PUTIN - We could not rescue them all. Forgive us.

Lenta.ru ^ | 10-25-02 | Putin

[MarMema]

Dear compatriots!

These days we have, together, gone through a terrible test. All our thoughts were with the hostages, in the hands of armed vermin. We hoped for the best outcome, but each of us understood, that it is necessary to be ready for the worst.

Today the rescue operation of this morning is done.
It was possible to do almost the impossible - to rescue the lives of hundreds, hundreds of people. We have proved, that Russia cannot be put on her knees.

But now I first of all want to address the families and relatives of those who were lost.

We could not rescue them all.

Forgive us.

Let the Memory of the victims unite us.

I thank all the citizens of Russia for their endurance and unity. Special gratitude to everyone who participated in the rescue operation. Special thanks to the employees of the special divisions who, without hesitation, risking their own lives, struggled for the rescue of the hostages.

We are grateful also to our friends all over the world, for their moral and practical support in our struggle against the same enemy. This enemy is strong and dangerous, brutal and severe. It is international terrorism. While it is not defeated, anywhere in the world, people can not feel safe.
But it should be defeated. And it will be defeated.

Today in the hospital I talked to one of victims. He said to me "It was not that terrible - there was a confidence among us, that the future of the terrorists is not enduring." And this is the truth. They do not have a future. We do.

[livius]

An excellent summary, Andrewsshi.

And of course, this particular band of Chechen gangsters/tribal thugs wants to create the famous Islamic "republic," where the sharia is law.

Or at any rate, even if they're not all devoted Islamics (witness the cognac bottle), like the Afghanis, they're getting lots of encouragement and material support from certain deep pockets in the Middle East.

[neutrino]

Thanks for the post!

This little snippet:

in the hands of armed vermin

is classic...and so very true.

[MarMema]

Thank you for this wonderful picture. I believe Putin to be a deeply kind and Christian man.

[seeker41]

You're welcome. Thank you for educating us all.

[marshmallow]

Take a look around the world at the places where innocent people are dying for no reason.

A Muslim won't be far away.

[Eala]

Yes, Russia is still bumbling along in her road to being a democracy with a rule of law, and is not quite there yet, but in no way is she the entity against which our fathers and grandfathers stood watch.

Agreed. Russia has such potential; it was terrible seeing, even while we stood watch against her for so long, what could have been such a great nation held captive and wracked by communism.

[MarMema]

God has given both Russia and the US leaders who are up to the task. It is a mercy of God that we should all be grateful for.

Amen, and may we continue to be so blessed.

[MarMema]

as I feared if it played out any longer, they all were going to die. It appears that the Al Quaida hostage playbook was unfolding up to the point where the Russians stormed the building.

Lenta.ru is now confirming that there were, indeed, two tons of explosive, the building was mined quite well in order to fall completely, and the terrorists did wear real explosives in their belts. Apparently the gas was the only thing that made the rescue possible.

Very sad as they are also saying that some elderly people died in the hospital afterward as a result of the stress, lack of food and water, and then the gas too.

[LaBelleDameSansMerci]

...Ok, this is my rough translation...

A "rough translation"???!!!

This is great. Thank you for posting it. This may be Putin's finest hour.....

[desertcry]

Well done, President Putin. Now, please help the USA, Great Britain, and all courageous nations fight saddam. saddam is after all the #1 World terrorists.

[Enterprise]

I am not in disagreement. The point we both agree on is to stop messing around with them and punish them severely. Shoot them summarily, or dip them in pig's blood and hang them by their heels until the buzzards pick their bones - either is fine.

[MarMema]

It is truly wonderful and I am so grateful for God's help in this. They wanted badly to embarrass Putin as he was elected on his promise to end the chechen menace.

Articles were already coming out, yesterday - "Is this the beginning of the end for Putin?"

Now he has turned it around and made it into a triumph. And in the process, I think a stronger union has been formed between those 29 countries who all joined together to teach the chechens a lesson. This has made me more hopeful for the end of the islamic terrorists than ever before....a message from God that we will get through this, if you will. I am very thankful.

[TheSpottedOwl]

If the US could come out and publicly support Russia regarding the Chechen "problem", maybe they'd support us against Iraq. Sweeten the deal on both sides by purchasing Russian oil :)(kill Saudi revenue)

I distrust Russia, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Here's to strange bedfellows!

[PISANO]

I firmly believe that if this situation existed in the United States and our President had to make the same decision as Putin did, he would be raked over the coals by the media for the death of the 67 hostages, not praised for saving 700. Am I wrong?

That being said I believe what Putin did was correct and SAVED LIVES. The people responsible for the 67 deaths were SOLELY the Islamic Terrorists.

[Aracelis]

"...the future of the terrorists is not enduring."

Very well said, and hopefully prophetic...

[MarMema]

ping

[IslandJeff]

Here's to strange bedfellows!

Cheers!

And thanks for the ping. Great speech - It's a new world out there...

[PatrickHenry]

Pretty straightforward speech. Rare for a politician. Well done.

[gcruse]

we don't recognise russia's problem with islamofascists,
just like we don't recognise Israel's problem with them either...

We should, and we should NOW.

Damned straight.