Russian Beheadings: God's Verdict -- Or Putin's ...
I suppose after the death of Zawahiri, the Mujahidin Shura Council has to show it's still got some mojo. First, they torture, behead and booby trap two American soldiers, now they've released a video showing themselves beheading two Russians, and shooting a third.

Here's the Council's statement from Al Jazeera.net:

"God's verdict has been carried out on the Russian diplomats... in revenge for the torture, killing and expulsion of our brothers and sisters by the infidel Russian government," the statement said.

The group had demanded that Russia should pull out its troops from Chechnya and release all Muslim prisoners. (yup, that's always a winner, I guess -- FB)

But, why would they want both the Russians and the Americans to get even more ticked off at them in the same week?

Well, apparently last week, Russian authorities killed a major leader of the Chechnyan rebellion, and remember, the Islamists in the Middle East consider themselves brothers of the Chechnyans:

From the AustralianTimes, June 19th: "...Abdul-Khalim Sadulayev was shot dead in Argun, a town 14km east of the bombed-out capital Grozny, by Chechen special forces loyal to the Kremlin.

Moscow-backed Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov said Sadulayev had been planning a terrorist attack in Argun to coincide with the Group of Eight summit of leading industrialised nations in Russia's second city, St Petersburg, next month.

In characteristically bloodsoaked style, Mr Kadyrov announced he would put the body on display as soon as possible.

Kadyrov also announced "The terrorists have been virtually beheaded ..." So, were the actual beheadings some kind of gruesome response, an act that they knew would be carried in the press worldwide?

Anyway, I'm really, really curious as to how Mujahidin Shura Council honestly think Putin's going to react. From the Islamists viewpoint, the mujahiden beat the Russians out of Afganistan (of course conveniently overlooking the fact that they had American back-up and US SAM's).

But, Putin was not the leader of Russia at the time. This is the guy who permitted Spetnatz to storm the grammar school in Breslan, killing some, saving more. He's the guy that stood firm on the Moscow Theatre hostage crisis -- and was completely comfortable in releasing gas that killed a hundred Russians, in order to save hundreds more. And when was the last time you heard a peep from the Russian press about perceived Russian POW abuses, or perceived Russian military abuse of civilians ... ?

Here's what Putin said in a press conference after the Moscow Theatre Crisis, Nov. 12, 2002:

From CBS: "...Putin became agitated Monday after a reporter from the French newspaper Le Monde questioned his troops' use of heavy weapons against civilians in the war in Chechnya...

"If you want to become an Islamic radical and have yourself circumcised, I invite you to come to Moscow," Putin said. "I would recommend that he who does the surgery does it so you'll have nothing growing back, afterward," he added..."

Olivier Guitta reports today in the CounterTerrorismBlog that:

"...in September 1985 when four Russian diplomats were kidnapped in Beirut by Hezbollah, the then USSR responded in kind by first abducting a family member of an Hezbollah leader and then killing him very very gruesomely. The hostages were given back right away and Russia was never targeted in Lebanon again..."

Nobody should forget for a second that Putin came up through the KGB.

It's questionable whether or not Putin makes a good ally, but he's a terrific chess player and a bad enemy.

Michelle Malkin has some excellent coverage. Also talking about the executions: The Belmont Club, Blue Star Chronicles, Passionate America ,The Belmont Club: Be My Friend — Aesop's fable about the The Man, the Boy … , Blue Star Chronicles: Russian Hostages are Beheaded, Passionate America: Terrorists Beheading and Shooting Russian Hostages (video), and Darleen's Place

The above photo is from MichelleMalkin.

Spelling corrected 10am.  ¶ 8:10 AM