tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post7622226826370924847..comments2024-03-27T08:40:31.785-06:00Comments on Clayton Cramer.: Ron PaulClayton Cramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03258083387204776812noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-30064064259879099492012-01-01T19:06:01.613-07:002012-01-01T19:06:01.613-07:00Well... If you divide U.S. politics into socialist...Well... If you divide U.S. politics into socialist, theoconservative, paleoconservative, and libertarian factions, it makes some tactical sense for the two weakest factions (paleoconservative and libertarian) to form a temporary alliance.<br /><br />On the other hand, you can make a plausible case that a theoconservative--libertarian alliance is more natural.Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04720409839023747889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-87698402513592659202011-12-30T08:33:57.970-07:002011-12-30T08:33:57.970-07:00I am aware of Russian atrocities in Chechnya, but ...I am aware of Russian atrocities in Chechnya, but as I said, it isn't because of Soviet actions in Afghanistan in the 1980s, but the war in Chechnya. The Russians have certainly done just about everything possible wrong to aggravate the war. The U.S. has at times expressed concern about Russian actions on this (including after the theater hostage taking), but I can see why Chechnyan crimes (such as what happened at Beslan) makes the Russians uninclined to listen.Clayton Cramerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03258083387204776812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403883562053852.post-64769326517827270282011-12-29T22:44:02.452-07:002011-12-29T22:44:02.452-07:00Actually, Chechnyan involvement in terrorism is bl...Actually, Chechnyan involvement in terrorism <i>is</i> blowback - against the incredibly brutal Russian reconquest of Chechnya in 1999-2000.<br /><br />Chechnya gained de facto independence in 1996. Russian supremacists such as Putin never accepted this. In 1999, nearly 300 Russians were killed by apartment bombings blamed on Chechen terrorists, but there is considerable evidence that the bombings were staged by Russian security forces.<br /><br />With the bombings as an excuse, the Russian army invaded Chechnya. The invasion resulted in huge civilian casualties from indiscriminate bombing and shelling by Russian forces, and from the personal brutality of Russian troops, poorly disciplined, often drunk, and venomously prejudiced against Chechens. (Many incidents of murder, rape, looting, and extortion by Russian troops have been documented.)<br /><br />However, no one seemed to care except some jihadist Moslems.<br /><br />Chechen responses included the Moscow theater takeover in 2002. 139 hostages died - but only one was killed by the Chechens. The rest were killed by the knockout gas used by Russian security forces. Foreigners who were present (including some surviving hostages) say that the Chechens wanted to release non-Russian hostages, but Russian security forces would not let them. Also, the Russians would not tell anyone what gas they used, even embassy doctors who came to treat gassed hostages from their countries.<br /><br />The blowback from Chechnya has hit the U.S. Many Chechen exiles were drawn into the trans-national jihadist movement, and some ended up fighting the U.S. in Iraq. Marine officer Nathaniel Fick encountered fair-skinned, red-bearded Chechen fighters in Fallujah.<br /><br />Incidentally, while the 'false flag' claim about the apartment bombings may resemble Truther fantasies about 9/11, there's a big difference. Several prominent people who pushed the 'false flag' story have been murdered, including Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko (killed with polonium), journalist Anna Politovskaya, and Duma Member Sergei Yushenkov.<br /><br />I don't excuse all the things Chechens have done. But it's pretty clear they have been very badly treated, and that all they really want is for Russia to leave them alone.Rich Rostromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13262703348236110420noreply@blogger.com