As for the "greatness"...I'd say Russia had (hopefully still has) a potential for greatness.
Unfortunately, it never has been realized in this century.
Of course, it all depends on your values. If destructive capabilities are the measure, then Russia is great to the hilt.
Personally, I don't care for this knid of excellence. Neither do I care who builds the tallest pyramid, or who gets to Mars first. Those are goals and values of megalomaniacs on the top of power structures - and of their brain-washed zombie-admirers.
I care more about the fact that my life is painfully short, and I will call a society "great" if it works efficiently enough to allow me to make most of it, the way I see fit.

Political freedoms and tolerance is one thing. But there's also "life-extending" economic efficiency that makes some countries "greater" than others. "Do I waste my time at work, or am I getting somewhere?"
There was a study (in "perestroyka" times - 1989, if I'm not mistaken) by Soviet economist Zaychenko, published in the Journal of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Among other interesting numbers, Zaychenko had shown that in 1913 an average Russian had to work 50% longer that an average American to earn enough to buy a kilo of meat or a kilo of butter. By 1927 (despite the relative success of the New Economic Policy of the Twenties), the distance doubled. By 1985, Russians had to work 10 times (!) longer. Now that, not any kind of international arm-wrestling or dam-across-Yenisey-building, is one telling measure of relative "greatness " of USA, and relative degradation of Russian conditions.
By fighting wasteful wars like this one, Russia is pursuing the "big bully" greatness, and getting further away from the "human-life-extension" greatness. I just hope it is not her final collective choice.

Here's an angle on the subject of world domination for everyone:

What's the implication Yeltsin was trying to make by referring to Russia's nuclear capabilities? I completely understand Russia's anger with America's hypocritical criticism of the Chechnya operation. Was it neccesary to reiforce the nuclear issue? I believe this statement is alarming and reveals a sadistic intention to harm others regardless of the consequences. I mean, when the nuclear subject is addressed, the entire world becomes affected. It's not like a threat made in regards to a conventional war.

Refugees are witness of Russian atrocities! If the refugees really were on the Russian side, they would have blamed the fighters for committing atrocities. Russia also admitted losing a warplane (Source interfax news agency).

Chechen civilians say Russian forces regularly fire on refugees trying to flee in cars, and that
the Russian troops often loot homes after taking control of cities and towns.

Witnesses said a Russian armored personnel carrier fired on three cars filled with refugees
Sunday night on the outskirts of Grozny, killing 11 people, including three children. The witnesses asked not to be identified by name.

In other developments, a Russian warplane was downed in Chechnya by rebel fire, the Interfax news agency reported, citing Russian military sources. No additional details were immediately available.

Residents also said that there was extensive looting by Russian troops in Urus-Martan, a town to the southwest of Grozny that the Russians captured a week ago.

Everyone -

Please provide links instead of cross-posting long posts here. Most of the time many already read the article you are pointing to.

Speaking of re-writing history...
Dear Kissie and others..

Now look you've finally done it, get rid of the extreme right wing and I come over all pro-western.(no not the John Wayne variety.)

I hope that anyone who has read my previous posts (rantings if you like) knows that I don't accept the Nato/UN/EU/US line onKosovo/Chenia blindly,but I do feel like saying "hold on there a minute." It seems to me that the Pro-Russia/Pro-Serbia lobby are overlooking a few things.

If you like stacking a few odds in their own favour:

Step 1 :
Accuse the Western media of blanket propaganda. (Has the Russian media found the secret formular for impartiality?)

Step 2:
Introduce statistics from an unidentified source, used out of context to show that "not enough" people were killed in Kosovo. ( Care to put a price on those lives?)

Step 3 :
Present Kosovo as an isolated incidence of Serbian aggression,conveniently overlooking Serb attrocities in the former Yugoslavia, because "everyone was doing it"
(After concentration camps, rapes, murders, ethnic cleansing, etc. Was it such a far fetched conclusion that the same might happen in Kosovo?-next you'll be claiming that Bosnia didn't happen either!!)

Step 4 :
Dismiss all UN/Nato involvement in these conflicts as self-interest.( Why did Russia support Serbia,perhaps they had Chechnia in mind when they talked of "not interfering in internal affairs?)

Step 5 :
Put Nato involvement in Yugoslavia,Kosovo on the same footing as Russian intervention in Chechnia.
Infering that Nato critisism is the Pot calling the Kettle black.
( but, ha, we may have said that Nato intervention in Kosovo was wrong, but Russian intervention in Chechnia is right.)

And Finally:

Dismiss all Western investment, loan restructuring,trade interests,etc. in Russia and Eastern Europe and complain of "Euro-begger status". ( now it was never going to get better over night,did you expect peace, stability, a car, a career and a mansion in your Christmas stocking? If anyone misled anyone, it was post-communist leaders who were not entirely aware of what they were letting themselves in for.)

I sometimes wonder what we Westerners get out of this. (Ask the West-Germans for instance)- We seem to get a load of grief, a sense of insecurity,insults (we're brainless sheep with Clinton as our Shepherd and Blair as our sheepdog-right!!). If we express concern, its thrown back in our faces. And it seems we are hypocrites for not wishing to sacrifise our own interests to bail you guys out of the swamp the Soviet Union left behind.

Would you like us to rebuild the Iron Curtain, or is it more convenient to blame the West when things go wrong?

Own your own choices, as they say in transactional analysis.- i.e. taking responsibility for your own mistakes is the first step towards correcting them.

Kim Arx

Hi, I am new here. This is the best forum on the net. Please explain why Chechen freedom fighters are loosing town after town. It is also interesting to know why they lost 80 people just this Monday when Russians had one serviceman killed?

Little R,

Possibly cause they're hopelessly out-numbered and out-gunned.
The award for valour goes to....
The award for stupidity goes to......

Christ, its cold up here, sitting on the moral high ground.
The award for humility goes to.....

Kim Arx

Kim Arx,
Your last transmission revealed an angle of perception that has been virtually absent within this forum. I applaud your view in relation to the focus of blame. It does seem that people within the countries which are involved in dire economic and/or social situations have a tendency to point the finger (or rather the middle finger) at the West. I also hold the stance of not agreeing with EVERYTHING the West has done in modern times. However, we also must not trumpet a belligerent disgust with EVERYTHING associated with the West, as well. Your moderate stance is admirable (although you have ranted about Kosovo quite adamantly). You've formulated a basis of argumentation that negates zealousy from polluting your statements. I at least recognize that even your compositions which infer a disgust towards a certain issue are not totally driven by anger, but are constructed with a considerable degree of articulation. It is truly a pleasure to read such
words of insight.

America is England's steroid-driven younger brother.

And Canada is our grouchy but lovable third-born 🙂

Kim Arx,
Where are they?
Break-up.
"Freedom fighters".
Freed and happy land.
A just cause.
Give'em.
Before becoming famous.
Put Nato involvement in Yugoslavia,Kosovo on the same footing as Russian intervention in Chechnia.
Infering that Nato critisism is the Pot calling the Kettle black.
( but, ha, we may have said that Nato intervention in Kosovo was wrong, but Russian intervention in Chechnia is right.)
You read it and You forgot it. And parallel timing of events.
Dismiss all Western investment, loan restructuring,trade interests,etc. in Russia and Eastern Europe and complain of "Euro-begger status". As I told You, - it's not my system I live in. Those, who are fed up with it - can complain. They have all the reasons.
I sometimes wonder what we Westerners get out of this. (Ask the West-Germans for instance)- We seem to get a load of grief, a sense of insecurity,insults (we're brainless sheep with Clinton as our Shepherd and Blair as our sheepdog-right!!). If we express concern, its thrown back in our faces. And it seems we are hypocrites for not wishing to sacrifise our own interests to bail you guys out of the swamp the Soviet Union left behind. Yes, and everything is just because You're right - we're brainless sheep with Clinton as our Shepherd and Blair as our sheepdog-right!!

Suleyman,

Sometimes you are just too good to be true.
Positive strokes are always appreciated.

West Africa is the unacclaimed nanny of the afore-mentioned siblings. Childrearing is often a thankless task. You do all the work and the kids go on to better things.

Kim

Kissie,

Third attempt- I can't be bothered right now with the internet acrobatics needed to introduce the material your have quoted to this site - i keep losing it- effing system + I have a small child screaming at me.

I think your reading list is selective and alarmist- Corroboration?

Michael Kashobla bla- seen any peer critics?

Give me a few days and I will prpose a reading list of my own from properly referenced material in Oxbridge catalogues- I have found it hard to use info off the net in papers-as they tend not to be properly referenced or critiqued

However I might quote you in my dissertation-
particularly your views on Euro-begger-dom -
if you don't mind that is.

"The "globalisation" of this struggle is fundamental, requiring a degree of solidarity and internationalism unprecedented in World history. The global economic system feeds on social divisiveness between and within countries. Beyond Seattle, unity of purpose and Worldwide coordination among diverse groups and social movements is crucial. A major thrust is required which brings together social movements in all major regions of the world in a common pursuit and commitment to the elimination of poverty and a lasting World peace".
- Your point or mine?

Best wishes,
Kim

To Americans:
You people use your media propaganda as a source of absolutely relyable information but have you ever asked yourself why this military operation has total support of the people of Russia who really know (not just from the media)what was going on in Caucasus?