Although American commentators are fond of ascribing the conduct of the war to Vladimir Putin s political ambitions, it is worth remembering that Chechnya has hardly been a proving ground for Russian politicians in the past. Boris Yeltsin nearly lost the 1996 elections because of the ongoing fighting in and around Grozny. Yevgeni Primakov made a political career out of his role in ending the conflict. There was no reason at the outset to believe that 1999 would prove any different from 1995-96. Still, the fighting is by no means a good thing, and the United States should continue to support a resolution of the conflict.
Care is needed, however.
Russia has already tried a negotiated settlement. Die-hard Chechen commanders have vowed to take the war to the Russian heartland. Russia should now finish the job while it has the upper hand, rather than leaving a rebel army on its very borders. If the Chechens are allowed sufficient time to gather their forces and find new recruits, the result will be another incursion onto Russian soil, and another battle for Grozny, with all the attendant civilian casualties. That scenario, above all, must be avoided.