Moscow ends ten-year war in Chechnya

Moscow ends ten-year war in Chechnya

www.rfi.fr

Russia has ended its ten-year "anti-terror operation" in the North Caucasus territory of Chechnya, declaring that it has won the war against separatist rebels in the majority-Muslim area.

"If the anti-terror operation is over, that means we have defeated the bandits," local pro-Moscow leader Razman Kadyrov declared at a celebratory press conference. "We can calmly announce our victory."

(visit the link for the full news article)


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Well Russia beat America to it.

They're pulling out of their Iraq and it has been long overdue. Chechnya's been bleeding the Russians out since 1991, and it's accomplished little in terms of national security, as the Moscow Theatre Siege, Beslan School Massacre, and Moscow Apartment bombings evidence, or regional stability in the Caucasus. There's still a number of separatist republics like Abkhazia, Ingushetia, South Ossetia, Dagestan and the Nagorn-Karabakh Republic, all vying for independence and still carrying out sporadic military action to achieve this aim.

Officially the Russians referred to their presence in Chechnya as a "Counter-Terrorist operation" but in all respects, it was a full-scale military occupation of Chechnya, much like Iraq is currently, but with far more sporadic outbreaks of combat.

It's worth nothing however, SOME Russian forces will remain behind, at President Kadyrov's insistence to maintain a capable "policing force" that Chechnya lacks currently. But as for any offensive military/counter-terrorist operations, those days are over.

Dmitry Medvedev has maintained Russia has completed all of it's objectives in Chechnya but those words are far from the truth.
Extra-judicial killings, assassinations, kidnappings and other aspects of a low-intensity conflict still plague Chechnya, as do the mysterious disappearances of anti-Kadyrov forces or politicians.
The Islamist Chechen insurgency is still far from decimated, although since 2000, Russia has assassinated virtually every Chechen Fundamentalist leader that posed a significant threat to them, many being killed on foreign soil like Qatar, or the UAE, causing significant international disputes for Russia.

The Chechens have at least accomplished what most other separatist Russian states haven't, they've made their peace with the Russians and settled for limited autonomy, instead of full-blown sovereignity.

Overall, it is a good move from Medvedev, who seems to be opposing former President Putin's hardline stance on Chechnya so far.

www.rfi.fr
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 17/4/09 by The Godfather of Conspira]

Very good post.
Thanks for posting this. It's very informative. It is interesting to note that this really does not get much press in the west nor does the Chinese with their issues on their western and south western territories when dealing with a similar situation.

reply to post by SLAYER69


I'll admit I hadn't heard a word of this until I caught a 2 minute segment of it on the news about an hour ago.

I think it's self-explanatory why the MSM don't bother picking it up.

Obama proposes a possible exit date and suddenly everyone's up in arms like he's solved Iraq & Afghanistan once and for all.

Meanwhile Russia has actually existed Chechnya and left intact a relatively stable, central government that has the power to control it's territory without Russia assistance now, and still not a peep from the MSM.

Russia: like living in the middle of a hundred Nicaragua's bent
on expansion with Che leaders and Reagan on Olie off somewhere
selling guns meant for Mexico drug lords.

Or something like that.

Rural and non industrialized lands don't need outsiders but
usually trade for pots and pans that they don't make.

Russia trading with Abkhazia, Ingushetia, South Ossetia, Dagestan and the Nagorn-Karabakh Republic is like America trading pots and pans to
the Indians just to get at their oil and gas and mineral reserves.

If not why would they even bother to go there.

While I'm glad they've managed to quell the Chechnya problem to the point that they can feasibly say "it's over" and get to the part of re-construction... actually saying it is a bit of a mistake.

I mean, here you have a good number of Chechnya rebels who feel their cause is over, they're still pretty angry, barely willing to accept defeat... and their opponent just came out saying "Guess what everyone, we win!"

Might just be enough to make a few broken hearts burn.




But either way, glad to hear they feel it's quiet enough now to declare it over.

reply to post by johnsky


I know what you're saying, that this may embolden the Chechen separatists and give them a perceived weakness to attack, but they are basically now a cause without a crown.

Shamil Basayev, Zelimkhan Yanderbiyev, Dokhar Dudayev, and all the major Chechen thorns in Russia's behind have been taken out, and along with them all the major Arab contributors to the Chechen Insurgency, Ibn Al-Khattab and Abu Al-Walid.

There's just no central organising force behind most of the radical, Islamist Chechen forces which proved to be so deadly just a decade ago and that's their main weakness.

Without inspirational leaders the Chechens simply disband, and right now all the current Chechen regional leaders and the President are all overwhelmingly Pro-Moscow and anti-separatist.

Originally posted by The Godfather of Conspira
Well Russia beat America to it.

In all honesty I cannot say that I am optimistic about what is happening at Chechnya and about its future. While the separatists are gone, the region is now ruled by another warlord, who is nonetheless loyal to Moscow (for now). But know Kadyrov, I am very uneasy about his iron fisted rule of the province. He is a thug at heart, and he loves power.

Maybe I am wrong, but the Chechnya affair is not done. It is dormant - and how long it will remain so no one knows. As long as Moscow continues supplying Kadyrov with money perhaps?


Defeating the terrorists and the warlords in Chechnya was no doubt a positive step though, and should be a lesson to others facing an insurgency. The lesson is that you cannot occupy the rebel region and introduce your own ideals there. What you need to do is bait over the most people to your side, even if they are old enemies, and let them have some autonomy in ruling but with careful oversight.

Originally posted by The Godfather of Conspira
Officially the Russians referred to their presence in Chechnya as a "Counter-Terrorist operation" but in all respects, it was a full-scale military occupation of Chechnya, much like Iraq is currently, but with far more sporadic outbreaks of combat..

Well Chechnya has been a part of Russia since the 18th century, and prior to that it has never even been one sovereign country - but a collection of militant tribes.

Iraq on the other hand has no common history with the US, and has been a sovereign nation prior to the occupation. So the two have major differences.

Looking back it now of course it would have been better for Russia to let Chechnya go. Too much blood has been spilled to justify any goals, and much of the fault lies on recklessness of Yeltsin. The US should have been much wiser than that drunk fool, but Bush proved that fact otherwise.

Originally posted by The Godfather of Conspira
Overall, it is a good move from Medvedev, who seems to be opposing former President Putin's hardline stance on Chechnya so far.

Actually it appears to be a continuation of Putin's long-term goals. Putin's actions in Chechnya were innitially hardline, during the Second Chechen War and immediate aftermath. Ever since 2003 however these actions have been gradually winding down. Control of province was transfered to Kadyrov years ago, and the Federal troops have been gradually pulling out since 2003.

Medvedev didn't really introduce any significant changes to the way things are run in Chechnya, but just continued the previous momentum of gradual granting of control to Chechens.




The key to the whole deal remains Moscow's close relations with Chechen leader Kadyrov. Without a hardline leader like that in Chechnya, things might have been otherwise. So in a way Kadyrov is as much a blessing as he is a curse.

Perhaps that is what the US really needs in Iraq. A hardline but loyal leader, who knows how to keep the region quiet. Introducing Western ideals and "real democracy" is as good as lost cause - this goes double for Afghanistan.

victory?,what victory? all theyve done is massacre the chechnyan population and committed henious crimes against them.

the whole war was a sham designed to act as popularist vote winner to the somewhat over militaristc russians.

what do you think litvenenko was killed for?,he knew things about chechnya, im not sure what but it will probably be some form of smuggling knowing the shinanigans of the russian military whove smuggled all kindsa things across the world.