Chechnya and Kosovo: Alliances with Islam and the collapse of Russian Influence

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

At 09:36 AM 1/3/00 -0500, you wrote:
>
>Despite the calls in Putin's new Presidency for a return to Russian
>leadership and power against the West, the reality of the Chechnyan war is
>that it is asserting Russian nationalism at the expense of Russian influence
>and power in the world.  The reality of the last year is that in both Kosovo
>and Chechnya, Russia has been seen as siding with anti-Islamic forces.
>Against a history where the Soviet Union had made great inroads in the
>Islamic world - especially in the Middle East with alliances with Iraq,
>Syria, Egypt and others over the years - the last year has seen Russia
>obliterating much of that historical good will in the name of a retrograde
>nationalism that undermines, rather than serves the country's interests.
>Ironically, far-right American forces such as Paul Weyrich and other
>anti-communist "cultural conservatives" have become Russia's largest
>cheering squad for their defense of Christian white culture against the
>Islamic danger.  In this story (echoed at times by leftists), Islamic forces
>in both Kosovo and Chechyna have been characterized  as uncivilized and
>criminal in contrast to the sophistication and enlightenment of the white
>Christian forces opposing them.
>

Nathan, forget all that christian b.s. The fact remains that islam is a
major political force that keeps its female population in virtual slavery,
oftentimes without access to most basic health care and human services.
While Russia is certainly not a paragon of democracy and civil rights, at
least the Russian women are treated as human beings rather than sub-human
species.  

                        
Arguing that by fighting islamist terrorists costs Russia its influence
with islamic states, is like arguing that Stalin's decision to fight the
nazis cost the Soviet Union its influence with the Axis powers. That is
simply crap. Islam is perhaps the greatest threat to democracy and civil
rights since the rise of nazism. As it was in the past, Russian people
carry the burden of fighting political monsters created in response to
imperialist policies of western europe and the us. 

                        
wojtek