400 Held Hostage in Russian School

[Valandil]

Just saw this article. Link:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ssia_school_dc

What do you guys think?

What will be the outcome of all this trouble between Islamic extremists and the West?

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

Do you know how many children have been killed?

[gimli7410]

i last read 8 but i also read it was only 200 hostages ona different site.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

Well almost 50 escaped or more likely were released so it must have been over 100 but I don't think they'd have killed so many so soon.

[BeardofPants]

*sigh* These people need to have their heads banged together.

[azalea]

This is just so sad. What evil cowards to target not only innocent people, but children. I just can't understand these people. I wish they could resolve this Chechnya thing. Isn't that who's doing it?

[Artanis]

This is just horrible. I see the pictures of the mothers and try to imagine how they feel. It's unbearable.

Originally Posted by Valandil

What will be the outcome of all this trouble between Islamic extremists and the West?

I'm sorry to say, I think this kind of terror will never stop. Groups of extremists will always exist, whether they are Islamic or of another kind, and they will be able to recruit people to their organizations as long as there are poverty, wars and conflicts in the world. I think it is crucial to remember that these people are extremists, that they are few, and that many, many people also in Islamic countries are condemning their actions.

We should perhaps also remember that millions are silently dying of hunger and diseases other places in the world, most of them are children. Only their death is not up front in the media. The fight against terrorism is perhaps not the most important task.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

Some of those children must be no older than me.

[Valandil]

Originally Posted by Artanis

This is just horrible. I see the pictures of the mothers and try to imagine how they feel. It's unbearable.

I agree

I'm sorry to say, I think this kind of terror will never stop. Groups of extremists will always exist, whether they are Islamic or of another kind, and they will be able to recruit people to their organizations as long as there are poverty, wars and conflicts in the world.

Plenty of other people are poor and afflicted... and don't respond by carrying out such atrocities.

I think it is crucial to remember that these people are extremists, that they are few, and that many, many people also in Islamic countries are condemning their actions.

I agree with the first part of this... which is why I used the term 'Islamic Extremists' rather than 'Moslems'... however, I don't totally agree with the last part... most Moslems seem very quiet about all this... I just don't see the widespread condemnation.

We should perhaps also remember that millions are silently dying of hunger and diseases other places in the world, most of them are children. Only their death is not up front in the media. The fight against terrorism is perhaps not the most important task.

Also tragic - but this kind of thing is different, even while the shear numbers are much smaller, if you just count heads. These people are trying to force any and all nations to change their policies as they'd like them to be. They're exerting undue force around the world, by fear. This is the kind of thing which, if we do not respond to it, can destroy us all.

These people want you to be either Moslem or dead. They don't seem to care much which it is.

[Artanis]

Originally Posted by Valandil

Plenty of other people are poor and afflicted... and don't respond by carrying out such atrocities.

Not sure what you mean - maybe I wasn't expressing myself clearly - I was trying to say that in regions where people are feeling suppressed and powerless, as is likely to happen where there are poverty and war conflicts, there will always be some who is willing to join a group of extremists.

Originally Posted by Valandil

I agree with the first part of this... which is why I used the term 'Islamic Extremists' rather than 'Moslems'... however, I don't totally agree with the last part... most Moslems seem very quiet about all this... I just don't see the widespread condemnation.

Maybe because media doesn't care about reporting it. There are voices in the Moslem world who speak strongly against terrorism and the use of violence. These sort of things are debated among moslems. Btw, I did note you using 'Islamic Extremists', my comment was a general one and not directed to you in particular. It's just that some people seem to get a reflex reaction of condemning all Moslems when something like this happens. And that is a pity, because that's really playing up to the terrorists.

Originally Posted by Valandil

Also tragic - but this kind of thing is different, even while the shear numbers are much smaller, if you just count heads. These people are trying to force any and all nations to change their policies as they'd like them to be. They're exerting undue force around the world, by fear. This is the kind of thing which, if we do not respond to it, can destroy us all.

These people want you to be either Moslem or dead. They don't seem to care much which it is.

I agree that they are different - but is the one more important than the other? I don't think so. What I resent is that the fight against terrorism is getting all the attention, while other tragedies around the world may go on unnoticed.

[Valandil]

Originally Posted by Artanis

Btw, I did note you using 'Islamic Extremists', my comment was a general one and not directed to you in particular. It's just that some people seem to get a reflex reaction of condemning all Moslems when something like this happens. And that is a pity, because that's really playing up to the terrorists.

I agree

Originally Posted by Telcontar Dunedain

Some of those children must be no older than me.

The article says they're between 7 and 17 years old. There's also a woman outside whose 2 1/2 yr old grandchild is inside... probably along with his/her mother for the opening day festivities.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

Originally Posted by Valandil

The article says they're between 7 and 17 years old. There's also a woman outside whose 2 1/2 yr old grandchild is inside... probably along with his/her mother for the opening day festivities.

And I'm only 12 soon to be 13.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally Posted by Valandil

These people want you to be either Moslem or dead. They don't seem to care much which it is.

wait wait... "these people" just want their fellow countrymen freed from russian jails and are desperate and stupid enough to take children hostage to get this done. now you sure cant give them what they want because of the precedent it will set BUT they certainly arent doing this to force others to become muslim. where did you get that from?

its absolutely abhorrent what they have done and really they all need to be shot for it (rule number ONE: dont f@%$ with children...) but the russians dont exactly have perfectly clean hands in how the deal with the chechnyans themselves. their reign has been just as brutal and really its pushed a lot of the extreme people to do stupid unconscionable extreme things like this because they see no other options. those two women that blew up the airliners recently? they were both widows (or one was a widow and one was as sister) of chechnyan's who had been captured and brutally killed by the russians. the swore a vow of revenge. on their lives. because they felt such abject hatred for what had happened to them and to their family members. they werent looking to convert anyone. just take revenge.

[Valandil]

The article I saw described the countrymen they want freed as 'fighters'.

Some of my comments referred to other Islamic extremist terrorists (general statements about the movement).

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally Posted by Insidious Rex

wait wait... "these people" just want their fellow countrymen freed from russian jails and are desperate and stupid enough to take children hostage to get this done. now you sure cant give them what they want because of the precedent it will set BUT they certainly arent doing this to force others to become muslim. where did you get that from?

its absolutely abhorrent what they have done and really they all need to be shot for it (rule number ONE: dont f@%$ with children...) but the russians dont exactly have perfectly clean hands in how the deal with the chechnyans themselves. their reign has been just as brutal and really its pushed a lot of the extreme people to do stupid unconscionable extreme things like this because they see no other options. those two women that blew up the airliners recently? they were both widows (or one was a widow and one was as sister) of chechnyan's who had been captured and brutally killed by the russians. the swore a vow of revenge. on their lives. because they felt such abject hatred for what had happened to them and to their family members. they werent looking to convert anyone. just take revenge.

Terrorism is terrorism, nomatter what. The unjust treatment that drives them to an extream does not excuse their actions, nor am I sympathetic to their cause.

[BeardofPants]

Waitaminute, you can utterly despise the actions of the few, but to be completely unsympathetic to the reasoning behind the actions? The so-called "fighters" they're asking to be freed were, I believe, taken in a savage night raid undertaken by the russians. The Russian govt is not guilt-less here. While I do not sympathise with these terrorists, I do sympathise with the Chechens. I feel for the widows, and families that are left without fathers and mothers because of the Russian acts of "terror".