Russian newspaper delivers some bitter truths to Putin

The Sunday Telegraph ^ | September 12, 2004 | Catherine Belton

[MadIvan]

A newspaper owned by Boris Berezovksy, the Russian billionaire wanted for an alleged fraud of $13 million and granted political asylum in Britain, has issued the most direct challenge so far to the Kremlin's account of the Beslan siege.

The Russian newspaper Kommersant yesterday published a detailed rebuttal of Moscow's version of events, comparing each claim with parallel but contradictory statements from witnesses and local police. Contrary to official reports, it said, the terrorists had issued demands - specifically the release of prisoners held after a raid in Ingushetia in June - and these were passed to Ruslan Aushev, the former Ingush president.

It also quoted police reports that the terrorists had entered North Ossetia from Ingushetia, having previously hidden their weapons in the school.

Moscow claimed that they had driven fully armed directly from Chechnya. The newspaper's bold stand confronts head on President Putin's efforts to stifle criticism of Moscow's apparent botched handling of the siege.

The Kremlin put great pressure on the Russian press over its coverage. Raf Shakirov, the editor-in-chief of leading daily, Izvestia, was forced from his post after publishing pictures of the carnage with the headline, "The silence of the state". He said he was ousted because the Kremlin had "demanded blood".

Two prominent opposition journalists, meanwhile, claimed that they had been prevented from covering the siege. Anna Politkovskaya was apparently given poisoned tea on an aeroplane en route to North Ossetia, and Nana Lezhava, of the independent Georgian broadcaster Rustavi-2, said that she was detained after filing her report and given coffee laced with tranquillisers.

Mr Shakirov told the Telegraph that he did not regret his decision to publish full-page photographs, including images of dead children. He said that television coverage smacked of censorship and a cover-up. "That's why we put those pictures in," he said.

"I understood that we would not have been able to convey what happened in words. The word 'tragedy' was not enough."

Mr Putin has announced an inquiry into the siege, but critics doubt its promised independence given that it will be undertaken by unelected officials of parliament's upper chamber.

He has also accused Western officials of double standards in the war on terrorism in order to harm Russia. "We've observed incidents," he told foreign journalists. "Certain people want us to be focused on internal problems and they pull strings here so that we don't raise our heads internationally."

Significantly, he compared Russia's struggle to control Chechnya to Britain's war to regain the Falklands. Victory, he suggested, had helped to overcome domestic opposition to Margaret Thatcher's economic reform programme.

[MadIvan]

Putin is clever, shrewd and occasionally ruthless. I wouldn't bet against him.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[CWOJackson]

Putin is still angry over the collapse of his believe Soviet Union...when a newspaper knew better then to question his conduct.

[lilylangtree]

One thing Mr. Putin recognized clearly--you can't submit to terrorists demands. I salute him for that. I wish Messrs. Bush, Putin, Blair and any others would form an international hit squad and go after these monsters. Pick the best and the brightest and one thing must be clear at the onset: NO MERCY! Murderous pigs like this islamic fascists won't live one second more.

[familyop]

08 September 2004 16:50
Russia confirms further delays to Iran`s nuke plant
GatewayToRussia
http://www.gateway2russia.com/art/Unrubricated/Russia%20confirms%20further%20delays%20to%20Irans%20nuke%20plant_251653.html

Russian FM To Israel: Chechnya No, Palestine and Iranian Nukes Yes
Ariel Natan Pasko
TruthNews
8SEP04
http://www.truthnews.net/world/2004090037.htm

Russia defends arms
sales to Iran
Moscow says U.S. objects only out of self-interest
[and Syria]
http://www.freedomdomain.com/Templemount/5_30a.html

Sep. 8, 2004 20:08 | Updated Sep. 8, 2004 22:27
Iran recruits 'human shield' for nuclear reactor
By JPOST.COM STAFF
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1094613507272

Moscow 'vehemently' opposes attacks on Iraq
Sees Saddam's terror-sponsor state as 'long-term partner'
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25619

Russian Delegation in Baghdad With Putin Message for Saddam Hussein
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3918d6aa328c.htm

[mrsmel]

Putin seems to have a point when he notices that Great Britain and Mrs Thatcher brooked no opposition when it came to defending the Falklands,and that was just defending territory, they hadn't had scores of their children murdered and brutalised.

[rrrod]

HMMMMmm...Putin sided with the enemy...france and germany! let him rot. Russia has a choice...join us or germany and france!

[familyop]

Russians Respect Reason For Terrorism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1210347/posts

[dinok]

Puttin is proving to be a political thug. His reaction to every chrisis is nothing short of brutal. if this is what the new Russian democracy has come to, the country is in for some rough times. Terrorism is not their only issue.

The guy blew it by siding with the French and Saddam. Now his people will pay for his ineptness.

[familyop]

Israel Tries to "Win Russia Over": Report [Intel Barf from Islam Barf: One man's terrorist...]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1210553/posts

[mrsmel]

That's what I mean, I hope he's had his eyes opened and joins us now! I hope he sees why WE are fighting,and sees the necessity of joining us to fight global terrorism on THEIR turf before they bring it to OURS.

[mrsmel]

At this point, the most I ask of Putin is to be on our side and join the fight,and also to close their ears to France.The Russian people have had so many times to grasp freedom and create a truly democratic government,and I don't understand in detail why they seem to not be able to. Right now, I feel that that's on them,and I only ask that at least we have the Russians on our side in THIS fight,because for all their faults,at least their society isn't yet dry-rotted from the inside with political correctness,which undermines the will to do what needs to be done.

[familyop]

Here are a couple more that I had stashed. ...hope the info is helpful for analysis.

Disregard for Human Life (Was Putin referring to the USA as the hostile foreign powers?)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1209036/posts

Putin may be worse than we think
http://www.FreeRepublic.com/forum/a3a04c1f115e8.htm

[mrsmel]

Thanks, I will read those. Russia is a fascinating enigma,to paraphrase Winston Churchill.

[nsc68]

"We've observed incidents," [Putin] told foreign journalists. "Certain people want us to be focused on internal problems and they pull strings here so that we don't raise our heads internationally."

I've seen this a few times now. I know "Certain people" refers to the West, and perhaps even directly to the US, but to what specific incidents is he referring?

[ridesthemiles]

Putin is clever, shrewd and occasionally ruthless. I wouldn't bet against him. ""

I don't care if they came in on flying carpets, towed by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
These cretins need to be eradicated, swiftly and without mercy.
No second chances, No listening to their "complaints" about how they "FEEL". NOTHING but fast, sharp swords.
Let their corpes hang in a public place, and don't cut them down for at least a month. Let the world see how terrorists SHOULD be dealt with. TAKE NO PRISONERS.

[familyop]

Here's more on that from...

Disregard for Human Life (Was Putin referring to the USA as the hostile foreign powers?)

Elsewhere in his prepared address, however, Putin referred to unnamed, hostile foreign powers that "think that Russia, as one of the greatest nuclear powers of the world, is still a threat, and this threat has to be eliminated." Terrorism, Putin said, "is only an instrument to achieve these goals." Since al-Qaida and other Islamist extremists couldn't possibly be threatened by Russia's nuclear arsenal, Putin was apparently referring to the West.

Putin said that although the Soviet Union had disintegrated, "the nucleus of that giant" was preserved. "We have called the new country the Russian Federation." His remarks seem to imply that present-day Russia is not a country in its own right, and that it could just as well be called something else. This falls into line with the praise for the Soviet past, and for Josef Stalin in particular, in programs on state television and in newly revised history textbooks used in the schools. For Putin, Stalin seems to be something of a role model.

[nsc68]

Thanks.

His remarks are still cryptic though. I'd like to know to what he is specifically referring.

If I were to guess, I'd say it's because the West has applied so much pressure on him to go easy on the Chechens, but I'm not sure.

[keats5]

I want Putin to revenge the deaths of those innocent children.

Still, I don't trust him.

[mrsmel]

OK, I read the articles and posts and I admit it, I am completely confused. In my simple mind,it seems so straightforward-terrorists kill your people,you eradicate the terrorists,and sort the politics out later.
Putin blames Israel for fighting the terrorists trying to destroy their whole state,but he wants help from them,he thinks that the West(and I'm still not clear on who he meant,different people made different and good points to a regular citizen like me)is against Russia, but now he understands why we're fighting,but he still supports the states that breed the terrorism we are fighting,and that Russia has been targeted by(Syria and Lebanon).

I need schooling on this.