The Chechen culture is old -- they are probably descended from the Hurrites or other ancient middle-eastern people who were in northern Iraq during Sumerian times
They were also NOT Moslem until the 17th century -- primarily pagan/shamanist -- all indications are that they converted to Islam when Russia was moving into them -- perhaps as a way of solidarity? Whatever, it was a pity
The Russians did try to exterminate them repeatedly and the Soviets deported them en-masse
What is the solution? I don't know
But I do know that now Chechnya is calm, thanks to a strong man
And I do know that if they were Christian, the issue would not be as bad -- after all, Ossetians are a separate ethnicity (Irani people) who are Russian Orthodox, yet keep their culture and are close to Russia.
“And I do know that if they were Christian,”
And there is the rub. Not all Muslims are terrorists, but the vast majority of them support Jihad and are sympathetic to Jihadis, and the Koran and Islam represent a “terrorist” belief system.
As for the connection between Chechens and Hurrians and any recent conversion to Islam, this is really irrelevant. Chechens have been in the forefront of Jihadi activity in Afghanistan and not only launched horrific attacks against civilians in Russia, but also now here against us.
Your reference to relative peace in Chechnya due to the presence of a “strongman” illustrates ZULU’s Islamic Rule - the ONLY form of governance in an Islamic State is a dictatorship, an oppressive Islamic theocracy or anarchy. Its the Islamic mindset. There is no room for basic human rights,a republican or democratic concept, or justice as conceived in western culture.
Islam is totally incompatible with those ideas, many of which spring from a Judaeo-Christian political philosophy totally absent in Islam.
I believe in a containment or conversion philosophy with Islam. If they won’t convert, lock them up in their own countries until they change their thinking about Islam, or exterminate them if they attack civilians outside their sphere of control.