Chechnya : the case for independence /

Wood, an editor at New Left Review, here expands an article he wrote for that journal. He argues that the small Caucasus enclave of Chechnya was effectively an independent state from 1991 to 1994 and again from 1996 to 1999 and should be so again. In both cases, Russian troops invaded and quashed independence, causing great damage to Chechnya's infrastructure and economy. The resulting lack of opportunity there is seen as the root cause of lawless behavior by inhabitants who have no legitimate way to earn a living and so rely on kidnappings for the income ransom brings. The author dismisses Russia's claim that the conflict in Chechnya is part of the larger war on terror and criticizes the international community for its failure to apply to Russia the same standards that it applies to other nations' conflicts. Because he wants to portray the Chechens as victims, Wood omits discussion of incidents such as the September 2004 school siege in Beslan, where Chechen actions might be rebuked. Moshe Gammer's Lone Wolf and the Bear offers a more even account; the historical background in the first chapter and the emphasis on the post-Soviet period will clarify this conflict-reported irregularly by the U.S. news media-for most readers. Suitable for many collections.-Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.