I think Russia shall prepare itself to leave the region as the western countries left their former colonies in Asia and Africa. But the Russians shall play the game honestly and promote acceptable leader to take over in these small Caucasian countries.
As it is today the extreme views are appealing to poor people who feel themselves marginalized, who are attracted by the idea of using violence for reaching political goals.
What it looks like today, it seem to be a complete war zone from Adygea in the west to Dagestan in the east.

It should not be forgotten that Chechen terrorists have been trying hard to export the conflict outside Chechnya, to produce the exactly impression you are getting. This happened many times in Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria.

It is a big mistake to put an equation mark between Western colonies in Asia or Africa and Russian "colonies" in the Caucasus. There are enormous differences between the two.

I feel that troubles would persist anyway even without russian "sponsored" governments.
Specially in Dagestan there are lots of ethnic groups.
I fear the path to peace and democracy will be a long and painful one.
I don t see any "panacea" for the near future.

Yes Basaiv 'groups have been tried to spread the conflict allover the region.
But I really think that Basaiev is popular only amongst the terrorists and extremists.
Even the moderate people who would like to see their republic independent from Russia are not keen to
this kind of assassin who order such barbaric acts like the size of the Beslan school. This is not a liberation war. Starving ,beating and killing children is nothing to do with this.