Just to play Devil's Advocate...what were they supposed to do to free the children and other hostages? Negotiation is not an option, of course. And the hostages had no food or water, according to reports. Options were fairly limited...
There really were no options - the best approach is to save as many as possible while defeating the terrorists. They cannot be appeased. All the people in that school were likely to be killed had Russia not acted decisively.
In a situation like this, there's almost nothing you can do except take action, with the knowledge that some of the hostages are sure to die, while many will be saved. There are situations in which patience is called for, but this, in my opinion, wasn't one of them.
I would have given then whatever they wanted and then once the children were free I would have nuked Chechenia, several times.
Indeed, how do you negotiate with someone who won't negotiate? I just didn't realize the hostages were being denied food and water. In that heat - high 90's. Even the little babies. They are animals and you can't negotiate with animals. It's remarkable that the Russians were able to save as many lives as they did.
To think of how our military is criticized by our own citizens - and Presidential wannabees - for not wanting to negotiate or talk in regard to Saddam and Iraq. This is a perfect example of why it won't and can't work. As I mentioned, the terrorists only demand was death, drawn out, with as many viewers as possible sharing in the horror, even if it meant they died, too.
I expected them taking small groups of the hostages and to begin executing them for the tv crews (which the Russians wisely refused to let too close, since the terrorists thrive on the media publizing their sick, tormented acts).