The system is dominated by those waiting to leave their two year stint, called "grandfathers". New recruits are routinely beaten and humilated. Later they graduate and in turn perform similar brutal rituals. Partly pure selfishness, partly a defence against sensitivity, and emotional intimacy, partly a bonding mechanism at least for your cohort.
The central authorities admit to 1000 non-combatant deaths a year. Relatives suspect the figure is more like 3,000.
This system appears to be necessary to desensitize the soldiers to the pointlessness and brutality of wars like that against the Chechens.
But is this so strange? The British Empire dependended on the brutalities of the "public school" system. And now in the USA the sons of the ruling strata will shortly be preparing for an exciting time in their new colleges, accompanied by the odd secret and scary initiation routine. Death rate not 1000 a year, but not unknown and part of the excitement.
Wold US capitalism be as efficiently ruthless without it?
Chris Burford
London