Terrorism Rears its Ugly Head

The lead article in today’s New York Times, “Female Suicide Bombers Strike at Moscow Subway,” describes the impact, at least 38 killed, of two explosions set off by female suicide bombers.

Russia’s terrorism problem, centered primarily in Chechnya and other Islamic regions in the south of the country, had been relatively dormant in major population areas, and the attack poses the question of whether the country will take security measures that will limit personal freedoms. The last time Russia was confronted with a major series of terrorism attacks, in 2004, Vladimir Putin used them as an excuse to centralize government, stop the direct election of governors, and clamp down on political opposition.

Dmitri Medvedev has pursued a more liberal approach, and Russia’s reaction may give some indication of who is really in charge. One wonders how different the effect would be if bombs went off in the New York subway. Would we clamp down on freedom of movement? How about curfews and the use of identification for nearly any activity?

We kid ourselves when we think these things can only happen in Russia. As the saying goes, when the people are given a choice between liberty and security, they will choose security nearly every time.

One other issue to consider: these were female suicide bombers. Does this represent a new tactic of Islamic radical groups, or is it an exception to the rule? What does the Koran say about? Not that these people truly follow the Koran, but it may still have some effect on their actions.