At first, the Russians did support us. Then the Bush Administration supported the Chechyans and the other breakaway muslim states, and that was the end of the Russian support for the US position. The US position was not very well thought out.
All they did was reluctantly share intel with us while supporting such odious regimes as Syria, Iran and Iraq. And it was not Bush but Clinton admin that supported the Chechen rebels. Under Bush it was the Foggy Bottom clintonites that continued receiving the Chechen reps for a while. It gradually fizzled out. We also pissed the Russians bad when we bombed the Serbs. But that was Clinton again. Now is the time to bury the hatchets and face the common enemy together. Russia has a 20 mln. strong muslim population and is almost surrounded by muslim nations where the wahhabi ideology is taking root slowly but surely. Russia will not be able to stand alone. It is only going to get worse. They will have to wake up and see who there real enemies are. When push comes to shove, who are they gonna rely on, France, China, Germany?
Everything is Bush's fault when you're a dirty traitor, or a commie scumbag.
When Ivan stops supporting Iran, then we'll come to the table. Until then, forget it.
Well said....Colin Powell and the State department apparently met with Basayev's gang in Washington a couple of weeks before the Beslan Massacre. This was the incident that provoked Putin's infamous "Why don't you invite Bin Laden for talks?" comment. Under Powell, the State Department was an extension of the Arab lobby in the US. Things have changed a lot under Dr. Rice. Thank God for Condoleza Rice.