Russian Forces Enter Theatre, End Hostage Situation

[Saint Marcus]

Well, I guess I have to apologise to St. Marcus for my (ahem) little outburst before...

refresh my memory.

As opposed to having them all die at terrorist hands.

despite their claims, the terrorist didn't start killing hostages. You can see that from the total dead count. 2 killed by terrorists, 117 killed by special forces.

[The Mad Monk]

I see that as proof that the terrorists didn't get the chance to finish their work.

[Saint Marcus]

they didn't even start...

[Ned]

What is your bottom line, St. Marcus? Are you suggesting there was some other way of ending this standoff without an assault by special forces? IIRC, the last time these folks captured a lot of Russians, they let the terrorists go free. (I don't recall whether they gave into to their political demands.) But that action only incented this action, which is much worse.

As to the gas used, a 17 year old hostage was just on CNN. He said the gas was the same as the gas one uses to knock people out for operations. This could help explain the vomiting. I understand that one must not have food or water for at least 12 hours prior to being anesthetized. I also understand that the gas is very dangerous itself, which is why one needs a separate expert to administer the gas for operations.

Dumping the gas wholesale into a theater was a very dangerous thing to do. But, it seemed at the time, necessary.

[Saint Marcus]

normal anasthesia doesn't kill 1/7th of the people...

[Ned]

Saint Marcus, I understand the opposite. Normal anethesia is very dangerous and can kill.

[Saint Marcus]

so why didn't they use a lower dosage just to knock everyone out, without killing 1/7th of them?

[Ned]

Saint Marcus, I don't know. But I think they wanted to make sure the terrorists were knocked out.

[Ming]

And if a few had managed to stay awake and detonated their explosives... what then?

[The Mad Monk]

That is in fact the case.

It would not take too many alert terrorists to spark a total bloodbath.

[Saint Marcus]

so you three are all saying: just to be on the safe side, let's kill some more hostages.

[Lord Merciless]

They need enough dosis to knock a 150kg terrorist, but that dosis may well kill a 70 years old with heart problems. I bet the terrorists are physically certainly tougher than most theater goers.

As for normal asnesthetics, there are always 3% of patients who will suffer some kind of side effects despite the recommendation about inhibiting food intakes and having received the correct dosis.

I think the only blunder here was that they didn't tell doctors quickly enough about the type of the gas. I understand why they didn't tell the doctors before the assault because there might be traitors, like that policeman they recently arrested.

[The Mad Monk]

Is St. Marcus the Patron of Lost Causes?

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Saint Marcus
so you three are all saying: just to be on the safe side, let's kill some more hostages.

Regrettably hostages sometimes die in rescue opperations. It's why they are used as a last resort.

[Saint Marcus]

They need enough dosis to knock a 150kg terrorist, but that dosis may well kill a 70 years old with heart problems.

yes. some people would have died anyway, even with simple tear gas. BUT NOT 117 PEOPLE!!!

Is St. Marcus the Patron of Lost Causes?