Russia vows to destroy Chechen rebels (Russia Alert - They are bloody mad can you blame them)

Reuters UK ^ | Sun 8 February, 2004 21:48 | By Mark Trevelyan, Security Correspondent

[gdyniawitawa]

MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - Russia's defence minister says there is a clear connection between Chechen militants and al Qaeda and has vowed that Moscow would "calmly and systematically" wipe out the rebels.

Sergei Ivanov said on Sunday Russia would never negotiate with the Chechen separatists it blames for a bomb attack on the Moscow metro that killed at least 39 people on Friday.

"Whoever hopes we will start negotiations, let them go and start negotiating with Osama bin Laden or Mullah Omar," Ivanov said, referring to the al Qaeda and Taliban leaders.

"We will not negotiate. We will destroy these people calmly and systematically," he told a news conference in Munich.

Ivanov said investigations had not yet determined whether there was a foreign or al Qaeda connection behind the Friday morning rush-hour bomb on the Moscow underground.

But he said operational and financial links between Chechen separatists and bin Laden's network had clearly been demonstrated.

"The connection of these terrorists with the Taliban and al Qaeda has long ago been proved," he said.

Fugitive Chechen separatist leader, Aslan Maskhadov, has denied he was involved in the blast and called for talks.

Maskhadov, ex-president of the rebel region, has little or no control over extremist rebels led by warlord Shamil Basayev.

Ivanov expanded on comments to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday in which he said some foreign fighters were still active in Chechnya.

He said Russian 'spetsnaz' commandos were killing several foreigners a month, and regularly encountering Turks.

"The last Turkish citizen who was killed with a gun in his hand this week in Chechnya had previously, according to his passport, visited Pakistan as a 'tourist', and our experts believe it's clear he had been in a terrorist training camp in Pakistan," Ivanov said.

He said the Turk had then entered Chechnya illegally via Georgia. Many ethnic Chechens live in Turkey.

Russia has backed the United States in its war on terror since the September 11 attacks in 2001, and has consistently depicted its struggle with Chechen militants as part of the same global battle.

It has used this to justify its military operations in Chechnya, where it has fought two wars since the collapse of the Soviet Union, despite frequent criticism from human rights groups.

Ivanov said the type of militants active in Chechnya were also to blame for attacks much further afield.

"These people, if you can call them human, move about the world and carry out similar actions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Russia and Turkey," he said.

[OpusatFR]

I think they have been remarkably patient considering this has been going on since 1845.

[gdyniawitawa]

War on Terror is facing different tune. If America and Russia shall combine their strength to go against these people no country on earth will be able to withstand unprecedented punch coming from both of these countries. No one and I mean no one in their right might want to really make these to countries so angry as to take gloves off.

[Savage Beast]

The Americans and the Russians should join forces in a strong alliance, not only in the War on Terror, but economically and politically in every respect. We are natural allies. Each has much that the other needs.

[Smedley]

I never thought I'd say this as a kid, but ...

Go Ruskies -- kick some butt

[X-FID]

Unfortunately that won't happen, the power's that be seem spineless, for some reason.

[LjubivojeRadosavljevic]

"I think they have been remarkably patient considering this has been going on since 1845."

Which is all the more reason that Moscow needs to put into place a plan for Chechnya similar to that of what John Major and Tony Blair did with the situation in Northern Ireland. (Remember the bomb blast in London, 1992.)

Sending in spetnaz soldiers and killing a bunch of people (eh' terrorists) won't solve the problem in Chechnya.

[Polybius]

If America and Russia shall combine their strength to go against these people no country on earth will be able to withstand unprecedented punch coming from both of these countries. No one and I mean no one in their right might want to really make these to countries so angry as to take gloves off.

Take away their nuclear weapons and Russia is now a nation that would have extreme difficulty in projecting it's power much beyond it's own contiguous land borders.

[spetznaz]

Yep ...the nations that face the greatest threat from terrorism are the US, Russia, India and Israel.

[gdyniawitawa]

Exactly.

[neutrino]

The Americans and the Russians should join forces in a strong alliance, not only in the War on Terror, but economically and politically in every respect. We are natural allies. Each has much that the other needs.

Sounds like a great idea!

[gdyniawitawa]

Not really well lad. Russia has some sophisticated weapons that need too be reckon with. I know they have financial problems but with America know how and Russia know how they are forces to be reckon with and much more powerful and skilful then terrorist and countries that support terrorist.

[cwb]

Yeah, if it wasn't for that little problem with Communism, a Russian/US alliance would make a nice balance for a bipolar (pun intended) world. Unfortunately, I just don't see the trust there...yet.

[Eva]

Russia has backed the United States in its war on terror since the September 11 attacks in 2001, and has consistently depicted its struggle with Chechen militants as part of the same global battle.

I guess they don't count Saddam Hussein as part of the war on terror, even though he was financing and training them. Sorry Russia, you lose, unless you apologize for your oppositional actions in the UN.

[Coroner]

Eventually the terrorists are going to drive us to cooperate in the war on terror. The muslims will learn the hard way!!!

[gdyniawitawa]

When I said exactly I have forgotten to mention one thing; I think this time is different they are getting really bloody upset and they will not sit idle to let terrorist terrorize their country man. Russians are Slavs and one think I noticed you do not want them to get over the edge. Once over edge action will be swift and unprecedented.

[Democrap]

"The connection of these terrorists with the Taliban and al Qaeda has long ago been proved," he said.

Amazing all Russia has to do is say it and it is FACT. Now go to the UN and plead your case on your knees. No you won't do that you'll your act unilaterally and no one will say squat.

[Coroner]

If thats the case....then I hope they are over the edge!!!

[LjubivojeRadosavljevic]

How well I know.

[VOA]

Russia vows to destroy Chechen rebels (Russia Alert -
They are bloody mad can you blame them)

The Russians tried to be reasonable with them...and got abused militarily.

The Russians reasonably started to respond to the Checheyns brutally and made progress.

To anyone who says the US isn't in a real war with certain Islamic sectors...
just needs to watch the Russian-Checheyn situation.
It's to the death and we (and the Russians) have to win.