Martin William Smith wrote:

[...]
>I thought the idea was to save the Chechens, not punish the Russians.
>Isn't the point of activism to stand in solidarity with the weak and
>oppressed?  You make it sound like the point of activism is to defeat
>the bully.  Since you can't defeat the bully, the weak and oppressed
>get slaughtered.

Last time Russia state used military force in Chechnya it was Russian
public opinion that forced them out. This time, as a result of the
terrorist campaign in Russia which rightly or wrongly has been attributed
to Chechnya-based terrorists, those protests are muted.

Russia is not saying it wants to bomb Chechens, it is saying it is bombing
terrorists. The Russian people want the terrorists dealt with. Bombing the
bombers sounds like reasonable self-defense. Bombing people who bomb you is
not necessarily immoral in most people's eyes.

People who bomb you are not normally regarded as "weak and oppressed", you
see. Such people can not reasonably expect the solidarity of peace
activists. Of course the truth may be different from the perceptions, but
perceptions count when it comes to expecting solidarity.

Bill Bartlett
Bracknell tas.