Russia's problemo
What Chechan terrorists did to Russia last week was beyond awful, and I'm happy to have Russia's full-fledged support in the fight against Islamic fundementalism, BUT...
I clearly remember many in America (myself included) supporting the Chechans in their fight in the early-90s to throw off Soviet, and then Russian, tyranny. As Andrew Sullivan points out...
I clearly remember many in America (myself included) supporting the Chechans in their fight in the early-90s to throw off Soviet, and then Russian, tyranny. As Andrew Sullivan points out...
the Chechnya situation strikes me as one in which the necessary distinction between terrorists' methods and the injustices that sometimes fuel them is not as iron-clad as, say, in our war against al Qaeda or against Saddam. The truth is: Putin has treated Chechnya barbarically, and his brutal suppression of legitimate demands for autonomy is partially responsible for the chaos in that region and the violence across Russia.
2 Comments:
Why is Andrew Sullivan siding with the terrorists? Why does he hate freedom so much?
Or at least this is how I remember the debate going when anyone even so much as suggested that there are root causes of terrorism beyond wanton evil.
I agree with Sullivan. But I also think it's worth looking at oh say how we've treated the Iraqis for the past 20 years and how that might affect whether or not a whole lot of them are willing to die to get us the hell out of their country. One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. That's something that we've very willfully forgotten over the past three years in an effort to demonize a tactic without acknowledging why that tactic has historically been used.
Just sayin'.
Someone should explain to me why Russia doesn't let Chechnya go. They seem like more of a pain then they are worth. But I guess now it's a matter of face. And the Chechnyans will probably still be pissed even when free. So I suppose this way they can keep a better eye on them.
But yeah, the Chechnyans sure aren't going for the world sympathy vote. If they just played nice and sucked up to some bleeding heart countries they'd be free in no time. Clearly it's not freedom they want. This is, obviously, in reference to the Terrorist types, not regular everyday Chechnyans who I'm sure are very nice.
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