Propaganda is a powerful tool and a tool that Russia likes to employ often. This tool has been well used in the Chechen conflict and especially well used again one man in particular - Shamil Basayev.
Terrorist, bandit, ******st, criminal - Russia has many words for those who oppose its imperial ambitions. However as meaningless as these words are when coming from professional liars, there are many who fall for them - mainly due to their own ignorance and preconceived prejudices and beliefs.
If one looks at Shamil Basayev's life, it is a far cry from the inane uttering of the Russian media.
In 1994 Commander Shamil commanded his battalion in the valiant defence of Grozny. Through the leadership of Aslan Maskhadov and Shamil Basayev the Mujahideen were able to kill over 2000 Russian soldiers as they defended Grozny.
Following the withdrawal from Grozny Commander Shamil continued to lead the Mujahideen in battles against Russian forces across Chechnya. His most famous operation came in 1995 in the quiet town of Buddenyvosk. Having seen their people being massacred, being raped and tortured - Shamil led a desperate band of men into Russia in a suicidal bid to stop the killing.
Buddenyvosk turned out to be a major incident in the war. In fact many journalists who covered the war (like Calotta Gall) called Buddenyvosk the "turning point in the war". Buddenyvosk forced Russians to withdraw from many Chechen towns and villages and to try negotiations for a certain period of time.
The Chechen Mujahideen used this time to re-infiltrate villages that were once evacuated, to build up their forces and stockpile weapons. They organised themselves under the central command of General Aslan Maskhadov and when the hostilities resumed the Mujahideen had used the time - that Shamil had bought them through his Buddenyvosk operation - to devastating effect.
In August 1996 the Mujahideen showed their military skill and ability once more in one of the most shocking operations of recent military history.
Over 1500 Mujahideen led by Commander Shamil attacked Grozny from three sides. Within days they had overrun much of the city, destroying Russian checkpoints, surrounding Russian barracks and forcing the Russians from out of the city.
It was the decisive operation of the first war. The Russian army were defeated and forced to withdraw.
Unable to defeat the Chechen Mujahideen and Commander Shamil militarily, the Russians started the propaganda campaign - a campaign that much of the western world has accepted.
However in the Caucaus and Islamic worlds such propaganda campaigns have no effect. Most people recognise that when the whole world turned away from the Chechen people - leaving them to be massacred, raped and tortured - men like Shamil Basayev stood up to stop the tyranny.
To the west and Russia he may always be "Terrorist no.1" but to the Islamic peoples he will go down in history as the Commander who defeated the might of the Russian army and stopped the war. He will be remembered as someone who never backed down and fought and died like a warrior.
Terrorist, bandit, ******st, criminal - Russia has many words for those who oppose its imperial ambitions. However as meaningless as these words are when coming from professional liars, there are many who fall for them - mainly due to their own ignorance and preconceived prejudices and beliefs.
If one looks at Shamil Basayev's life, it is a far cry from the inane uttering of the Russian media.
In 1994 Commander Shamil commanded his battalion in the valiant defence of Grozny. Through the leadership of Aslan Maskhadov and Shamil Basayev the Mujahideen were able to kill over 2000 Russian soldiers as they defended Grozny.
Following the withdrawal from Grozny Commander Shamil continued to lead the Mujahideen in battles against Russian forces across Chechnya. His most famous operation came in 1995 in the quiet town of Buddenyvosk. Having seen their people being massacred, being raped and tortured - Shamil led a desperate band of men into Russia in a suicidal bid to stop the killing.
Buddenyvosk turned out to be a major incident in the war. In fact many journalists who covered the war (like Calotta Gall) called Buddenyvosk the "turning point in the war". Buddenyvosk forced Russians to withdraw from many Chechen towns and villages and to try negotiations for a certain period of time.
The Chechen Mujahideen used this time to re-infiltrate villages that were once evacuated, to build up their forces and stockpile weapons. They organised themselves under the central command of General Aslan Maskhadov and when the hostilities resumed the Mujahideen had used the time - that Shamil had bought them through his Buddenyvosk operation - to devastating effect.
In August 1996 the Mujahideen showed their military skill and ability once more in one of the most shocking operations of recent military history.
Over 1500 Mujahideen led by Commander Shamil attacked Grozny from three sides. Within days they had overrun much of the city, destroying Russian checkpoints, surrounding Russian barracks and forcing the Russians from out of the city.
It was the decisive operation of the first war. The Russian army were defeated and forced to withdraw.
Unable to defeat the Chechen Mujahideen and Commander Shamil militarily, the Russians started the propaganda campaign - a campaign that much of the western world has accepted.
However in the Caucaus and Islamic worlds such propaganda campaigns have no effect. Most people recognise that when the whole world turned away from the Chechen people - leaving them to be massacred, raped and tortured - men like Shamil Basayev stood up to stop the tyranny.
To the west and Russia he may always be "Terrorist no.1" but to the Islamic peoples he will go down in history as the Commander who defeated the might of the Russian army and stopped the war. He will be remembered as someone who never backed down and fought and died like a warrior.
