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Spanalot sez: I have no opinion - only the facts that the Russians are so ruthless as to kill thousands and millions for their political and economic gain.

I will prove Spanalot has more than an opinion, and the harsh reality is he lies about Russia in almost every post on Free Republic.

"After months of denials, the prosecutor's office admitted this summer that the Russians had fired powerful shoulder-fired rockets, known as Shmels, at the school. Some families believe the rockets caused or accelerated the blaze, although this is not clear.

The report, quoted by the Interfax news agency, concluded that grenade launchers, flamethrowers and tank fire were used during the storming of the school.
For weeks after the siege Russian officials had denied the use of flamethrowers.
Some of the bereaved parents say flamethrowers were used while hostages were still in the school.

This is the typical blame game. What actually happened is the terrorists had a 152MM round attached to a basketball goal. It fell and set off an explosion, and now the Spetsnaz are being blamed. Additionally, some of the grieving parents rushed to the scene and shot the Spetsnaz in the back, when they mistook them for terrorists.

The reason the army is being blamed is because a bumblebee was used. The Spetsnaz Bumblebee is NOT a flamethrower, but more like a bazooka, with several types of rounds, including percussion and one similar to a fuel air bomb. During a raid a percussion round or grenade is fired into a room to disorient the terrorists, while the Spetsnaz gain entry. Another type of round creates smoke for the purpose of providing cover. In this case it would have provided cover for both the fleeing children and the Spetsnaz. If the fuel air round was fired it would have sucked all of the air out of the area, and fires don't burn without air. When the explosion from the 152MM round went off the Spetsnaz likely set off a Bumblebee percussion round to further distract the terrorists, and gain entry for the Spetsnaz, and now the parents want to blame the government, and so naturally the Bumblebee did it. Never mind that the 152mm shell leveled the building and set it on fire. It's just like America, either Bush or Putin are to blame.

Whatever the rockets' actual effect, the bereaved mothers say, their presence demonstrated the government was willing to use indiscriminate force where children were present.

The 152mm round used by the terrorists, which set off the events will level a large size building. The use of the Bumblebee to disorient and distract the terrorists was well within the minimum force needed, and would not have set off the fires.

There is similar anger and disbelief over the use of tanks. One witness, Teimuraz Konukov, said that at about 2:30 p.m. he lay behind a tree across the street and watched a Russian tank fire its main barrel into the school's facade. Hostages remained inside at the time.

The doors of the school were booby-trapped, and the tank fired a round to create an opening so the Spetsnaz teams could enter the school. It was a nonexploding shell, which did penetrate several walls, but it was needed to effect a swift entry into the school. Likewise, this round would not have set off a fire.

Prosecutors insist the tank did not fire until evening, after all the hostages had escaped or were dead. Konukov, whose version aligns with what was witnessed by two journalists from The New York Times, is incredulous. "I was right here," he said, pointing to the spot.

Something is wrong with the translation or testimony, because the tank fired earlier to effect an entry by the Spetsnaz.

No full explanation has been given for the even more extensive tank shooting later in the day that destroyed one of the school's wings.

It wasn't tank fire later in the evening. I quote Gudick:

"At 8:00 o'clock in the evening, Spetsnaz of the FSB's Vympel and Alpha units conducted a final "special operation" assault when they located the last hiding place of the terrorists and "engaged to destroy them," according to one of the soldiers. A number of terrorists, including one known 17 year old, had fled to the fortified shop class in the south side wing, and in the attic above that. Whatever limitations the commandos had imposed themselves up to this point were gone. Deploying their own RPGs and RPO "fire throwers" recoilless rifles that deliver a high yield missile - they simply blasted that entire wing of the school into rubble. Nothing was left of either floor but a large gaping hole, lending to the overall appearance of the Beruit-type destruction the town suffered in this clash of religious intolerance and hatred."

Nurpasha Kulayev stands in a cage in the courtroom, rarely raising his eyes. Russia claims he is the sole surviving terrorist from the siege; his trial had been expected to bring a deeper understanding of those days. Instead it has become a showcase of contempt for the government.

Families contest even the authorities' most basic claims. The prosecutors, for example, say 32 terrorists seized the school - 30 men with automatic rifles and 2 women wearing suicide bombs. Thirty-one of them died, according to this account. (They are not counted among the 331 victims.) But many survivors and participants insist they saw at least four other men who were captured and have not been seen again, and a third woman. Their faith in the official version has been further undermined because Russia has not publicly identified all the terrorists it says were killed.

The grieving of the parents is fully understandable, and likewise they want to blame someone. However, they were held back at a distance and unable to view all of the events which transpired. Furthermore, they were not professionals, and unable to accurately interpret the sounds and actions which transpired.
Gudick clearly states some of the terrorists did escape. Indeed, two escaped, were captured by the civilians are ripped to shreds. Thirteen escaped and were tracked down and killed by the Spetsnaz. One schoolgirl reported being carried on a stretcher by two men, and one was a hostage.

The trial's conduct has also perplexed the families. The officers who arrested Kulayev have not testified, but people who knew little of him are regularly on the stand. At a recent hearing the slate of witnesses so frustrated one woman that she stood and loudly scolded the judge.

The trial is only one example of what families here regard as official incompetence and callousness.

The Spetsnaz officers and men will not testify at any trial. Their tactics need to be kept secret for future actions. The same thing would happen in this country if our top anti-terrorist group was used.

A crime-scene video taken the morning after the battle, leaked to the Mothers Committee, shows investigators shoveling ashes among the dead. At one point two men discover a dead girl, and unceremoniously toss her blackened body into a bag.

The same thing could be said about events in New York.

Families say evidence was lost or mishandled, a conviction that deepened in February when residents found charred items from the school in a local dump. In the mess were human remains: tangles of hair and dried skin.

They also wonder why the school was secured for less than 36 hours after the battle - scant time for forensics work. Instead of serving as a resource for investigators, Kesayev said, the bloody ruins were converted "to a place for pilgrimages and excursions."

This was a military operation and a crime scene. However, the majority of the men involved were military, with little experience in police work. The forensics work involved would be far too involved for the local police. Let's not forget the Russians were in a state of shock in trying to deal with Beslan.

"This is the typical blame game. What actually happened is the terrorists had a 152MM round "

And did I mention that the hostages reported that the first shots fired were snipers from the outside - one being injured before any heavy ordnance went off?

Gary, that was a terrific rundown. Thank you again.

I don't know, gentlemen, but all that Gary writes sounds completely logical (NOTE: I know little about ordinance, so that one aspect I will leave to both of you).

The story is similar to what transpired on and after 911 and even Hurricane Katrina...from the absolute chaos and unavoidable miscues to the families and others casting aspersions about the culpability of the days' events and aftermath.

It is terribly sad and understandable at the same time.