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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Nukes Will Not Be Used |
| 2004-10-19 |
| Following the Beslan tragedy last month, Russian officials began threatening to attack Chechen rebel sympathizers and representatives abroad. Last week, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, who was attending a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Poiana Brasov, Romania, said that Russia would launch pre-emptive strikes against terrorists worldwide, but would stop short of using nuclear weapons. Hours later, the first "pre-emptive strike" occurred in London. The homes of exiled Chechen rebel envoy Akhmed Zakayev and former Federal Security Service officer Alexander Litvinenko were attacked with Molotov cocktails. Zakayev is the chief representative of Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov in the West. Litvinenko has in the past accused the FSB of carrying out the 1999 bombings of Moscow apartment buildings in order to create a pretext for invading Chechnya and of plotting to kill Boris Berezovsky. Zakayev, Litvinenko and Berezovsky have been granted political asylum in Britain. The arson attacks damaged property, but no one was injured and no arrests have been made. Boris Labusov, the official spokesman for the Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR, ruled out any SVR involvement. Technically, Labusov may be telling the truth, but the SVR is not the only branch of Russia's intelligence services operating abroad. In Qatar, two officers of the General Staff's Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU, were convicted for a car bombing in February that killed former Chechen rebel leader Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #15 Seeing this discussion reminds me of something I've wondered about since 9/11: If the Mafia (in all of its guises and forms) has the power that it pretends to have, why hasn't *it* taken action against Islamofascists where governments and civillians have lacked the willpower to do so? |
| Posted by: Crusader 2004-10-19 7:16:06 PM |
| #14 "I'm coming out. I see anybody and I'm gonna kill him. Any son-of-a-bitch takes a shot at me, I'm not only gonna kill him, I'm gonna kill his wife and all his friends and burn his damn house down. Nobody better shoot!" |
| Posted by: John Simmins 2004-10-19 4:43:31 PM |
| #13 Fair enough SPoD, then the Russians should ice his family and friends. Whether they go further than that (friends of friends, cousins etc) is up to them. |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2004-10-19 3:38:46 PM |
| #12 A muslim rat out another muslim. Rat out a muslim family member. Not going to happen. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-10-19 11:48:11 AM |
| #11 Dennisw: âExample: Zarkawi murders right and left and hacks off people's heads. His people slaughter 30 at a clip with car bombs. Yet his family lives an undisturbed life in Jordan.â Yes, I donât understand it. The US may be too squeamish for a âmafiaâ approach at this stage of the WoT, but other world players arenât. Even individuals could seek revenge against Zarkawiâs family. Perhaps his family is closely monitored in the hope that they will lead to Zarkawi. SPOD: âIn Zarkawi's case he is a pathological murderer/sociopathic murder and would not likely be effected by such a series of actions.â Perhaps Zarkawi wouldnât be affected but Iâd be willing to give it a try. It might deter other potential terrorists. Or it might make family members more willing to restrain or report their relatives. |
| Posted by: Anonymous5032 2004-10-19 11:00:33 AM |
| #10 I'm glad Kery has not volunteered to take nukes off the table. Probably because he hasn't thought of it. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2004-10-19 9:55:23 AM |
| #9 #7 SPoD, how'bout body parts of Zarqawi himself. Do you think that may resolve this matter adequately? |
| Posted by: Conanista 2004-10-19 8:34:02 AM |
| #8 Howard read the Grauniad with his tea this morning. |
| Posted by: Mickey Silvester 2004-10-19 8:11:45 AM |
| #7 Howard? You got something in your throat? Well I am pretty sure the old KGB knew how to terrorise terrorists. If I recall it did entail using influnce over the lives/body parts of close relations. In Zarkawi's case he is a pathological murderer/sociopathic murder and would not likely be effected by such a series of actions. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-10-19 7:07:37 AM |
| #6 aherm... |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-10-19 6:19:30 AM |
| #5 No reports of these Chechens having their homes firebombed in the UK press? Bulldog - hear owt? This is precisely why we have a system of political asylum - to prevent barbaric acts being perpetrated against individuals should they return to their own country. Being a force for good in the world makes me proud to be British. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-10-19 6:19:08 AM |
| #4 The obvious question is how do you terrorize the Muslim terrorists? They know how to reach civilized peoples without spending great sums of money. How do we reach them? One way would be to track down their families and lay into them. Example: Zarkawi murders right and left and hacks off people's heads. His people slaughter 30 at a clip with car bombs. Yet his family lives an undisturbed life in Jordan. |
| Posted by: dennisw 2004-10-19 6:06:13 AM |
| #3 If they even suspected the Breslan atrocity and did nothing to stop it I hope some does use a spoon to remove their eyes and then scoop their brains out. Death to all the %&*@ing Chechen terrorsits and anyone who supports or has supported them. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-10-19 5:46:08 AM |
| #2 Nice strategy: "We will destroy you, but not with any of the 5,000 nukes we have on hand. We have spoons. Spoons are enough for you." |
| Posted by: beer_me 2004-10-19 3:25:01 AM |
| #1 What a strange article. It's point is that Russia says it will retaliate against terrorists up to but not including nukes. Then it tries to sell the idea that the Russian's first "pre-emptive strike" was with Molotov cocktails!?? *snicker* Me thinks the idea of Beslan revenge seems a bit more *ahem* logical. Zakayev, Litvinenko and Berezovsky have been granted political asylum in Britain. For heavens sakes, why???? very strange piece. |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-10-19 3:23:14 AM |