You are right, and Solzhenitsyn notes that the Chechens were the only subjugated minority who continued to resist Stalin.
However, with their actions now, the Chechens have abrogated all right to consideration of their demands or even to treatment as human beings, AFAIC. The correct tactic for them, in the aftermath of the breakup of the USSR, was to have taken the long view and begun political agitation for their independence while building credibility with the rest of the world - and meanwhile renouncing terrorism and reining in their extremists.
Instead, they have now gotten themselves in a position where if Russia were to obliterate the entire region with a nuclear assault, the biggest complaint would be for the spread of radiation outside the area. Moreover, unlike al Quaida, they comprise an identifiable geopolitical region, and therefore are targetable as such.
Dumb move, Chechens... REAL dumb...
The point is that we are now staring down the long tunnel of fixing a whole bunch of wrong moves, starting with Russia's invasion of the region, and ending with "Chechnyanisation".
And we (America) are going to have to do it to assist people who not only refused to help us in Iraq, but actually helped the Iraqis against us, before and AFTER we overthrew Saddam.
Most of Chechens emigrated to the Russian cities in search of better life - those Chechens are not a problem.
The remaining segment of Chechen population will be the most traditional and will be happy to live in their remote mountains without bothering their neighbors.