Hell, I will answer this one too...


Quote Originally Posted by HoreTore View Post
Some thoughts about this attack....

1. Does "Russian authorities suspect group x" actually mean anything at all? Remember the train bombing in Spain and who was blamed for it first? When the president of a large and respected EU member can lie his arse off when it comes to this, how can we honestly trust Putin and his corrupt gang? Does it mean anything at all when they blame it on the Chechens? Having the Chechens responsible is gold for Putin, as it would justify another round of terror and oppression in that region...
They've just took the responsibility for the attack.

2. The Neo-Nazi's are part of Putin's powerbase. His party's youth organization is extremely xenophobic and openly sympathetic to the gangs who beat up minorities. Will he risk alienating his own supporters even if they are responsible for this? I don't see that happening.... Also, if right-wingers are behind this, does that mean Putin is losing his grip on the organizations he has nurtured? Have his actions backfired on him?
Neo-nazis - not really. Xenophobes do, but to the neonazis he is too soft.

Russian governement clearly tolerates and supports some xenophobic ideas and movements, but that is still not too close to neonazism.

3. That aid was slow and inefficient is no surprise in Russia. It would've been a mystery if it actually worked like it should. People are so afraid of the consequences should they do screw up that they are too afraid to do anything at all.
Nope, it simply is this way. Sadly despite frequent disasters not much has changed, in some cases nothing except the size of the bribes.

When it comes to the help in case of a disaster it is especially disturbing that the people do not believe the state will help them. There is a meaningful difference in public perception between the the case of Kursk submarine years ago (popular opinion was that the authorities attempted to help, but had no people and no equipment) and the water power plant disaster a couple months ago ( popular opinion was that the authorities decided to do nothing to avoid unpleasant questions from surviving witnesses).

The whole system is corrupt, inefficient and close to breaking down and everybody knows that, but the fact it was the same with the train used by the Russian elite only reveals that in more shocking proportions.
If anything the ordinary Russian pupulation did expect that the rich and the powerful will be better protected, so I guess did the terrorists and the fact it wasn't leaves the Kremlin more humilated than it was expected.