That's the questions Russians are asking in thisRIA Novosti article about ABC TV's broadcast of an interview with Shamil Basayev, the Chechen Islamist terrorist responsible for the Beslan school tragedy and other attacks. His interview with a Radio Liberty reporter was broadcast by Ted Koppel. The Russians noticed, as Koppel did not, that Radio Liberty is a US government-funded propaganda operation. But the Russians are mistaken to complain about ABC, which has been soft on terrorism in the past (ABC's sympathy for the late Yassir Arafat was documented by media watchdog groups such as CAMERA). They don't pretend to be allies in the Global War on Terrorism.
The Bush administration does claim that it is against terrorism. However, by providing a platform for Basayev through Radio Liberty (ironic, considering Basayev would eliminate most liberties that Americans take for granted, should he come to power and establish an Islamic state governed by Sha'aria), the US is giving aid and comfort to the terrorist cause in Chechnya.
The Russians have a point, and are also making a threat--if the US doesn't stop supporting the likes of Basayev, they may very decide to pull out of the American campaign against Bin Laden and Al Qaeda (who are Basayev's ideological, political, and military allies). Something to think about...
