Russia's Islamic Terror Wake-Up Call

The horrendous attack by terrorists on Domodedovo airport should make Russia more appreciative of the problems faced in the West with militant Islam.

The terrorist attack on Moscow’s Domodedovo airport that killed 35 and injured up to 170, has got to be regarded as more than a tragedy.

It was a gesture – almost certainly by Chechens, arguably the world’s most violent partisans fighting for independence – aimed at foreigners and to gain greater international publicity.

Chechen terrorists blowing up a Russian train, aircraft, school or theatre makes more waves inside Russia than abroad, but a suicide bomber blowing up the arrivals area of an international airport guarantees world-wide attention.

On the positive side – assuming there is one – such a horrendous attack by Islamic terrorists should make Russia’s leaders (ostensibly President Dmitry Medvedev but really Prime Minister Vladimir Putin) more appreciative of the problems faced in the West with militant Islam.

Gentility demands that we mustn’t condemn all Muslims for the violence of the few – and we don’t. (“We” meaning the West).

But there’s no escaping the reality that extremists, fundamentalists, jihadists, or however one wants to call them, are Muslim – and few moderate Muslims dare publicly to challenge or oppose their violence.

That’s a problem that remains unsolved, although reasonable Muslims in the West are beginning to speak out more and more.

For Chechen terrorists, their fight with Moscow is for independence.

The brutality imposed by Moscow hasn’t deterred the Chechen lust to be independent. An 11-year war, savage in its violence and atrocities by both sides, solved nothing, but has intensified emotions and determination.

Rather than snipe at Russia’s failure in Chechnya, as some commentators and “experts” are doing, it’s worth noting that Canada and the U.S. have been trying to solve Afghanistan for nine years with little progress.

Chechens have legitimate reasons for resenting, if not hating, Russians. It was under Stalin in WWII, that the Soviet Union set out to destroy ethnic groups that might oppose them.

The Chechens were among several small ethnic groups that were harshly deported to Siberian regions, oft to die in exile of starvation and oppression.

Those interested in the Soviet exercise in genocide, should read the explicit book by historian Robert Conquest – The Nation-Killers.

The historical background may explain Chechen terrorism, but does not justify it. Ordinary Russians today bear no responsibility for Soviet policies of the past -- nor does Putin, though his repressive war against Chechnya puts his country in the crosshairs.

Clearly Russia is angry, embarrassed, confused that domestic terrorism has picked foreigners as targets. Rather than launching another punitive campaign in Chechnya, Putin and his leadership would be wiser to cooperate – even collaborate – with the U.S. which is on the front lines against jihadism.

For starters, Russia might be more helpful in dissuading Iran from developing nuclear weapons. It’s an open secret that nuclear know-how is the intention of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, if not the Iranian people.

It’s a fair bet that if Iran develops nuclear weapons, they will find their way into Chechnya, and there’s little doubt that Chechen terrorists would set off a nuclear device in Moscow if they could.

Russia faces greater potential problems with Muslims than America.

The 2014 Winter Olympics are to be held at Sochi, in southern Russia, virtually next door to Chechnya. Fears of a repeat of the Munich massacre at the 1972 summer Olympics are valid.

Whatever security measures Russia imposes, it can almost be guaranteed that Chechen terrorists will try to disrupt the Games.

The Domodedovo attack, is a warning of what may happen in 2014.

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