Re: Israel pushing for Kurdish state? -

[Chris Doss <lookoverhere1@xxxxxxxxx>]

>
> The terrorist "theory" is that by blowing things up,
> the powers
> that be will crack down and alienate the population,
> so that
> the population will join the insurgent movement.
> Specifically
> in Iraq, it's supposed to show that the US hasn't
> brought order
> to the country. The hope is that the people will
> blame the US
> for the killings.

Wouldn't the most logical reaction be to hate both
parties involved? That seems to be the reaction in
Chechnya and the Caucasus. Basayev and Maskhadov have
near-zero street cred, as far as I can tell, as does
the pro-Kremlin government.

BTW I found this interview with Kadyrov, the head of
the pro-Kremlin security force and son of the recently
assassintade president of Chechnya, to be quite
interesting. Man does he come across like a badass
mo-fo. I wouldn't want to mess with him. Translated
from Russian.

Ramzan Kadyrov Quizzed on Ingushetia Raid, Backing for
Alkhanov, Russian Troops
Moscow Moskovskiy Komsomolets in Russian 15 Jul 04 p 4

[Interview with [Chechen First Vice Premier] Ramzan
Kadyrov by Irina Kuksenkova, datelined
Tsentoroy-Moscow; date not specified: "The Heir.
Ramzan Kadyrov in Exclusive Interview with Moskovskiy
Komsomolets: 'I Always Wanted To Secure Freedom for
Myself and All My Fellow Countrymen'" -- taken from
HTML version of source provided by ISP]

Tsentoroy-Moscow -- [passage omitted comprising
introductory paragraphs]  "Ramzan Kadyrov will give
Moskovskiy Komsomolets an interview.  At his home in
Tsentoroy," I was told during a telephone call from an
official in the Chechen president's security service.

  He met me in the evening at Mineralnyye Vody
Airport.  [passage omitted on journey to Tsentoroy,
describing Ramzan Kadyrov's home, noting Kadyrov's
preliminary remarks about his love for Groznyy, hopes
for Chechnya]

  [Kuksenkova]  Let us return to recent events in
Ingushetia.  Why did the gunmen attack Nazran, what
statement did they want make in doing this?

  [Kadyrov]  They did not want to make any statement.
They needed weapons, they took them and off they went.
 That is logical...  This blunder represents weakness
on the part of the Ingushetian leadership.  Devils
[shaytany] are at work there in the police (Ramzan
describes "corrupt cops" as devils -- author's note).
A conference of Caucasus peoples was recently held in
Sochi and attended by Putin.  At the time I told
[Ingushetian President] Murat Zyazikov:  Get a move
on, there are said to be many devils in your republic,
we have begun seeing similar sentiments and movements
from you.  He said that he would work on it...  None
of the republics in the Caucasus wants anarchy at
home.  After all, where there are Wahhabites, there is
always bloodshed, that is written in the Koran.  This
happened in Ingushetia due to breaches in state
structures.  And the same thing will happen in
Dagestan.  They have loads of devils there.  In
Chechnya the gunmen do not have many opportunities at
present because we have really piled the pressure on
them.  And we have good leaders now.

  [Kuksenkova]  Which gunmen attacked Nazran that
night?

  [Kadyrov]  "Magas" (that is his call sign) was in
command, Zaid was there, there was an Arab Abu-Umar,
and Basayev...  But Basayev is not a Chechen.  His
father was an Ossetian or an Avar.  And, pardon me for
saying so, that is not a Chechen.  There is no need to
say "Chechens," "Ingush," "Russians," or "Americans":
A bandit is a bandit even in Africa.  What is more, it
is you journalists who have castigated the Chechens.
I do not actually like Moscow journalists.  Many of
them lie and are corrupt.  Some of them are trying to
foment war in our republic themselves.  Tell me, can
you see a war?  You write the stories.  I have tried
to explain the situation, I have gotten tired of
arguing the point.  I do not pay attention to the
press now.  We are simply not left in peace, Chechens
are set against one another.  You yourselves do not do
the killing, but you incite us to bloodshed.  Now I
will read Moskovskiy Komsomolets...  Certainly.

  [Kuksenkova]  Is it true that you are courting [NTV
presenter] Aset Vatsuyeva?

  [Kadyrov]  Asey?  That is news to me!  We will call
Mrs. Vatsuyeva now and she will tell you about our
relationship.  Hello, Asiyat?  Hi!  How are things?  I
wanted to ask you something...  It is being said that
I am courting you.  What do you think about that?
[Kadyrov ends]

  Ramzan put the phone to my ear -- Aset gave a peal
of laughter.

  [Vatsuyeva]  He dumped me a long time ago.

  [Kadyrov]  Asya is a smart woman, he said turning to
me.  An example of a real Chechen woman.  We are all
proud of her...  There is no force more powerful than
a woman.  All her strength lies in her weakness.

  [Kuksenkova]  Why are you backing Alu Alkhanov in
the upcoming election?

  [Kadyrov]  Because he is an astute, wise, competent
politician, a very interesting individual, a man of
his word, generally speaking, a real Chechen.  Alu has
inside knowledge of Chechnya's problems, he knows what
our people want.  He has always lived and worked in
Chechnya.  Admittedly, he was in Rostov when the first
campaign began until the end of the military
operations.  He fought for Russia.  And at the time we
were fighting against Russia.

  [Kuksenkova]  When did you become acquainted with
Alkhanov, under what circumstances?

  [Kadyrov]  I first saw him in 2000 in Gudermes.  And
I became more closely acquainted with him in 2001.  An
interesting situation occurred when we were stopped by
Russian military at a checkpoint and they did not let
us go because we were Chechens.  A minor skirmish
occurred.  Alkhanov drove up and...settled the
conflict.  He negotiated and made peace.  We drove off
calmly.  When he was appointed minister of internal
affairs, the whole Kadyrov team that was engaged in
fighting Wahhabites backed him.  Especially since he
also had the backing of the Kremlin.  Plus, we are
also very good friends with him.

  [Kuksenkova]  Do you have no desire personally to
hold the post of Chechen president?

  [Kadyrov]  To be honest, no.  Let everyone do his
job.  I will be a better soldier defending my people
-- I will fight the terrorists.  Right now I am not
thinking about the presidency, I may change my mind
when I approach the age when I can be elected, once I
am 35, but not now...

  [Kuksenkova]  How you see the Russian troops' role
in Chechnya in the future?

  [Kadyrov]  I do not see them having any role.  They
have helped out and I thank them for that.  Now let
them go back home.  We will sort things out ourselves
in the future.  [passage omitted on interruption to
water, European soccer championship final]

  Ramzan is head of the Chechen president's security
service and he is very strict on discipline.  All 60
personnel are neatly dressed and armed to the teeth:
A bulletproof vest, submachinegun, pile of spare
ammunition, and dagger are standard kit for Kadyrov's
men.  Ramzan explained that people are selected not on
the clan principle or on the basis of any physical
attributes.  The main thing is for a man to be
high-minded.  And able to shoot...

  [Kadyrov]  We do not need culture vultures or iron
pumpers.  It is completely unimportant how many
chin-ups or press-ups a man can do.  We recruit real
soldiers and they can only be people who really love
their motherland and give their all to it.  And also
have excellent human qualities.  [Kadyrov ends]

  According to Ramzan, the Kadyrovites' main task is
to defend the people, wage war on Wahhabites and
mujahidin, and safeguard the president.  The
servicemen train at Kadyrov's boxing club.  They
constantly "maintain their physical fitness and are
always in a state of full combat readiness, they take
part in various special operations to eliminate
illegal bandit formations and free prisoners of war
and hostages."  There are Kadyrovites in virtually
every region of Chechnya, they live in special
barracks.

  [Kadyrov]  Virtually all our guys have fought Russia
in the past.  For us the Chechen people are what we
hold most dear.  The people have said:  Do battle with
Russia.  That is what we have done.  Now the people
have said:  Wage war on the mujahidin.  So, we are
smashing the mujahidin.  If they tell us to fight
Russians again, we will do their bidding.  [Kadyrov
ends]

  If you see a nine-series vehicle in Chechnya without
registration plates, it is almost certainly a vehicle
belonging to the president's security service.  A
detachment of Kadyrovites recently received new
weapons.  The Ministry of Internal Affairs has
allocated the unit pistols, Kalashnikov improved
assault rifles, sniper rifles, grenade launchers,
machineguns, grenades, and even armored personnel
carriers.

  Kadyrov's spetsnaz are a composite detachment.  All
its men are at the same time the staff of state
organs, either the FSB [Federal Security Service], the
MVD, or the Main Intelligence Directorate.  But they
meanwhile come under the jurisdiction of the
republic's president alone, no one else.

  The troops are dressed in camouflage gear or black
boiler suits bearing the inscription "Kadyrov
spetsnaz."  All this is bought in ordinary stores or
at the market and emblazoned as they see fit.

  [Kuksenkova]  The police and federal forces are said
not to like you...

  [Kadyrov]  Everyone likes us.  Those who do not like
us do not last long in Chechnya.  When in Rome, do as
the Romans do.  That is all there is to it...
[Kadyrov ends]

  A new special regiment of 900 men named for Akhmat
Kadyrov will come into operation in a month.  The men
of the new detachment will have a photo of
Akhmat-khadzhi on their shoulder and an inscription
"Let Justice Prevail."

  [Kadyrov]  The men will be short, smart, and agile.
A sniper can easily take out tall men.  In wartime you
need to be inconspicuous...  [Kadyrov ends]

  Our interview ended with the soccer.  Ramzan got up
and drove off on some urgent state business in the
midst of which the elimination of a gang of Wahhabites
seemed an ordinary, routine event.  [passage omitted
on return journey]





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