Why does Putin keep silent? Day II

The President’s silence is depressing. The President sustains the pause, though now it is even worse for him, than after the case of Kursk.

Today is the second day of the terrorist crisis in Moscow. The society, having recovered from the first shock, starts to analyze the event. Old questions are in the air: How this could happen? and What steps will make the President? At the beginning of the drama, people demanded resolute activities from the President, though, as the time spiral continued to slowly came untwisted, there were less and less supporters of the force variant.

According to the analyst of the newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Igor Korotchenko, the authorities will not succeed in agreeing with the terrorists about the peaceful and bloodless release of the hostages. “In may view, the case will result in storm. The withdrawal of the troops from Chechnya would be a political suicide for Putin. He is in fact in a jaw: two years ago, he promised to kill bandits in WC, while now they came to Moscow and practically try to kill him,” – the expert stresses.

The President sustains the pause, though it is even worse for him, than after the case of Kursk. In this situation, the only way for the President  is to formulate a political decision as soon as possible. Putin should address to the nation, as Bush did after the September 11 events. He should clearly say that the demands to withdraw troops from Chechnya are politically unacceptable for Russia. While the Russian leadership is ready for any other steps. Now it is difficult to forecast the drop or the raising of his rating, though it is clear that any resolute activities will be supported, while indecision and delay could cause a catastrophe.

In the meanwhile, the antiwar moods start to prevail over the society. In the Red Square, people gather for an antiwar meeting, the radio Ekho Moskvy reports. People buy felt pens and paper and write appeals to the President just on the spot. “President Putin! Rescue our children! We all need peace! Start peace negotiations and do your best to rescue people! Children and teachers against war in Chechnya”. More and more people are arriving to the meeting.

Dmitry Chirkin
PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva