Hot Spots
04/25/2013
Boston Marathon Terror Attack Background
*I did the following way back in August 1999, but in light of the Boston Marathon bombing it’s a good time to re-run it. Just a little history lesson on.....
Chechnya
Last week we explored the many changes Boris Yeltsin has made in selecting prime ministers that conform to his wishes, i.e., how can he keep himself and his family in power (with all of the goodies that flow therefrom) even after he’s no longer effectively working in the Kremlin. This week it’s on to Chechnya and the 1994-1996 war which led, directly, to the current crisis in Dagestan.
Chechnya and Dagestan are two of the 89 “regions” that make up the Russian Federation. They are in the overall territory labeled the “North Caucasus,” an area that lies between the oil-rich Caspian Sea and the former Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Georgia. This whole land mass, including the republics to the east like Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, has also been called “Chaostan” for its inherent instability. Following is a brief history of Russia’s involvement in the North Caucasus.
1722 - Peter the Great annexes Caspian Sea region of Dagestan at the start of a 150-year military campaign to absorb the largely Muslim North Caucasus region into the Russian Empire. Russia starts settling armed Cossack volunteers there.
Mid-19th century - The legendary Shamil uses Islam to weld mountain tribes of Dagestan and Chechnya into a formidable fighting force. His ambition is to create a theocratic, Islamic state, but he is eventually defeated by Russia’s superior numbers and technology. He lives out his days as the honored guest of his former foes in the imperial capital of St. Petersburg.
1917 - Russian revolution brings Communists to power and ensuing civil war cements their hold over vast, multi-ethnic nation later known as the Soviet Union. Islam and a traditional clan system remain strong among peoples of the North Caucasus despite persecution from the atheistic regime in Moscow.
1943 - With Nazi German troops camped near regional capital of Grozny, Chechen separatists rebel against Soviet rule.
1944 - Soviet dictator Josef Stalin (a Georgian) takes his revenge by deporting the entire Chechen people and their ethnic cousins and neighbors, the Ingushi, to Central Asia. Tens of thousands die.
1957 - Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev allows the Chechens back to the Caucasus, setting up the Checheno-Ingush republic.
Sept. 5, 1991 - The government of Checheno-Ingushetia, which supported a hard-line coup against Mikhail Gorbachev, resigns under pressure from the pro-independence Congress of the Chechen People, led by former air force general Dzhokhar Dudayev.
Oct. 1991 - Dudayev launches campaign to topple the Moscow-backed temporary administration of the region. He wins the backing of 80% of the electorate (in a disputed election) and unilaterally declares his country independent. Russia rejects any talk of independence but takes no action against Dudayev and allows him to run Chechnya. Big mistake.
Nov. 1991 - Russian President Boris Yeltsin belatedly sends troops to Grozny. Dudayev’s forces blockade them at the airport and Yeltsin pulls them out after just three days.
Aug. 1994 - The opposition Provisional Council starts fighting to topple Dudayev and says it is seizing power. Russia backs the council.
Nov. 25, 1994 - Moscow-backed rebels attack the capital of Grozny with tanks and artillery. Rebels pull back the next day after street fighting and Dudayev claims victory.
Nov. 29, 1994 - Yeltsin calls on both sides in Chechnya to disarm. Russian planes bomb Grozny.
Nov. 30, 1994 - More bombing of Grozny. Russia sends troops and equipment to the borders in massive show of force.
Dec. 6, 1994 - Russian Defense Minister Pavel Grachev meets Dudayev. Both agree not to use force to resolve the crisis. [Both are liars].
Dec. 9, 1994 - Yeltsin orders his government to use “all available measures” to disarm Chechen forces.
Dec. 10, 1994 - Russia seals off Chechen borders and airspace.
Dec. 11, 1994 - Three columns of Russian troops cross into Chechnya.
At this point it is necessary to stop the time line and look, specifically, at what was said by Yeltsin after Russia invaded Chechnya. I’m already hearing some of the same things about Dagestan (admittedly a different conflict, but time will tell).
The military action launched on Dec. 11th was Russia’s largest since the ill-fated invasion of Afghanistan that began in December 1979. Regarding the first day of fighting in Chechnya, Yeltsin said that the troops had moved in “to help find a political solution and to defend the people” of Chechnya and to protect “the integrity of Russia.” Regarding the issue of territorial integrity, Yeltsin was in his rights. The world recognized Chechnya (and Dagestan) as part of Russia.
Yeltsin also said that he remained hopeful that peace talks planned for Monday could resolve the crisis without further bloodshed, adding that he had ordered that no force be used against civilians. Boris faced intense opposition to the use of force in Moscow. Grigory Yavlinsky, head of a major reform bloc, said in the Russian parliament, “We’re against our children being killed in Chechnya. We’re against democracy being established using these methods.” Chechen leader Dudayev said they would defend themselves. The situation rapidly deteriorated.
The Russian army met strong resistance from guerrilla fighters and suffered heavy casualties. Russia decides to blast Grozny (a city of 400,000) to bits.
Feb. 1995 - Separatists abandon capital Grozny.
June 1995 - Rebels led by Shamil Basayev (more on him next week) seize hundreds of hostages (what is to become the modus operandi of the terrorists...that’s what they really are) in the Russian town Budennovsk. Over 100 people died in a horrifying embarrassment for the Russian government. Basayev and many of the rebels are “allowed” to escape. Peace talks open, Russia
orders a halt to military operations, but the conflict goes on.
Jan. 1996 - Rebels seize hostages in neighboring Dagestan, then move to the village of Pervomaiskoye just outside Chechnya. Most rebels escape, but many are killed.
Feb. 1996 - Yeltsin says the Chechnya campaign was “maybe one of our mistakes” but rules out withdrawal of Russian forces.
April 1996 - Dudayev is killed in a rocket attack (an assassination) and replaced by Vice President Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev.
May 1996 - Yeltsin and Yandarbiyev agree on truce at talks in Moscow. The truce holds until the presidential election held 6 weeks later. Yeltsin visits troops in Grozny.
Aug. 1996 - Rebels seize Grozny. Yeltsin gives national security adviser Alexander Lebed powers to resolve the crisis. Lebed signs a truce on August 31 providing for a Russian pullout and deferring the issue of Chechen sovereignty for five years.
Sept. 1996 - Russia starts withdrawing its soldiers.
Oct. 1996 - Aslan Maskhadov, former rebel chief-of-staff, is named prime minister of an interim government. His platform includes independence and some elements of Islamic sharia law.
Oct. 18 – Lebed is fired by Yeltsin, who accuses Lebed of blatant presidential politicking.
Dec. 1996 - Six foreign Red Cross workers are murdered in Chechnya.
Jan. 1997 - Last Russian troops leave. Maskadov is officially elected president with 65% of the vote.
The best estimate is that 40,000 died during the Chechen conflict. Most of them were civilians.
[Sources: Various wire service reports, Reuters for parts of the time line]
I’ll have a story on Dagestan in two weeks.
Brian Trumbore
