I think Al Qaeda has irrevocably changed the calculations that all countries will make when facing a hostage situation
Oh please. Not everything has to do with 9/11, you know...
The Russian state has always had a heavy hand and here is that heavy hand at work again - improperly calculated concentration of gas, negligence, and my personal favourite, keeping secret the identity of the gas so that the patients cannot be treated.
It is Kursk all over again. There they let their own people die trapped in a submarine rather than let other countries' rescue people glimpse at their precious submarine, and here they let their own people die rather than letting other countries know what gases they have in their arsenal.
especially one where the terrorists claim the Islamist mantle themselves
The conflict between the Chechens and the Russian state goes way back and has NOTHING to do with the "Islamist Mantle". They want independence. Russia does not want to give it to them. War ensues, and despite a few attempts at negotiations, continues. In this period of uncertainty and lack of authority, religious forces also sprout. However, it is not a crazed religious "jihad" that motivates them. They want independence. In fact, this very moment, there is a "Chechnya Conference" in Denmark:
guardian.co.uk
The world Chechen congress opened in Copenhagen yesterday, despite a threat from Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, to boycott a forthcoming EU-Russia summit - also in Copenhagen - if it went ahead.
Chechen separatists at the conference yesterday distanced themselves from the hostage takers, and an envoy for separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov said he was ready for unconditional peace talks with Russia.
"We urge and we are asking Putin, and we declare our readiness, to have peace talks without any preliminary terms," said Akhmed Zakayev. |
