A martyr in the "war against terror"? Russian Pvt. Yevgeny Rodionov, 19, was killed in capitivy in Chechnya in 1996. (pic) Today, there is a folk movement to have him venerated as a saint. Another unusual diversion in the complex and uneasy dance between the church and the right wing in Russia.

(Warning: last link includes poorly-disguised swastika; English text by Boris Badenov)
posted on Nov 27, 2003 - View this thread

Should majorities also have a say? Why doesn't Russia get to vote on Chechen independence? Why can't Britain vote on expelling Northern Ireland ... or the English on Scottish devolution? Should minorities be allowed to hold a gun to the heads of the majority?
posted on Nov 4, 2002 - View this thread

Chechen Rebels to be buried in pigskin It seems that the Russian security forces have decided that burying the Chechens in pig's skin will keep future Islamic terrorists from following suit in the attacks in a theater a little over a week ago. Instead of immediately going to 'heaven', the terrorists would preventing from doing so forever. sorry for the short link, just thought the headline was niche-y enough...
posted on Nov 4, 2002 - View this thread

Gunmen hold about 700 hostage in Moscow theater Gunfire has been heard from a Moscow theatre where about 20 armed gunmen are reported to be holding the audience, believed to be about 700 people, hostage. More: Muslim members of the audience ... were also allowed to leave, Interfax said.
posted on Oct 23, 2002 - View this thread

The Ultimatum has been delivered to the UN... This conflict, simmering for over ten years is about to erupt. "In strict accordance with international law," unilatteral military action is imminent unless demands are met. Animosity has been mounting steadily for months, and Russia is ready to invade Georgia. "No one can deny today, and for ourselves we are certain, that Georgian territory is sheltering both those who are implicated in the attacks on the United States and a direct operative involved in the attacks on housing units in Russia," Mr. Putin said on Russian television, echoing the logic U.S. President George W. Bush has used to rally international support for a pre-emptive strike on Iraq. The United States said it would not support Mr. Putin if he carried out his threat to attack Chechen rebel bases in Georgia, and slammed him for suggesting he might. "The United States strongly supports Georgia's territorial integrity and would oppose any unilateral military action by Russia inside Georgia," a U.S. State Department spokesman said. This all seems rather hypocritical, business as usual new world order politics: Is the price of getting UN Security Council approval on Iraq going to be public and secret deals, and is this really about the Chechens, or about breakaway republics and Caspian Sea oil? And what about China? Will we rubberstamp their ambitions re: Taiwan, Spratley Islands, Mongolia? And finally, why Georgia? I know they put up a two-bit Olympics and never caught that one terrorist bomber, but really, Georgia?
posted on Sep 13, 2002 - View this thread

Captures from a video of an attack on a Taliban BMP. All I have to say is "holy crap." Graphic. Interesting. Discuss amongst yourselves.
posted on Jan 25, 2002 - View this thread

US/Russia Strike Reciprocal Deal on Tactical Nuclear Weapons Deployment In Afghanistan and Chechnya From Debka.com, Israeli site "approved" by USA Today. Does anyone know how credible Debka really is? Over the last few weeks, they've reported some interesting things, sometimes first, sometimes alone.
posted on Oct 6, 2001 - View this thread