Some things came to mind while reading the assorted threads, things that aren't really reflected in the responses I've read... Since there are SO MANY Russian-school-massacre threads here, I thought I'd post what I see in it's own separate topic...
There's a bit to pick over here... As most of you know, I am *NOT* a believer in the 'global holy war'/U.S. vs Islam stuff. The WOT is about the US vs a group of Arab dicatators who, while they do not control AQ, feed & grow the movement to divert the anger of their populations away from their own corrupt governments and onto us. It's not about Islam, that's the 'vover story', it's about control. AQ is a proxy, in cold-war terms...
The situation in Russia is a civil - not holy - war. That the Chechens are predominantly Muslim and the Russians are athiest (after 70+ years of Communisim) or Orthodox is a side-note in all this.
Basically, we are seeing what a '2nd US Civil War' would look like today. Back in the 1860s, in OUR war, both sides basically adhered to the 'rules of war' as they stood. Terrorisim, though it undoubtably was committed by both sides, was not treated as a means of war. So when Sherman & Grant destroyed the Confederacy from the inside & out, the rebel states surrendered.
In Russia, the government troops had their own 'March to The Sea', and Grozny burned instead of Atlanta. The difference is that instead of surrendering, the rebels fought on as terrorists... Both sides have long since descended into a no-holds-barred war, and at present it is in a state where neither side can win, and neither side can stop. The Russians cannot destroy the Chechen rebel/terror movement, and the Chechens cannot force the Russians to give them independance. They are not, however, an 'arm' of Al Queda, nor do they fight like one. Chechens, like most revolutionary/sepratist terrorist groups (IRA, FARC, etc) do not have the AQ/Pali penchant for suicide-bomb attacks. While they may undertake suicidal missions, the motive is not 'to die gloriously', but to accomplish a mission that will likely get them killed. Of course, this makes sene - their cause is a secular one, remember...
However, the other 'truth' of the Chechen/Russian war is that it is a true no-holds-barred conflict, a total war. Both sides have decided that 'The only rule of war is victory', and both sides are equally brutal. If you ever think we should 'take the gloves off' in Iraq, look at this war, and see what that future holds. This is the danger of oversimplification, of seing the WOT as a religeous 'kill-em-all-let-God-sort-em-out' crusade...
Into this situation, comes Al Queda. Now, originally, this was a Chechen vs Russian war. Period. However, as the Chechens became less of a rebel army and more of a terror movement, AQ has become more than happy to help -> first with training & support, now with actual 'troops'...
Al Queda, it appears, has started operating as the 'Anti-USA', engaging in the same proxy tactics we use against them, and against the USSR prior to that. In a sense, the proxy (AQ) has it's own proxies (foreign secular and religeously motivated terror groups). They are sending reinforcements & support to the (secular and religeous) Iraqi insurgency, and to the secular Chechen rebel movement. Basically, to qualify as a member of the 'Anti-Coalition', you must be (a) predominantly Islamic or tied to the Middle East, and (b) engaged in a conflict against a putative US or Wesrern Ally. This being the case, AQ will contribute their fighters & resources to your cause, in the samw way the USA 'assists' various governments in fighting AQ.
AQ's action here potentially allows them to influence world events without exposing themselves as they do when they mount a traditional operation. It also opens up new 'possibilities' for methods.
Remember: Al Queda in and of itself has a specific pattern of operations -> big targets, big bombs, and the attackers either are long gone when the bomg goes, or they pull a Strangelove & ride it in.... No shooting, no hostage-taking, no duking it out with Police/Security/Military forces... Just sabotage. There are logical reaons for this, primarily AQ's base of strength is a long way away front their targets, so their attacks are designed to involve a minimum number of operatives & a maximum amount of damage. This means sabotage teams & large bombs.
However, the groups that they provide assistance to DO engage in more 'personal' terrorisim. In all cases, these groups are fighting in their own country, or a neighboring one. The conflicts themselves are usually very 'personal' for both sides, and generally predate AQ itself. Since AQ does not have operational control, we see AQ operatives fighting using host-movement tactics. When in Iraq, do as the Iraqis (IEDs, RPG/sniper/mortar attacks). When in Chechnya, do as the Chechens...
For this reason, I do not believe we will ever see 'personal' terrorisim in the USA. There is no such movement here for them to co-opt. AQ operates here as AQ, not by proxy. Just as the Palistinians confine their suicide bombings & shootings to Israel, the IRA to Ireland, and the Chechens to Russia, 'personal' terrorisim requires that the core base of the terror group be adjacent or indigenous, not an ocean away. The logistics dictate that.
So as much as some of you may wish to be able to 'get some', there will be no hostage/firearms terror in the US. You're not going to see AQ take over a school, or shoot it out with the cops... And the whole battle is about secular control of the Middle East, not about Islam vs the West.
That's my take on it, anyway... It's why I don't see it as 'religeous', why I think we can win, and why I don't think 'Nuke Mecca' is the answer. Cut off the heads (ADs) and the body will die.
But if we go 'total war/kill-em-all', the WOT will be as unwinnable for us as the Chechnya conflict is for either side...