Posted on 09/04/2004 8:34:37 AM PDT by traumer
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has said his country had shown weakness in the face of danger and most now respond to the threat of terrorism.
"We did not understand the complexity and the danger of the process which was emerging in our country and in the entire world," Putin said of the school hostage crisis in which at least 322 people are now known to have died.
"We did not know how to react in the appropriate fashion. We have showed weakness in the face of danger and the weak get beaten up," he said in a televised address.
Officials in North Ossetia say 155 children were among the dead in Beslan, as well as parents, school teachers and Russian special forces soldiers.
It is believed 32 terrorists died when Russian troops stormed the building after an explosion and gunfire were heard inside.
It is not known if any of the gunmen - believed to include Arab mercenaries - escaped.
There are reports that the explosives and arms used by the gunmen were smuggled into the school in summer during building work.
An estimated 700 are in hospital, most of them children. Some are badly injured.
On Saturday morning, Mr Putin visited the hospital where hundreds of wounded are being treated.
He ordered security forces to seal Beslan and close the border between Chechnya and North Ossetia.
"All Russia grieves with you," said Mr Putin during a meeting with local officials."Even alongside the most cruel attacks of the past, this terrorist act occupies a special place because it was aimed at children," he added.
There has been worldwide condemnation of the siege and messages of condolence including one from the Queen.
The EU has also expressed its sympathy, although it is demanding to know "how this tragedy could have happened".
Freed hostages described the mayhem which followed the explosions on Friday afternoon.
The blasts came 53 hours after the hostage-takers first threatened to blow up the building.
"Bombs were strung all over the gym," one teenage girl told state television. "Tape came unstuck on one and it blew up."
"There were two big explosions," said a women in her forties.
"We started pushing all the children out of the windows... Everyone who was there started pushing them out."
Authorities said they had been forced to launch a rescue operation when the gunmen opened fire on fleeing children.
So far no terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the siege.
France and Germany, take note.....
Putin gets it. Kerry fans, McGovernites, Peaceniks, Michael Moore coprophages, take note!
France: We surrender!!!!!
Germany: What they said! *pointing at the French*
'ATTACK ON WHOLE COUNTRY'
"Our country that has always defended its borders has found itself defenceless from both east and west," he said...
http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-13213968,00.html
Sadly, this will help Mr. Putin put the words "coerced and bribed" into context next time he counts his friends.
One less Kerry ally?
somehow i think now that Russia has caught on, they aren't going to concern themselves with the FEELINGS and PSYCHES of the wrongdoers, and are going to kick some serious terrorist @$$.
Nuking Mecca during the Haj wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
Owl_Eagle
”Guns Before Butter.”
It's a shame the children have to suffer for Russia to "get it".
If they had taken a stronger stance against terrorism earlier, this could have been avoided.
What a tragedy.
Will Putin see how wrong he was to put money from Saddam ahead of helping the US in Iraq?
If I recall, there is a large shipment of parst and components for Iran's nuclear reactors sitting in Russian ports now. Will they be shipped?..stay tuned..
geee, I don't know.. how about letting a group of Muslim fanatics, with poor education, low levels of employment, meeting weekly and being indoctrinated to hate non-Muslims. uhhhh... then appeasing their f'ing demands at every opportunity and belittling your Christian heritage and capitalism in general.
Oh yeah and finally, thinking that a man with a briefcase and notepad can fight a man with a rifle and RPG into submission.
bunch of EU pussies.... Christ they make me want to barf?
Translation: "Bush was right, we were wrong"
Yeah, I think the terrorists forgot that the President of Russia is a thug in a suit. He's meaner and more sadistic than GWB will ever be.
yeah, Kerry's sole plan to deal with terror is to BROADEN THE ALLIANCE, well what the hell good did it do those pansies france, germany and russia to be all bound together in the antiwar pact there? 2 of the 3 are the most recent to be hit by the terrorists. But kerry is much too sensitive to pick up on this....
Putin now understands what Kerry doesn't.
John Kerry speaking about the terriost alerts-
"I think there has been an exaggeration", "They are misleading all Americans in a profound way."
1/29/2004 - THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Exactly.
And Americans here are waking up to the fact that if it could happen there, it could happen here.
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