The Children of Beslan

Wall Street Journal ^ | September 7, 2004 | Editorial

[OESY]

...The official death toll at School No. 1 in Beslan stood yesterday at 335, more than one-tenth the number who died in the terrorist attacks on America three years ago this week.... Before their slaughter, by rigged explosives or sniper fire, their captors denied them so much as a sip of water.

The depravity of this is hard to believe, but believe it we must. For it is the new reality of this current age in which innocents are specifically targeted by Muslim terrorists in the name of some Islamic cause. In Russia, the murderers were Chechens, aided by Arabs believed to be allied with al Qaeda. And so the children of Beslan join the ranks of other victims of Islamic terror -- in a Moscow theater, a Bali nightclub, a Karachi church, and the Twin Towers of New York.

In the face of such horror, who can offer up any shred of justification? Yet that is precisely what has happened in the wake of every terrorist event the world has seen in recent years. By such lights, terrorism is viewed as a political act, intended to draw sympathetic attention to a cause -- in this case the brutal Russian occupation of Chechnya.

Post-9/11, there were those who "explained" the attacks by blaming U.S. policy in the Mideast as behind the "desperation" of the hijackers. After the Madrid bombings, half the Spanish electorate effectively blamed their nation's participation in the war in Iraq by voting out the government that supported the U.S. In the wake of every suicide bombing in Israel, that country's policy on Palestinians is deemed responsible in many quarters, especially in Europe. Post-Beslan, who is prepared to blame the children?

...

[Rutles4Ever]

who is prepared to blame the children?

Were they Republican children? It must've been their policy towards Israel. Did the children help create jobs? Were they "anti-Choice"? Did they get deferments?

[eno_]

...it is the new reality of this current age in which innocents are specifically targeted by Muslim terrorists in the name of some Islamic cause.

Islam = barbarism. Islam does not deserve to survive as a major religion. It should be consigned to obscurity or outright extinction, just as the worshipers of Baal and the Aztec "gods" are no longer present to conduct their bloody sacrifices.

[OESY]

An injured schoolgirl who escaped from the seized Russian school holds a cross in her hand in a hospital in Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia Friday, Sept. 3, 2004. Commandos stormed a school Friday in southern Russia where hundreds of hostages had been held for three days, sending hostage-takers and their captives fleeing in a scene of chaos amid explosions and gunfire. More than 100 children were wounded in the assault, some running from the building naked and covered in blood. (AP Photo/Musa Sadulayev)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

A powerful picture. Wonder how many American newspapers printed it ?

[apackof2]

Is it possible to print the whole article?

You have to "subscribe" before you can read ENTIRE article

[Redbob]

Maybe they were Republican children; if so, they deserved what they got since their ancestors fed hundreds of millions of blacks to the sharks following the slave ships, so many that the sharks still remember it and follow the same routes today...
</sarcasm>

[beckett]

C'mon! Excerpted articles that require subscription (payment) should not be posted on FR!

[Redbob]

The last line is perhaps the best:

"Nearly all nationalist movements -- from the American revolutionaries to the Irish Republican Army -- have had enough restraint to avoid the systematic murder of children. But there is something dysfunctional within the soul of modern Islam and its supporters that deems such depravity acceptable. Perhaps after Beslan more of the world, and especially much more of the Islamic world, will begin acknowledging this as the deadly poison it is."

Does anyone here expect to hear much condemnation from "the Islamic world?"

[OESY]

I spend some time each weekday trying to distill articles that have a unique point of view -- some controversial, some not. Judging by the number of "views," there is an appetite for a quick read that delivers the essence of the author's position. You may disagree, but may I suggest that you avoid Wall Street Journal posts in the future to limit your disappointment? Else, subscribe -- it's easy and not costly for those who want the full article.

[marty60]

but believe it we must. For it is the new reality of this current age in which innocents are specifically targeted by Muslim terrorists in the name of some Islamic cause. In Russia, the murderers were Chechens, aided by Arabs believed to be allied with al Qaeda. And so the children of Beslan join the ranks of other victims of Islamic terror -- in a Moscow theater, a Bali nightclub, a Karachi church, and the Twin Towers of New York. In the face of such horror, who can offer up any shred of justification?

"but believe it we must": Yes reality is a bitch, GW is NOT the problem, he has been fighting this War with only the American PEOPLE on his side.

"Name of some Islamisc Cause" Hello....idots in the media, THEY WANT TO KILL US"

Who can offer up any shred of justification" Apparently you haven't been paying attention to the skerry/eddie campaign. According to skerry GW is the justification. Not even the laundery list of atrocities, can get through the thick heads of the commie/fascist/socialist/evil dums.

[marty60]

Only the commie/fascist/socialist/dumb media would equate the Islamofascist terrorist to the american Revolution. What sickos

[Cronos]

GW is NOT the problem, he has been fighting this War with only the American PEOPLE on his side.

Actually that is incorrect -- the Russians have been fighting the War on their own and so have the Indians and the Israelies. What needs to be done is that all these combatants should form an alliance

[marty60]

I'm specifically talking about IN the United States. Many many brave countries have been helping us fight this menace. No thanks to the dums or the idiot media in this country.

[beckett]

When I want you to act as my editor I'll tell you. Otherwise post complete articles from subscription services or don't post them at all.

[monday]

"You may disagree, but may I suggest that you avoid Wall Street Journal posts in the future to limit your disappointment?"

Put WSJ after the title so people who want to can avoid them, or else quit posting from WSJ.

[OESY]

When I want you to act as my editor I'll tell you. Otherwise post complete articles from subscription services or don't post them at all.

If I could, I would -- and had been. You should know that a couple of months ago, FR started to enforce its excerpting rules for the WSJ, NY Post, etc. to avoid lawsuits. It was explained to me that Jim does not have deep pockets for defending against such suits from media organizations so it is necessary to limit excerpts to 300 words, presumably by mutual consent with the complaining media.

If you had ever attempted to post, in service to others, an article from a media outlet on the list (the admin moderator can furnish the link to you), you would know that it is impossible to post an article greater than 300 words from a source where the excerpting rules apply. The consequence is an excerpt of 300- words or nothing. Now go play in the street.

[Cronos]

I'm specifically talking about IN the United States. Many many brave countries have been helping us fight this menace. No thanks to the dums or the idiot media in this country.

oh, I'm sorry. I agree with you 100% on that -- and that's why I'm trying to drum it into everyone's head that we've GOT to vote. wE can't take it easy or sKerry may sneak in.

[marty60]

Thank God for our talented admin mods. They are great. Sure have helped me in tight spots.

[marty60]

I just heard Sabato on fox explaining that the 52 Bush 43 Skerry poll is probably the most acurate. He opied that the polls will probably tighen a little, but he expected a Big Bush WIN.