I wouldn't be too quick to view Russian behavior toward Chechens as the model of humanitarianism, however. Please visit here for background. An impressive array of links comprising various viewpoints can be found at the bottom of this very long page.

Forgiveness has to start somewhere. It's understandable if the citizens of Beslan are not going to be the ones to start to forgive. They have lost too much. Chechnya has lost much too.

The point now is not to use a horrible massacre to retro-justify Russian mistreatment of Chechens, but to work to pressure people in authority to make the suffering stop through the exercise of impartial justice.

It will, of course, be impossible if no one makes the effort.