Healthy Reaction to Incredible Stupidity

The 24 January terrorist bombing in the Domodedovo airport was remarkable in at least two of ways.

First, Russians, at least those with whom I interact, took the blow rather well.  While there was some anxiety right after the attack, people seemed to shrug off the event rather quickly.  As it happens, this type of behavior  is the most constructive response to a terrorist act from the average citizen as it effectively neutralizes the "terror" part of "terrorism."

Second, the inaneness of the attack is incredible.  The action took place at Russia's busiest airport favored by foreign travelers; hence the goal of the attack seems to have been to somehow isolate Russia from the rest of the world by spooking foreigners.

Focusing on the "spooking foreigners" part, the Russian government's bureaucracy, corruption, and inefficiency already does a fine job of "terrorizing" foreigners either seeking a visa or hoping to do business in this country.  Any additional effort by terrorist on this front is likely to backfire it will concentrate the government's attention to make Russia more foreigner friendly.

Focusing on the location of the action, the bombing took place right after travelers clear Russian customs after they land.  As I explained in my 13 June blog, this is the area where "throngs of illegal taxi drivers and passenger greeters that congregate right outside of customs."  Most of these illegal taxi drivers are emigrants from Azerbaijan, and most of Azerbaijanis are Muslims.  So, the probable Muslim terrorist who committed this vicious, unforgivable act was most likely successful at slaughtering a high number of fellow Muslims.

After the 29 March 2010 bombings in the Moscow metro, I argued that terrorism was both shameless and ineffectual.  It would have been useful for the (now dead) Domodedovo terrorist to have read this; but, when you are as stupid as the Domodedovo bomber was, reading is not your first priority.