Events, especially terrorist attacks, are often instigated to keep countries busy or to implement some arrangement, a variety of reasons, but you have to ask who is backing the terrorists? Who other than the terrorists has what to gain from a consequence?
Russia was incredibly crippled after the Cold War and is still acknowledged weaker than the United States and China. I don’t have an answer except I feel under the circumstances any outside backing especially from China would give Russia a real dominance over Grozny. Beyond that they could, if things fall into place, go it alone and subdue Chechnya if Chechnya does not get outside aid.
Here’s an interesting question, everyone expected Iraq to heat up as elections grow closer. But have the terrorist attacks in Russia and the proposed missile deployments in Russia’s near abroad, etc. which surely have got both Russia and China’s attention, contributed in any way to the increase in violence in Iraq and Afghanistan? Because if I were Russia, China, Iran or Syria I would consider Iraq an opportunity in which to keep Bush busy and thus attempt to thwart not only his missile deployment plans but anything associated with his bid for world domination including the mess building in Southeast Asia.
That can’t be answered at present.
Missile Defense To Tie U.S. To Iraq, Afghanistan, Caspian, Experts Warn #msg-3972175
ps. If I had a map I could answer your question better. vbg