The Russian School Seige

Well its finally over, and with the death toll still being calculated it seems as if the large percentage of people survived, however do you think it was right for the chechen rebels to bring their war to a russian primary school? Do you think the Russian government and army handled the situation well and with hindsight is there anything that should have been done differently.

Of course i condem a civil war being brought to such a place as a school but i do feel that the russians handled the situation well and when it all seemed to goto pot they kept their calm, went in and sorted things out.

Of course tell me your opinion on the situation :D

Are oyu talking about that school in Russia with lots of students inside it that the terrorist took control?

Yes he is.

Well, terrorists hold hostages. Russians run in with guns blazing. MOST of the kids survived.

No, I think they could have done better, Kids died right? Thats no good.

Thank Lord it stopped but I think that terrorist don't look to other people and feel desperate so they do this attacks of nonesense. What have kids to do with what they want? It is wrong and they don't have the right to do it...

By the way any news about the two french journalist hostages kidnapped in Iraq?

Fer-ench? whats that? :D

French from France? People from France?

I really find it difficult to cast an opinion on this situation, never having been in such a state of rebellion. I also think it would be very hypocritical for me to be aghast at this situation considering I come froma country birthed through guerilla war tactics. The Chechen people have been through a lot at the hands of Russia, seemingly for no reason at all, especially in recent years. Before I make a real statement about the situation, I'd need more information.

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Originally Posted by TasteyPies

Well, terrorists hold hostiges.

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I would just like to make the point that although any situation involving hostages automattically induces the word terrorists they were not terrorists. The reason, they were members of the Chechen rebel force which is currently in a state of civil war with Russia. This means that although their actions were of terror, they were not terrorists and although the news used the word terrorest every third sylible they should not be classed as that.

Also in response to Tastey, the russians only went in after civillians tried to escape causing the insergents to begin shooting the civilians, this was probably to try and reduce the total number of casualties.

My spelling [strike]are[/strike] is as bad as my sources. xD I heard on the radio that they were terrorists.

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I would just like to make the point that although any situation involving hostages automattically induces the word terrorists they were not terrorists. The reason, they were members of the Chechen rebel force which is currently in a state of civil war with Russia. This means that although their actions were of terror, they were not terrorists and although the news used the word terrorest every third sylible they should not be classed as that.

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That's like saying 'even though he murdered someone, he's not a murderer.'. Completely wrong. They are EXACTLY that - murderers and terrorists. They have brought their fued beyond the reasonable grounds of fighting Russian armed forces, to capturing and murdering civilians. The Chechens are NOT Russians, they are not in a CIVIL war with Russia. They're their own people, who want Russia out of their turf, and if they can kill as many of the Russian Christian infidels along the way - goody. They are in close ties with the Arab\Muslim world outside, including Al Qaueda, by the way, they live by the laws of Islam, follow the doctrine of the Muslim Ummah (i.e, Islamic world domination)... sorry, but this is exactly like what's going on in other parts of the world.

Those people are TERRORISTS, MURDERERS, and denying that is like burying your head in the sand.

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Originally Posted by Divinity

Thank Lord it stopped but I think that terrorist don't look to other people and feel desperate so they do this attacks of nonesense. What have kids to do with what they want? It is wrong and they don't have the right to do it...

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I agree.

I feel bad for those poor children. It was their first day of school. Even though some died, which is very tragic, at least it turned out better than the terrorist situation at that Moscow theatre where I think all the hostages died.

And I agree with War Angel. The children did absolutly nothing wrong, so I think the term terrorist is right.

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Originally Posted by War Angel

Those people are TERRORISTS, MURDERERS, and denying that is like burying your head in the sand.

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I never said their not murderers, I said their not terrorists. And just because your not a terrorist does not mean you do not murder people. I doubt people go round calling World War II Nazi's terrorists, yet they murdered many people.

A terrorist is someone who does something to insite fear into a community, however most of the time there is no real reason behind this bar that they hate the world. Terrorist is an over-used American term, and I feel it is not applicable here. It is a civil war, and wars do not involve terroists, they involve insergents, armies and soldiers.

I saw now in a site that 150 people died and 300 got hurt...

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at least it turned out better than the terrorist situation at that Moscow theatre where I think all the hostages died.

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Not nearly - around 50 innocents died back then, out of a possible 700, if memory serves. All the terrorists were killed.

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I never said their not murderers, I said their not terrorists.

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How so? They are a non-unified (that is, not of a state or a country) force, trying to further a relogious/political/personal goal, through the use of violence and fear. That's terrorism.

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Terrorist is an over-used American term,

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There's nothing American, or over-used in the word 'Terrorist'.

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It is a civil war, and wars do not involve terroists, they involve insergents, armies and soldiers.

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When acts are carried out specifically against civilians, for the sole purpose of harming them and furthering anothe, remote goal (and not a direct one), then that is terrorism.

any action while singly involves a threat towards civilians is to me a terrorist action.
hence these guys are terrorists.

Just to clarify, from dictionary.com on 'terrorism':

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The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.

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They were indeed terrorists. If the American army held Russian schoolkids as hostages when fighting Russia, they too would be terrorists, since they would target innocents in an attempt to manipulate others.

Chechens holding schoolchildren hostage - Terrorism
Iraqis ambushing US soldiers or bombing military bases - Not Terrorism
Iraqis beheading independent contractors - Terrorism

Putin should just let go of Chechenia, there are great cultural differences between the two countries. Just give Chechenia independance. You can say its kind of like how the USA was fighting for independance against Britain back in the colony days, but there murdering innocent people, which is another different thing. Like a couple weeks ago Chechenian woman, who call themselves the 'black widows' hi-jacked a plane full of innocent people and crashed it. It isnt right to use 'terror' by killing innocent people, and trying to get independance that way... Hell those peeps that were on that plane probably had relatives in Chechenia, and to blow it up is just messed up.

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Iraqis ambushing US soldiers or bombing military bases - Not Terrorism

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It is terrorism. You forget that not only Iraqis are fighting over there against U.S. and coalitions forces. Theres a lot of foreign fighters/terrorists coming in from bordering countries. Like that Al Sadar guy isnt even Iraqi, he's from Iran. Theres also alot of hatred in the Muslim world, so its obvious that there has to be foreign fighters/terrorists going in Iraq... Just like the 9/11 hi-jackers. Most of them were from Saudi Arabia, and came here on Iraqi passports... They just want to come in there and disrupt the democracy that is about to happen.

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It is terrorism.

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Terrorism is ONLY against civilians targets.

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Originally Posted by noname

Putin should just let go of Chechenia, there are great cultural differences between the two countries. Just give Chechenia independance.

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Then he's giving in to terrorism. Any time anyone wants something, they'll learn from this they just have to storm a school and can have anything they want. Or at least, that's what they'll think.

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Terrorism is ONLY against civilians targets.

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No it can be against military targets to. Like what about one of the planes that crashed in Pennslvania during 9/11, that plane was on its course towards Washington D.C. and the White House. Mostly intended to kill President Bush, who is are commander and cheif at the moment. Terrorism is the act of doing something horrific, to get what you want. It shouldnt matter if your a civilian or in the military.

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Then he's giving in to terrorism. Any time anyone wants something, they'll learn from this they just have to storm a school and can have anything they want. Or at least, that's what they'll think.

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Yeah your right but, whats the point in having Chechnya under there occupied control. When the country itself wants its independance. Dont get me wrong though, those people that blew up that plane, those 'black widows' and those guys that took hostage that Russian school, there not going to get there Independance that way. Hell, Chechnya has been trying to get its Independance for years now.

NVM.The reason why Russia wont let them have it is because of the oil that is in Chechnya.

http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/news/ntr64804.htm

But yeah you guys are right... Russia a super power needs that oil. So it wouldnt make any sense to me now for Russia to give it up...

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Originally Posted by Divinity

French from France? People from France?

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Sarcastic? some people are sarcastic?

I saw a thing a couple weeks ago about a train that was being held by terrorists. They had hostages. So the russians threw some gernades in. Our (american) police look like mickey mouse compared to them. I like our way better (no offense russia).

This whole situation was just uncalled for, and both the chyechen rebels and the russians are to blame.

The Chechens Terrorize, the Russians oppress and brutalize. This whole thing is unforgiveable in my opinion.

I agree with noname, here. From what I've been reading today (which is probably just the tip of the iceberg in this case) there's no real reason for Russia to keep Chechnya under their control. 1) Chechnya wants to be free. 2) There are very very VERY few cultural similarities between Russia and Chechnya and 3) Chechnya is a consistent problem for Russia. A problem which could become very expensive in the future.

Honestly, the more I look at it (for now), the more I see a striking resemblance between present day Chechnya and the Republic of Ireland during the early twentieth century.

I don't think that holding children hostage is acceptable if there are any other alternatives, and there pretty much always are. In fact I'm having trouble imagining a situation where it would be justified, but anyways. From what I heard on the news today, when the Russians broke into the place and started freeing hostages, the Chechens started shooting hostages in the back as they ran. My gut reaction to that kind of thing is not favorable.

i,m seeing the pictures and it makes me physically sick and brings tears to my eyes.

these terriosts are scum. the russian special forces are idiots, how many times do they screw up these hostage situations? and the Russian government are bastards 4 creating this situation because of the way they have handled the Chechnya war.

when is the Russian election? Putin must surely be out of a job now.

i just feel so sorry for the victims of this attack. i hate it how in these recent conflicts and terriost attacks and wars etc its the innocent that suffer the most.

I'm not going to go on a rant about this. I've been talking to my mom all day about this, but I will say this: No way in hell if I were Putin would I hand over Chechnya to these extremists. Chechnya is part of Russia, why should Russia hand it over to a group of people who will make the government into a theocracy, and would most likely mismanage its authority, and ruin the economy more than it is already? The world doesn't need another third world country on its hands.

These thick-skulled terrorists need to learn to live together with the Russians.

If I were Putin, now would be the time to do something about this terrorists problem. And no way in hell would I give these people what they want.

As for the school, that's just cowardly. Murdering women and children for a ridiculous cause is beyond me. I feel for those mothers that lost their children.

that sort of attitude led to 9/11...

Yams, how can you be so quick to say that they would ruin their country? Rebels have made it before ya know. :D

Terrorists, however, haven't.

I think Russia's doing the right thing, by keeping them, even if it may be for selfish means.

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No it can be against military targets to

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I don't often say this, but you're wrong. The sun isn't purple with cheese on the sides, and terrorism is not aimed at military targets. Attacks on military targets, by non-military personnel, is a legitimate act of war, and is called guerilla war-fare.

As for the matter itself... this sort of thing happens for one reason only - the Russians are stubborn. For good or bad, they don't give up. They'd rather have children of theirs killed, than to give in to terrorists. They go in, all the way. That's why they are still holding that trouthole, Chechnya, even though they have no real reasons too - but they're keeping their grip on it, simply because the Chechens don't want them to.

Personally, I like the Russian attitude when it comes to fighting terror (even if it is a bit... crude), but I do think they should let go of Chechnya already. That place is filled with crazy f**ks, terrorists, militants, and all sorts of plagues brought on by the Muslim control there. They don't need it. It's costing them waaay too much money and lives. I say, they pull out, and continue to kick arse with airplanes, missiles and artillery. Creating some impenetrable barrier between them and the Chechens could be nice, too.

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Originally Posted by Yamaneko

These thick-skulled terrorists need to learn to live together with the Russians.

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Yeah, you are right, I am sure they should be happy to get their independence removed to be forced to follow the orders of an alien goverment only interested in their petrol reserves while bombing them in missions "hilariously" called things like "From Russia with love". You live in Los Angeles, right? Well, just imagine the Mexicans invade you (I KNOW THEY CAN'T, IT'S HYPOTHEEEEETICAL) and bomb your house, killing half of your family. Do you seriously think you¡d be willing to accept the invasion? I wouldn't. And how do you fight back if you don't have an army that stands a chance? Well, the only system is terrorism.

Of course, I am not saying it is correct, just totally natural for it to occur. There is a Spanish sayig that says "That who plants rains, harvests storms", and this is exactly what the Russian goverment did. The only innocents here are the victims of the Russian army and the terrorist attacks. So I hate to see how the goverment attempts to potrait themselves as the just and the good, because to me they are just as filthy.

Shadow Nexus has said exactly what i feel, but could not word as well as he did. i agree 100%.

The school hostage event, which done by people from Ossetia and Chechynya is disgustingly wrong, but let me give you some background info.

I amazed by how ignorant a lot of people are about Chechnya. Chechens were never Russian and they are not, they are Caucasian, Sufi Muslims (converted in maybe late 1700's) who were conquered by Russians in the 1800's and have never really been under control it since. In the previous Chechen war (1994-1996) the Russian army was defeated and withdrew, in the current war the Chechens are still taking down Russian military everyday. In fact, the losing war is highly highly unpopular in Russia. They send drugged teenage soldiers to die against disciplined and focused Chechen clans and fighters.

How would you want to live in the country where the law doesn't protect you because you're not Russian? And Russian soldiers can run around drunk raping your women?

Most of you don't even know why Russia is fighting so hard to keep that land! If they don't have Chechnya then they can't make their Caucus oil pipeline, which is another reason why they are now also at a border war with Georgia and the province of Ossetia, both Christian countries. Check pipeline route.
http://www.first-exchange.com/fsu/azer/news/pipes2.gif

To people in that entire region, Russia is the biggest threat and terrorist. I sincerely hope that Georgia does not get carpet bombed to the extent of Chechnya, where their biggest import becomes cement rubble.

Many Turks have Caucusian ancestry including myself. So maybe me supporting the Georgians and ither Caucasians in their eternal struggle against Russian domination is bias, but I can tell you for a fact that Russia is sending it's teenage soldiers off to die purely for economic reasons.

Again I condemn both terrorists. The crazy ones who perpetrated this recent massacre, and the state terrorists who kill both their own people and others in the name of "justice". It's like Israelis shooting chunks of the Church of Nazareth and the world community not saying trout.

http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features...echen-flag.jpg
http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-imag...4/1georgia.jpg
http://www.world-flags.net/flimg/north-ossetia.jpg

I'm aware of the reasons why Russia wants to keep Chechnya. The accusation of Russian soldiers raping Chechen women is a generalization. The problem is not widespread.

Shadow Nexus: I don't quite understand your argument. Your saying the terrorist response in natural because the Russian government won't leave Chechnya, and keeps killing the people of Chechnya? Are the Russians supposed to hand over that region to a band of terrorists? These people aren't rebels. They just don't go after military or political figures. They murder innocent men, women and children. There's no excuse to murder people because you want your own religious state. Your Mexico example is irrelevant.

Oh, and yes, I'm pro-Russia. Not that I would ever agree with people who murder other innocent people.

see there it goes again. the silly notion that if your anti-one u must be pro the other. just because someone is Anti-Russia, does not make them Pro-Chechnya. Shadow Nexus said there both in the wrong.

its like the war on terror. as far as i,m concerned, Bush, Putin, Chechnya terriosts, arab terriosts, saddam hussain, etc...all in the wrong.

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Well, the only system is terrorism.

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NO. You must never, ever, direct your fighting-efforts at civilians. You can always fight military targets - and that's proper guerilla.

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Most of you don't even know why Russia is fighting so hard to keep that land! If they don't have Chechnya then they can't make their Caucus oil pipeline,

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While any normal, civilised nation would be thrilled to have a nigh-super-power country like Russia build pipe-lines, be it of oil or communications, through it. You should know - I believe Turkey has quite a few, as well as Israel.

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It's like Israelis shooting chunks of the Church of Nazareth and the world community not saying trout.

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The terrorists barricaded themselves inside the ancient Church. The Israelis ached at the damage done to the building... but was there really another way, other than to let them flee, letting them carry on with their murderous actions?

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Originally Posted by Yamaneko

Shadow Nexus: I don't quite understand your argument. Your saying the terrorist response in natural because the Russian government won't leave Chechnya, and keeps killing the people of Chechnya?

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Yes.

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Are the Russians supposed to hand over that region to a band of terrorists?

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I never said that. However, I can say those people are terrorists because of Russian actions. If Russia would not behave as they do, such terrorism wouldn't exist: They created an enemy, now they must deal with it. Whatever means they use to do such thing is not something I can talk about not knowing well how the situation works, but certainly keeping the attacks against Chechenya and creating more hate is not something that will stop terrorism.

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These people aren't rebels. They just don't go after military or political figures. They murder innocent men, women and children. There's no excuse to murder people because you want your own religious state.

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I am not defending their actions. For me, the terrorists actions are desperate, and it's the best word I can find. Commiting such horrible acts is an action of absolut desesperation. Sometimes I'd like to hear their version too.

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Your Mexico example is irrelevant.

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Neighbour country invades yours. Do you let them enter after they bombed your city, or do you fight back? You fight back, naturally, and after they killed your family, you may have lost any morals you may have.

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Oh, and yes, I'm pro-Russia. Not that I would ever agree with people who murder other innocent people.

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Well, Russia does such a thing.

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Originally Posted by War Angel

Those people are TERRORISTS, MURDERERS, and denying that is like burying your head in the sand.

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I see we've lost another.

i just wish more ppl would understand, u reap what you sow. and now Russia is paying the price (made worse by the fact that innocent ppl r suffering).

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Originally Posted by aeris2001x2

i just wish more ppl would understand, u reap what you sow.

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I don't believe that...I've seen the opposite happen more often throughout my life.

what, u reap the opposite of what u sow? thats a new concept...would explain why some ppl get away with so many crimes...

shadow nexus i'd be intrested to hear your opinion on the basque situation?


Chechyna isn't a country that has been invaded by a foreign power it's part of the russian federation, so shadow nexus's example of mexico invading america is inaccurate. It's more like The USA invading florida because it now considers itself to be independant.

Yet as far as I know, Chechenya used to be a country before it was invaded in the times of the tzars, and has been treated like trout since then. As far as I know.

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shadow nexus i'd be intrested to hear your opinion on the basque situation?

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Well, I am biased because I live in Spain, and in Catalonia, another sector of the country that has a lot of independentists.

Basque terrorism is also a natural reaction to opression during Franco's time. ETA, now the terrorist group, was initially founded as a cultural group, to defend the expression of basque culture. Yes, cultural group, they exposed books and stuff and defended publishing of books in euskera, a language banned by the dictatorship. Are you against that? I am certainly not. However, this group was non violent yet it got highly repressed, getting some members jailed and tortured. This moved them to political action, trying to be more combative without using violence (Other than some people in demonstration, thats preety understandable considering the situation). The repression got higher and vasque independentists were chased, so they decided to fight back with violence, something I don't agree with yet I can somehow understand given the circumstances of the country back then. This moved to the kale borroka, street violence against material property of the goverment, and got to the first attack against a life, it was in 1971 (or was it 73?) when they killed Carrero Blanco, a member of the goverment that was quite a son of a bitch. They blew up his car and thus started to work as a serious terrorist group. As for my opinion on this assasination, well, I never agreed with such means and I don't agree now: I don't think killing Blanco was good, yet I can't say I feel sorry for such a person.

Well, in 1975 Franco died, in 1978 the constitution was done, in 1981 the Communist Party was legalized, the basque were recognized as a "historical zone" (Meaning they have a more or less autonomous goverment) and so on. Does opression still exist? Well, there have been several cases of police brutality (Several many) against independentists and not necesarily terrorists. Also, the goverment many times attempts to opress certain iniciatives of pro-basque political action. On the past term, before the elections this year, the right-winged party moved into the illegalization of the group Batasuna, a vasque independentist party that was recognized as the political arm of ETA, yet this relation is not toal, and such ilegalization is for me like breaking another posibility of dialoge and peace, because even if I think Batasuna is a filthy group, ilegalization leads to more hate. However, the closing of a newspaper because it was supposedly economically supporing ETA (Again, blurry evidence) got me preety pissed, because that was clear censorip.

As for me...well, I think ETA is a remaning factor of radical violent independentism that dosen't make much sense in our more-or-less suposed banana democracy. If they exist, it is because of the past dictatorship, so the State is against the one I blame for the existance of terrorism. I think ETA will eventually dissapear in a few generations because now a political fight in such issues is possible without a need of violence. However, to make it end it soon, the politicians should be ready for dialoge, and yes, I believe it is possible. I think a better educative system would help to prevent new generations from being terrorists too.

So yeah, they are a bunch of asassins creatred by scars of the past, but I believe an intelligent acting may stop them. However, terrorism is very good for the elections, and in the end and again, the fight against them is done in a very superficial way, attacking the terrorists but never acting against the problem from the root.

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Originally Posted by gokufusionss1

shadow nexus i'd be intrested to hear your opinion on the basque situation?


Chechyna isn't a country that has been invaded by a foreign power it's part of the russian federation, so shadow nexus's example of mexico invading america is inaccurate. It's more like The USA invading florida because it now considers itself to be independant.

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Umm sorry but know a little of what you're talking about before speaking on it. Chechnya and Chechens have nothing to do with Russians, their language, or culture, their ethnicity, and they WERE conquered by the Russian Tsars.

massive chunks were conquered by the tzars (mostly ivan the terrible) that's why it's a federation. You can say the exact same thing about the USA. Chechnya IS part of russia!

No matter what Russia might have done in the past, these Chechen terrorists have just ensured that henceforth, the Chechens are the villains in this conflict. If Israel-Palestine is any indication of world policy, the controlled state oppressor is always much more accepted than the terrorist rebels. Russia can be negotiated with, but the child-killing criminals can't.

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Originally Posted by gokufusionss1

massive chunks were conquered by the tzars (mostly ivan the terrible) that's why it's a federation. You can say the exact same thing about the USA. Chechnya IS part of russia!

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Wrong. You're basically justifying blatant imperialism, America's genocide against Native Americans, Russia's genocide against other minorities such as Chechens and Ossetians, and that whole "Manifest Destiny" bs.

Just ask the Chechens if they think they are a part of Russia or want to be.

But what they think doesn't matter to you, right?

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Originally Posted by Garland

the Chechens are the villains in this conflict.

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Villains and good guys are for fairytales.

I saw on SAPO that one kidnapper had pitty for those kids do you think is true?

Even if he did, I don't he could have done much to show for it without getting his head blown off by his mates. If they could do it to little children...

Checnya was conquered by the Russians a very long time ago. Did they never try to fight for resistance in the 1800's? [If I recall correctly, that's when someone said they were conquered.] If they didn't, then it's ridiculous that they start now.

I don't dispute the fact that they are being subjected to unjust laws which allow the military to cause havoc. It happens in other places in the world too, and it's BAD. But I highly doubt Russia is going to run to them weeping giving them freedom and begging them to leave it's schools alone just because of this.

Not from what I've heard about Putin, anyway. And I don't think Putin's term as President is nescessarily over in the elections, (although it sure does look like it!). He can still do something to salvage it; he should.

Killing civilians like this is....it deserves a name worse than terrorism!!!! It's horrible. We see stuff like this in movies but everyone always escapes unhurt.

Checnya's got lots of oiiiil...and Russia wants lots of oiiiil... :eek:

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Originally Posted by Divinity

I saw on SAPO that one kidnapper had pitty for those kids do you think is true?

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Maybe, but he still was there.

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Originally Posted by Shadow Nexus

Maybe, but he still was there.

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Yeah I know but maybe he didn't want to do that, maybe well at the begining he said okay we go there threat the kids and so on and so on and in the midle of the all that mess he got thinking and said 'Why am I doing this? What does this kids do for us to be here almost ready to kill them?' ...

Maybe after all this guy is human...

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Yeah I know but maybe he didn't want to do that, maybe well at the begining he said okay we go there threat the kids and so on and so on and in the midle of the all that mess he got thinking and said 'Why am I doing this? What does this kids do for us to be here almost ready to kill them?' ...

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Highly unlikely. Those people's convictions are strong. Very, very strong.

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Maybe after all this guy is human...

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He most certainly is. They all are.

It was not that that I wnted to say...:rolleyes2

Im not sure about the um...rules of a civil war, but if the Chechens took a school hostage, I don't believe theres anything wrong with that because ITS A WAR. No side is in the right and both will go all-out to win. Thats the whole idea. I don't get the whole idea of war-crimes and such, seeing as war itself is, when u get down to it essentially, one giant crime. Even if they did take a school, I'd say it was a bloody good move, tactically. They forced the enemy's hand AND lowered the public's view of the leadership of the opposing side.

If they didn't want deaths they shouldn't have declared any kind of war. The Russians should have made peace with the Chechens or crushed them instead of letting this kind of thing drag out. Look at the Israeli/Palestinian crap. Nobody really cares anymore, they just fight. Every month or so there are these bullsh*t 'breakthrough' peace conferences, then the next day somebody blew up a bus or assassinated some leader or kicked someone's dog...Its like an unofficial war. Its all down to bloody politics. Old men sending other people to fight their fights. I wanna see some good ol' presidential kickboxing. That'll settle these things a lot faster, and with a lot less bloodshed.

~~~FreaQ