Angry Putin rejects public Beslan inquiry

[G_j]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,2763,1298905,00.html

Angry Putin rejects public Beslan inquiry

Jonathan Steele in Moscow

Tuesday September 7, 2004
The Guardian

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, last night refused to order a public inquiry into how the Beslan school was captured by gunmen and then ended with such a high death toll, and told the Guardian that people who call for talks with Chechen leaders have no conscience.

"Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White House and engage in talks, ask him what he wants and give it to him so he leaves you in peace? Why don't you do that?" he said with searing sarcasm.

"You find it possible to set some limitations in your dealings with these bastards, so why should we talk to people who are childkillers?

"No one has a moral right to tell us to talk to childkillers," he added.
..more..

[Mr_Spock]

1. Nice that Dumbya has "given permission" to other leaders to do stupid

things and kill lots of people without having to deal with the consequences. Thanks Dumbya - why don't you do the world a favor and kill yourself.

[Rose Siding]

2. The rulers have all gone mad

He quotes Thatcher, loses his temper, hits something and so he must be a great leader?

snip>
Striking the table with the side of his right hand, he said there was no connection between Russian policies in Chechnya and the events in Beslan.

[Renew Deal]

9. That sounds like something Bush would say.

Up is down. Black is white.

[G_j]

11. becoming indignant

that he is being asked relevant questions.
Sounds like Bush alright.

As a side note:
It is reported that the goal of the people who took over the school was to create an all out war.
Putin says it will be war.

[USA_1]

3. Chechnya

Chechen government disavows attack:


http://www.chechenpress.info/english/news/2004/09/04/06.shtml



The Kremlin's racist Stalinist government has killed 25% of Chechnya's population according to Kavkaz and other Chechen sources.

By comparison, Saddam killed 1.1 % of Iraq's minority population. Bush and Blair condemned his actions but looked the other way at Putin and the Kremlin's horrendous actions even though they were FAR worse.

[LisaL]

4. Well, thank heaven for that.

Or would you like Bush to go to war with Russia now?
Unlike Saddam, Russia actually has nukes.
:eyes:

[Ohio rules]

5. From the article , Putin

"He said he would hold an internal inquiry into the Beslan tragedy, but not a public one. "I want to establish the chronicle of events and find out who is responsible and might be punished,"

But, I heard on the radio they didn't close the school and secure it like a crime scene. People just walking in and out,kicking debris,walking off with whatever.
go figger.

This is also from the article
IMO, Putin talks directly to the Whitehouse with this comment;

We will strengthen law enforcement by staffing the police with Chechens, and gradually withdraw our troops to barracks, and leave as small a contingent as we feel necessary, just like the US does in California and Texas," he said.

Is that sending a message or what ?

[stickdog]

6. Public inquiry? No. 9/11 Commission? No problem. (nt)

[IndianaGreen]

7. Any public inquiry will have to look at Putin's war in Chechnya

and the dismal performance of the Spetsnatz, the Russian special forces.

Analysis: Russia's Caucasus quagmire

By Dr Jonathan Eyal
Military analyst

Either way, it should have been clear from the start that, even if the Russian government ruled out a military assault on the school - as President Vladimir Putin now claims - preparations to storm the building at a moment's notice should have been ready.

Yet nothing of the kind appears to have been planned: when the explosions and shooting started, it caught the Russian military commanders completely by surprise.

The result was no less than 10 hours of shooting - just about the surest way of guaranteeing heavy casualties.

Ultimately, the Russian troops did what they know best: shoot in all directions with massive firepower, rather than execute the surgical strike required in such circumstances.

The result was that 40% of all the hostages were killed, and another 40% were injured, a staggering tally which is much worse than in any other mass hostage crisis in living memory.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3632332.stm

[slojim240]

8. Taking a page from Bush's play book. (9/11 Commission)

All dictators behave the same.

[Renew Deal]

10. That's exactly what I was thinking.

Putins answer is a non-answer. He didn't answer the question.

[Gin]

12. what does he mean with this statement?

{We will strengthen law enforcement by staffing the police with Chechens, and gradually withdraw our troops to barracks, and leave as small a contingent as we feel necessary, just like the US does in California and Texas," }he said.

[Minstrel Boy]

13. I think it's his way of saying

Chechnya is Russian territory, just as California and Texas are now American, though they hadn't always been. In other words, "Our union is as indivisible as yours, so mind your own business."

[Renew Deal]

14. It means that he's pissed at us.

What are we doing out there? It certainly is off the radar.

[shadu]

15. No one had more to gain from this than Putin

Did anyone really think he would allow an investigation?