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Please feel free to send feedback through the email link U.S.-Russia Cooperation in Fighting Terrorism Effectively September 7, 2004
George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20500RE: U.S.-Russia Cooperation in Fighting Terrorism Effectively
Dear Mr. President:
The spate of horrible terrorist acts against Russia’s civilian population, including hundreds of children, prompts me to write this letter.As the founder and president of Russia & America Goodwill Associates (RAGA) - a group of patriotic American citizens devoted to the betterment of U.S.-Russia relations - I have been watching the development of these relations with great concern. While these relations have improved substantially during your administration, there is one glaring omission in the most crucial area: the urgent challenge of fighting terrorism effectively.
In the past five years, I worked as a Russian-language interpreter for a dozen Anti-Terrorist Assistance Program (ATAP) training courses under the sponsorship of U.S. Department of State for the countries where terrorism exists or presents a serious threat: Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. These courses range from "Explosive Incidents Countermeasures," "Post Blast Investigation," "Protecting Vital Installations," "Crisis Response Team Management," to "Hostage Negotiations."
From course evaluations, as well as informal conversations with the participants, I know that such courses are both urgently needed and highly productive. Invariably, the participants expressed the highest appreciation for the methodology of instruction, range of topics, practical exercises, procedures, planning, tactics, and weapons used by U.S. tactical squads in rescuing hostages and eliminating terrorists.
Since many of the participants had been previously trained in Soviet armed forces, their appraisal of the American approach is so much more meaningful. Admitting that they learned in the past and continue to learn a lot from the Russians, they wondered why Russia was not part of ATAP exchange? I asked the American instructors, and they wondered the same.
Watching the recent carnage in Beslan made me ask: Did the rescuers try to establish the outer perimeter? If they did, why local residents meddled with the work of security officers? Have the commanders let the negotiators to do their job? And, ultimately, I ask myself: Won’t the Russian Security forces have done a better job if they had undergone training in our ATAP courses?
In the very least, a presence of American observers, if not consultants, on the scene would have helped a better analysis of what has happened to enable us to prevent or minimize what is always waiting to happen again here, there, and anywhere.
I believe that urgent diplomatic steps are needed toward an agreement with Russia on such mutually advantageous cooperation areas as data and analysis sharing, exchange of observers/consultants, and, yes, ATAP-style training courses, including joint exercises for the teams of command post managers, negotiators and tactical squads (as was done with the teams from Kazakhstan in early August).
Sincerely,
W. George Krasnow, Ph.D.
President
Russia & America Goodwill Associates
1022 Vernon Street,
Alexandria, VA 22314
Cc: Colin L. Powell
Cc: Dr. Condoleezza Rice