First of, before there is any misunderstanding, I extend my full sympathies and condolences to the Russian people in the wake of the tragic terrorist attacks on their subway system. I have a close connection to the Russian people which only makes it harder.
If this is, as it seems likely by now, a work of Chechen extremists (almost identical to the 2004 Subway attacks which also killed 39 people), then there will be retaliation and probably justifiably.
But I would like to briefly compare this to another recent conflict where the West took a different stand, and very hypocritically so.
Kosovo and Chechnya share plenty of similarities:
--- Both are/were provinces of larger Nations, conquered by force in the past, where atrocities were committed by the occupiers.
--- Both are majority Muslim, mostly secularized by now, yet with some ties to Al Qaeda extremists (arms smuggling, some foreign fighter support).
--- Both conquered by Christian Nations.
--- Both rebelling to fight for their independence.
--- Both rebellions crushed.
As we all know, the US and its European allies intervened in Kosovo and defended it against the Serbs. There was never any such idea entertained in the case of Chechnya who arguably has even more of a claim on their land, than Kosovar Alabanians did to theirs (Chechnya was conquered in the 19th century vs Kosovo being a part of the Serbian Kingdom on and off since the 12th Century). It can also be argued that Russians were much more severe and heavy-handed in their resistance to Chechnyan independence than Serbs. Indeed while about 2,000 Kosovar Albanians were killed in their uprising against Serbia before Western intervention, Russia firebombed Chechnyan capital with massive casualties of anywhere between 30,000 and 100,000 and many more died during the recent and ongoing occupation of the region.
I will stay objective and neutral by not claiming support for any of the related policies be it the independence movements in Chechnya and Kosovo, or their "master" Nations attempts to keep the long conquered lands. I also sympathize with all affected people, especially the Russian people on this day and wish for a day when these violent attacks against civilians are unheard of.
But are the Russians so much more in the right in this conflict than Serbians were in Kosovo? Food for thought. Obviously Russia is so much stronger than Serbia ever was that Western intervention is impossible and given our track record unhelpful and unwelcome. Yet of course it worked in Kosovo.
Just something that came to mind when hearing of this tragedy. I hope someday Russians and Chechnyans can live in peace, whether it is together or separately.