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eleni, Gary.

With all due respect, the brutalizing of locals by the Federal forces and local security is well-documented by a number of observers--not just Politkovskaya or Soros backed groups. It's wrong to brutalize the entire population. It's wrong to engage in revenge random kidnappings of locals whenever insurgents strike. It's wrong to put the security of Chechnya in the hands of the thugs like Ramzan Kadyrov who is involved in a number of criminal activities ranging from kidnappings to shady oil deals.

I'm not an idealist and realize that Islamist insurgency in Chechnya and the rest of N. Caucasus could not have happened without some public support among the locals, but the Federal Authorities have a responsibility to defend the laws of the country--not to massively contribute to their violations.

I'm not an idealist and realize that Islamist insurgency in Chechnya and the rest of N. Caucasus could not have happened without some public support among the locals, but the Federal Authorities have a responsibility to defend the laws of the country--not to massively contribute to their violations.

I spent a long time writing a response to your post today prior to losing it, and so this one shall be short.

Today the bodies of two American soldiers were found, and they had been tortured and brutally mutilated. I heard their eyes were gouged out and they were beheaded. I have an idea of some of the other things they experienced, but I will refrain from making you sick. The reason I bring this up is because it is obvious you do not have an understanding of Chechnya, and what the Russian Army is facing there.

America has a professional army now, which is far better than what we had during the Nam Era. I was fortunate to serve with a group of professionals during that time. The Russian Army consists of draftees, and what they do receive are kids for trainees who are far less qualified than we had in Nam. Now, consider what goes through the minds of these young men when they find one of their comrades who has been tortured and his head severed. They are facing the Chechens, and my buddies in Special Operations have told me they are the meanest sob's they have ever faced. It is extremely difficult for professional soldiers to face these monsters, and so what do you expect from second rate soldiers? ONE THING IS FOR CERTAIN, AND THAT IS YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND NOR APPRECIATE WHAT THEY ARE FACING.

War is an extension of politics, and al-Qaeda is a master at using stooges like Anna Politkovskaya and others to help them break the will of America and Russia in Iraq and Chechnya to continue fighting. You profess to understand, but you do not.