Posted on 10/28/2002 6:02:16 PM PST by blam
Putin tells army to take tougher line in Chechnya
By Julius Strauss in Moscow
(Filed: 29/10/2002)
President Vladimir Putin ordered his generals yesterday to draw up new measures to deal with the Chechen threat hours after the rebel republic's leader offered unconditional talks.
President Putin: 'Russia will never give in to blackmail' After Russia observed a minute's silence in memory of the Moscow theatre siege victims, Mr Putin addressed the nation. He said: "Russia will never make any deals with terrorists and will never give in to blackmail.
"If anyone tries to use such methods against our country Russia will retaliate with appropriate measures against terrorists and their ideological and financial backing wherever that may be."(Look out Saudia Arabia?)
His words reflected widespread popular rage after the Chechens' raid on the theatre, which left at least 115 hostages and 50 rebels dead.
Almost all the deaths were caused by an unknown gas pumped through the ventilation system to stop the gunmen detonating explosives.
The Chechens had been demanding a withdrawal of Russian troops from the Caucausian republic.
But Mr Putin made no reference to a renewed offer by Aslan Maskhadov, the fugitive Chechen leader, to hold "unconditional" talks on the status of the republic.
"We can only solve it politically," Akhmed Zakayev, a senior envoy of Mr Maskhadov, told the World Chechen Congress, which opened in Copenhagen despite Russian protests.
"President Maskhadov, as before, is ready without any preconditions to sit at the negotiating table. It is up to the Russian leadership," he said. But Russia is in little mood to negotiate with Mr Maskhadov, whom it describes as a terrorist.
Mr Putin's words were backed by news of a fresh operation in Chechnya to flush out pockets of rebels.
Despite the deaths of the hostages Mr Putin has come out of the crisis more popular than ever. Newspapers trumpeted the success of the raid and Muscovites praised his bravery and decisiveness.
There was virtually no criticism of the use of gas and few harsh words about the bungled operations after the raid.
The attack has handed Mr Putin the high moral ground in a propaganda war against Chechen separatists which he had appeared to be losing.
It has also given him carte blanche with the Russian people to initiate a more determined assault in Chechnya to try to wipe out rebel resistance.
In Moscow yesterday huge electronic billboards displayed part of Mr Putin's address to the nation last Saturday in which he called for national unity.
The careful mix of regret and quiet determination that Mr Putin has displayed has struck a chord with Russians across the social spectrum.
"We were unable to save them all," one read in pink letters on a black background. "Forgive us. Let the memory of the dead unite us."(I'm recalling when the Russians took Berlin in WW2)
Yulia Voronovich, a housewife, said in an upmarket shopping centre in Moscow: "In terms of the casualties it was a partial success. But in terms of the operation it was a resounding victory.
"For Putin personally it is a great success and I think all Russians realise that. If the special forces had not gone in I think all the hostages would have been killed."
The newspapers almost unanimously praised the special forces, in stark contrast with last week when letter columns were full of criticism of the government.
One Moscow daily had the headline: "At last we have something to be proud of."
In Red Square, just re-opened to the public, a street trader, Georgi Blophin, 37, was selling paintings of traditional Russian winter scenes.
He said: "The special forces were perfect, though the medical rescue doesn't seem to have been very well organised. I think this was Putin's only choice, otherwise it would have been much worse."
But perhaps the greatest tribute to the president came from Nika Chernetsov, a 21-year-old, newly-wed student whose husband, Danuila, is still among the missing.
With tears welling up in her eyes she said: "There was only one possibility. They had to kill the terrorists and save as many people as possible.
"Even if it means I have had to sacrifice my husband I still say what they did was right."
Never hear that in this country...Earlier today some imbecile was actually trying to describe this as the Russian equivalent to Waco".
Libs *sigh*
LOL! These Islamic idiots must be incredible stupid to piss off both countries that have 99.9% of all nukes on the planet.
The people of the world are growing impatient with Islamic terrorists. The only thing standing between them and hell is our forbearance--and that is growing thin--very thin.
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