Magic Kidnappers

Just as with the hostage situation in Saudi Arabia some months ago, a large number (13 according to this report of the Russian hostage takers managed to escape. This, simply speaking, is not possible. They have the building under surveillance from all angles and the hostages are kids and teachers, most of whom are not likely to be mistaken for hostages as they emerge.

I'm hard pressed to question their storming of the building, only because the operation was fairly succesful and, evidently, the hostage takers weren't even allowing food to be sent in. However, the escape of the 13 (that may disappear from the news, but that's what the story says right now) begs the question of whether this thing was staged in the first place. In addition, the kidnappers had said they would blow up the building if it was stormed, and they plainly did not do that.

I also note that yesterday's All Things Considered, when they were not busy considering how much we need to bomb an Iranian nuclear power plant (see also: Geneva Conventions...you can't bomb those) said there were ethnic Chechens (natch) and ethnic English among the kidnappers. There was no word as to when Bush would begin bombing England, but his fight against terrorism will not be deterred, even if he has to bomb Buckingham Palace itself!