TheMojoPin
09-03-2004, 09:50 AM
Christ. This is absolutely horrendous.
BESLAN, Russia - Commandos stormed a school Friday in southern Russia and battled separatist rebels holding as many as 1,200 hostages, as crying children, some naked and covered in blood, fled through explosions and gunfire. More than 100 bodies were found in the gymnasium, some apparently killed when part of the school's roof collapsed in the explosion that prompted the Russian security forces to move in. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5881958/?GT1=5100)
The death toll could be as high as 150...but if the terrorists were holding over 1,000 people, is this actually a "good" ending? I mean, how do you end something like this without people getting killed or hurt?
There's an excellent timeline in the linked article detailing just how awful this conflict has been within Russia, and shows how this kind of siege is sadly nothing new there for almost a decade now.
Worst of all, there may be Al-Queda operatives involved with this operation, and the Chechen rebels on a larger scale, which fits right in with their MO, at least as analyzed by the recent book Imperial Hubris. Al-Queda's actions are typified as ones where a recognizable response (Freeing of prisoners, removal of troops, etc., etc.) can be quickly drawn from the targeted nation. The Russians might actually provide a more appealing target than America these days since the removal of Russian forces due in part to these kind of strikes is a far more likely large scale response (And a HUGE propoganda victory) to their tactics than really anything we could do at this point in time.
And I'm sorry, I don't care what one's "cause" may be...specifically targeting children like this automatically negates any legitimacy or "justness" you had or thought you had prior. That's simply the lowest of the low. The scum of the Earth are responsible for this.
<img src="http://scripts.cgispy.com/image.cgi?u=TheMojoPin">
1979 << I love my drug buddy... >> "You can tell some lies about the good times we've had, but I've kissed your mother twice...and now I'm working on your dad..."
This message was edited by TheMojoPin on 9-3-04 @ 1:57 PM
BESLAN, Russia - Commandos stormed a school Friday in southern Russia and battled separatist rebels holding as many as 1,200 hostages, as crying children, some naked and covered in blood, fled through explosions and gunfire. More than 100 bodies were found in the gymnasium, some apparently killed when part of the school's roof collapsed in the explosion that prompted the Russian security forces to move in. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5881958/?GT1=5100)
The death toll could be as high as 150...but if the terrorists were holding over 1,000 people, is this actually a "good" ending? I mean, how do you end something like this without people getting killed or hurt?
There's an excellent timeline in the linked article detailing just how awful this conflict has been within Russia, and shows how this kind of siege is sadly nothing new there for almost a decade now.
Worst of all, there may be Al-Queda operatives involved with this operation, and the Chechen rebels on a larger scale, which fits right in with their MO, at least as analyzed by the recent book Imperial Hubris. Al-Queda's actions are typified as ones where a recognizable response (Freeing of prisoners, removal of troops, etc., etc.) can be quickly drawn from the targeted nation. The Russians might actually provide a more appealing target than America these days since the removal of Russian forces due in part to these kind of strikes is a far more likely large scale response (And a HUGE propoganda victory) to their tactics than really anything we could do at this point in time.
And I'm sorry, I don't care what one's "cause" may be...specifically targeting children like this automatically negates any legitimacy or "justness" you had or thought you had prior. That's simply the lowest of the low. The scum of the Earth are responsible for this.
<img src="http://scripts.cgispy.com/image.cgi?u=TheMojoPin">
1979 << I love my drug buddy... >> "You can tell some lies about the good times we've had, but I've kissed your mother twice...and now I'm working on your dad..."
This message was edited by TheMojoPin on 9-3-04 @ 1:57 PM