Russian Oil worries, sign of things to come?BBC

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_577000/577525.stm

Sunday, 26 December, 1999, 23:51 GMT A Chechen view of Russia's war

(photo) A pall of smoke gathers over Grozny as Russia attacks

By Dr Aslambek Kadiev There are two main reasons for the two wars which Russia has launched against Chechnya.

The first is economic: Russia wants to control the Caucasus oilfields and pipeline routes.

The second is connected with the political situation in Russia, and particularly inside the Kremlin.

The political purpose of the first Chechen war was to increase Boris Yeltsin's popularity and get him re-elected president in 1996.

The main aim of this second war is to ensure that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a former spy and President Yeltsin's anointed heir, becomes president at the next elections.

(photo) Chechen refugees in Ingushetia watch Russian guns en route for Chechnya The apartment bombings in Russian cities early this year were used by Russia to justify its invasion. Moscow blamed Chechens for these terrorist attacks.

The Chechen Government offered to co-operate in the arrest and extradition of suspects if the Russian authorities could provide evidence to support their claims.

But the Chechens received no response, no co-operation and no evidence.

The bombings are therefore comparable to the burning of the Reichstag in Nazi times, or Stalin's assassination of his rival, Kirov - which he then used as a pretext for repression and the usurpation of power.

It is still unclear who carried out the bomb attacks in Russian cities, but all the world knows who bombs Chechen civilians in cities, towns and villages. Even hospitals, schools and public markets are under attack.

International mechanisms

The unprecedented ultimatum to citizens to get out of Grozny or to be destroyed as if they were bandits, amounts to terrorism conducted by the state.

The international community can stop this war. There are international mechanisms and political institutions which proved themselves effective in resolving crises in East Timor, Bosnia and Kosovo.

(photo) Chechnya's huge beech forests are a refuge for rebel fighters From these institutions and the international community, Russia must get a clear message: it cannot continue the war in Chechnya because this is a war against civilians and the Chechen people. Russia is contravening the Geneva Convention by committing a mass violation of human rights.

It is a war that is dangerous not only for Chechnya, but also for Russia itself, as it could affect the way the country develops. Will Russia remain a democratic state or will it become another nationalist or fascist state?

Now there is a chance to establish peace in Chechnya and to save Russia as a civilised country. Later on it will be much more difficult.

Force renounced

After the humiliating defeat of the Russian army in Chechnya in 1996, a ceasefire was signed, which paved the way for a peace agreement signed on 12 May 1997 by Boris Yeltsin and the Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov.

Both sides agreed to renounce the use of force or the threat of force in resolving disputes, and to conduct relations within the framework of international law.

After that, the Chechen president and government have tried constantly to establish a dialogue with the Russian president and government on many issues, including the subject of fighting terrorism. The Russians refused to respond.

The Chechen Government is willing to negotiate a solution to the conflict.

But if Russia will not negotiate, Chechnya will continue to fight until the last Russian soldier leaves Chechnya. Search BBC News Online Advanced search options BBC ONE TV NEWS WORLD NEWS SUMMARY

See also: 26 Dec 99 | Europe Russians advance into Grozny 24 Oct 99 | Europe The first bloody battle for Grozny 24 Dec 99 | Europe In pictures: Chechen conflict

Internet links: Chechen Republic Online Russian Government Kavkaz Centre (Chechen war reports in Russian)

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Links to other Europe stories are at the foot of the page.

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), December 27, 1999

Answers

The West will not intervene because Russia has nukes. Yeltsin pointedly reminded us of this. During the war in Kosovo, Vuk Draskovic- more reptilian than Milosevic, if that is possible- remarked that there would have been no Nato intervention if Serbia had nuclear weapons. If China attacks Taiwan, the US will abandon them despite our pledges, or face nuclear war.

Th UN and its interventionism has been a fig leaf for American power for 50 years. The unwriiten agreement is that the big boys, that is, nuclear powers with regional hegemonic interests, never fight directly against each other, but by proxy, hence Vietnam et al. When a nation goes nuclear, it escapes the threat of outside intervention by America through its UN puppet regime. This is why so many small nations are scrambling to achieve WMD potential.

We will no more help Chechnya than the Russians would intevene if we invade Colombia, which it appears we are doing in slow Vietnam like style. ( I hereby dub the coming misadventure "Yuppienam.")

-- Forrest Covington (theforrest@mindspring.com), December 27, 1999.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ