It is the most cogent explanation of what the Russians have been dealing with for several centuries. Chechens appear to be an unreformed bandit culture, now morphed into a terror culture. Apparently they long ago crossed any boundaries of normal civilizatons and have been a problem to their surrounding neighbors in their savagery. In that way, they resemble the Albanian crime syndicate.
I remember reading of the hospitals with their patients held hostage by these Chechens, as well the slaughter of Red Cross workers and beheading of British Engineers who were there to improve the telephone system. This presaged the slaughter of Nicholas Berg and many others who went to Iraq to help rebuild that country.
The terrorists in Iraq took their lessons from the Chechens.
The US recently gave one of these Chechen leaders refugee asylum.
What were we thinking ?
Award of the day to you, happygrl.