Like bumper cars at the fair.

Posted by Lucky 2004-09-02 1:49:29 AM|| 2004-09-02 1:49:29 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Anonymous6166 No problem, I just join others really asking for these Islamic hotage takers of so many children to understand if they murder them the only response shall be more Russian troops attacking their children.

It's wrong, now little kids are the newest victims of Islamic madmen consumed with hate. During the last week or so, people on passenger planes were destoryed by this same Islamic death cult, then it was subway riders blown to bits by female death cultists.

Neither side was right when this civil war began some 15 years ago, and a lot longer than that in the horrors of the Stalin era.

May those children be released.

Posted by Mark Espinola 2004-09-02 2:22:05 AM|| 2004-09-02 2:22:05 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 The enemy is not "invisible".
We're staring into his face every day.

Posted by True German Ally 2004-09-02 2:25:03 AM|| 2004-09-02 2:25:03 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 Maybe it will take those kids massacre to make a difference.

Lucky, I hope not. Should worse come to worse and these unfortunate victims are murdered, if that does not galvanize Russia to more solidly oppose terrorism, especially Iranian sponsored terror, then there is no hope for Putin's regime. The rubber is meeting the road and Vlad is under the microscope as never before. The time for lip service is over and young lives hang in the balance.

Dream scenario: A group of Islamic clerics offer to mediate and exchange themselves for the hostages. After entering the building these clerics draw weapons and snuff the terrorists. Nothing short of impossible, I know. I mention this only as an example of what it would take for Islam to begin the long and painful process of regaining its stature as a religion worth anything at all.

Soon enough, the outside world will begin to see Islam as being more trouble than it's worth. Incredibly, Muslims are able to ignore one simple fact. Namely, that the "outside world" has the vast preponderance of nuclear weapons at their disposal. The time is coming where such a troubling and irksome beast as terrorism will simply be blotted out, along with all those who pray along side such vermin.

Posted by Zenster 2004-09-02 2:26:18 AM|| 2004-09-02 2:26:18 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 Hey Zen. I didn't like writing that about the kids massacre. But all day I thought about it and now I know that Iran has got to be put into the crosshairs regarding all this. Whether they are involved or not. As it is Iran that has played this coy game. Put a face on terror. Right or wrong. Have them freak out some.

Posted by Lucky 2004-09-02 3:09:23 AM|| 2004-09-02 3:09:23 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 Muslims are able to ignore one simple fact. Namely, that the "outside world" has the vast preponderance of nuclear weapons at their disposal.

And not just that. If required, the West's conventional forces could walk over everything the Islamic states have to offer like so many rotten tomatoes. The only thing that can protect them is the West's unwillingness to slaughter indiscriminately. In a way, the situation in North Ossetia is a microcosm of the global situation - you have a bunch of murderous thugs using innocents as a shield, whilst the forces of the developed world wait patiently outside, armed with overwhelming firepower. The only thing holding them back is their reluctance to allow those inocents to be hurt. All it would take to end the stand-off is a change of heart.

Posted by Anonymous6234 2004-09-02 4:07:45 AM|| 2004-09-02 4:07:45 AM|| Front Page Top

#9 Lucky, I don't imagine you enjoy the thought of all those Russian children being slaughtered like cattle any more than I do myself. And I cannot agree with you more about Iran. Putin's dalliance with the mullahs must cease instantly. If Russia does not have the moral fortitude to give up Iran's hard currency then Putin is merely selling his citizens' lives in exchange for it. This is what needs to be made clear, both to Russia and the entire world community.

For far too long the remaining world has turned a blind eye to terrorism's handlers. America is not innocent by any measure, but at least we have had the courage to finally step up to the plate and begin swinging at some fast pitch hardballs.

Europe, Russia and Asia all need to get on board. The only alternative is continued loss of innocent life. At some point, doing continued business with the Middle East theocracies and totalitarian states that sponsor terrorism has to come with a penalty attached.

France is just beginning to have their duplicity visited upon them, as with Russia. Japan and all the other countries that rely upon Iranian oil must be made to understand that there is no free ride. As always, communist China will take up any Iranian slack. It is for this simple reason that China represents the ultimate terrorist state of all. The end game centers on neutering China's burgeoning dominance. Right now, we are in the middle (east) game of dismantling terrorism.

It is gruesome to think that the deaths of so many young children may well be what is required to give Russia its wakeup call. The Russians have struggle valiantly to bring this horror about and are reaping the whirlwind. One can only hope that they will finally connect the dots that lead to Iran.

I also need to make one more thing crystal clear. These Russian children are not the first to suffer. Over 50% of women in the 22 Middle East Arab countries are illiterate. None of those 22 Arab states are democracies. If a mother cannot read to her child, what does that foredoom the young to? It is these bereft children that are left entirely susceptible to the spewings and bile retched up by their local clerics. Theocracy and totalitarianism have been devouring their young for centuries, the power base of such tyranny relies upon it completely. This is what must be changed. No small task, to be sure, but it must be changed. A majority of the global Muslim population lives in some form of democracy. It is the Middle East's Arab nations that constitute the bulk of the problem. This is where the fight against terrorism begins and ends.

Posted by Zenster 2004-09-02 4:08:11 AM|| 2004-09-02 4:08:11 AM|| Front Page Top

#10 Anonymous6234 was me.

Posted by Bulldog 2004-09-02 4:08:59 AM|| 2004-09-02 4:08:59 AM|| Front Page Top

#11 Liz Fuller, one of my favorites analysts over at Radio Free Europe, has a pithy little article about this mess. It's looking more like these particular terrorists are mostly Ingush, not Chechens. The two are close ethnic kin (comparable in relation to Norweigians and Danes, no offense intended) and were merged within the same autonomous unit for most of the USSR's history.

Back in '92, a part of North Ossetia that had traditionally been Ingush turf was ethnically cleansed by N. Ossetia (with not-so-subtle federal support from Moscow). Keep in mind, as Fuller says in her article, that the Ossetians are an anomaly in the Caucasus: they are majority Christian and extremely loyal to Moscow. Not surprisingly, they hate their Muslim neighbors, particularly the Ingush, and the feeling is quite mutual. This school is in a town that is spitting distance from the Ossete-Ingush border.

The Chechen War has taken another important step toward becoming a general Islamist war in the North Caucasus. My money's on more violence in Dagestan or one of the hyphenated republics further west. If Saakashvili and Putin are worth their salt, then the former will finally shut down the Pankisi Gorge (or leave that to an "outside party" that's up to the task), and the latter will FINALLY pull the other fist out from behind his back (and, yes, quit peddling weapons and technology to the enemy).

This is "clash of civilizations" stuff, big time. My heart goes out to innocents trapped in the crossfire, and Muscovite brutality casued this mess in the first place. Aris, if you're here, you have spoken articulately about your distrust of Putin and your outrage over Russian savagery in the Caucasus. But we cannot undo decisions made twelve years ago. For good reasons or not, these folks have given themselves over to barbarians who do not destinguish between us and Russia and seek to destroy us all.

For the second time in 70 years, we may have to endure an alliance with Russia, knowing they will fight our common enemy using tactics that we dare not contemplate, tactics comparable even to our Islamist foes. But Russia, for all of its brutality, is not on a divine mission to destroy us.

The clock is ticking.

Posted by Another Dan 2004-09-02 4:45:03 AM|| 2004-09-02 4:45:03 AM|| Front Page Top

#12 This article is BS. Look at the post just above it on bribery in Russia. If the Russkies REALLY want to fight terrorism, they need to get serious: join the modern world and enforce the rule of law.

Posted by Spot 2004-09-02 9:13:44 AM|| 2004-09-02 9:13:44 AM|| Front Page Top

#13 spot...it doesn't necessarily follow that, because the Russians have a problem with bribery, that we are not in a war against an Islamist enemey.

Posted by B 2004-09-02 10:05:51 AM|| 2004-09-02 10:05:51 AM|| Front Page Top

#14 Bribery at the lowest level of the security services reflects the corruption found at the highest levels. Both police and military personnel are poorly paid and consider taking an extra swig off the teat part of their compensation.

It will take a complete rework of the system, over several generations to change this, unless some of the guards are the parents of the kids at the middle school. In that case, look for rabid enforcement at the check points.

Posted by RN 2004-09-02 10:10:03 AM|| 2004-09-02 10:10:03 AM|| Front Page Top

#15 RN - I completely agree. But I was just making the technical point that, while bribery does hinder efforts at combating Islamic terrorism - eliminating bribery would not eliminate Islamic terrorism.

Posted by B 2004-09-02 10:23:04 AM|| 2004-09-02 10:23:04 AM|| Front Page Top

#16 Spot on! Couldn't agree more.

Please see my comments on "Explosions at..." article.

Thanks.

Posted by RN 2004-09-02 10:33:02 AM|| 2004-09-02 10:33:02 AM|| Front Page Top

#17 B - Of course we (and Russia) are at war with islamonuts. But if the Russkies take bribes from them, how are they fighting that war? My point was that if the corruption was gone (or at least much less) then they would be able to fight terrorism productively.

Posted by Spot 2004-09-02 10:56:05 AM|| 2004-09-02 10:56:05 AM|| Front Page Top

#18 spot - actually, I agree with your overall point completely! However, I think it is important to keep the blame where it belongs.

While it would be helpful if the Russians didn't have a culture of bribery, it's not the bribery itself that is to blame. It is the Islamists who are to blame for all of the death and misery listed above. The bribery helps the Islamists accomplish their deeds, yes. But one could also say that, here in the US, our protections of individual freedoms assists the terrorists as well.

I just think it is important to remember that, without the Islamists in this equation, none of these evils would have occurred.

Just a fine point not meant to contradict your own

Posted by B 2004-09-02 11:21:26 AM|| 2004-09-02 11:21:26 AM|| Front Page Top

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