Where�s the outrage? Where are the front page headlines that show the world the routing of Muslims in Chechnya from their homes, the daily bombings by Russian planes of Chechen villages and towns, the deaths at Russian check-points where some refugees die in the crush of their brethren fleeing bombs and bullets.

At Final Call press time, Russian generals were calling for an all-out victory against the Chechen Muslims in the breakaway Russian republic. Moscow has justified its genocidal attack on Chechnya by declaring that "Islamic terrorists" bombed buildings in Russia, killing nearly 300 people. But Muslim insurgents, who are not controlled by Chechen leaders, say they are not responsible for the bombings.

But that doesn�t matter because the Kremlin has a score to settle with the Muslims who routed the Russian Army from Chechnya during the 1992-94 war, embarrassing Moscow and sending her sons home in body bags. This time the Russian generals smell blood, and it�s not their own, as they replicate the NATO strategy against Serbia by bombing the enemy into submission.

While the world community feigns displeasure at Russia�s actions, 4,100 civilians have been killed since Russia began its attacks in early September. Thirty-two people were killed on Nov. 6, including 12 women and eight children.

And now Chechen Deputy Prime Minister Kazbek Makhashev reportedly wants "any form of negotiations to stop the war and the deaths of civilians."

Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov has even appealed to President Clinton to help end the "genocide of the Chechen people."

"The Chechen people have huge hopes that the United States will use its authority to defend human rights," Mr. Maskhadov is quoted as saying.

Mr. Maskhadov evidently doesn�t realize that this is not the political season for U.S. opposition against Russia. Yeltsin and Clinton are partners in crime today, not just criminals on opposite sides of the table.