Sochi Sunday
Posted by Michelle Moquin on February 9th, 2014
Good morning!
Howie: I see you are up and running again. I look forward to the 3rd installment. It will be interesting to see what beings will respond to the Emperor’s sanction and who will risk not abiding by it. From what I remember, you don’t want to go against the Emperor, a being that has been unconquerable, not to mention a favorite of the Gods.
Mike, TM: Your comment was pretty disturbing. There seems to be so much effort put forth to harm. Wouldn’t it be a lot easier to just be nice, care, and do the right thing? Oh yeah, there’s no money in that.
From Mother Jones:
Explained: How Big Is Sochi’s Terrorism Problem?
“It would be safer if we had the Olympics in North Korea. At least they don’t have an active terrorist group blowing things up.”
Update 1, Friday, February 7, 12:45 PM EST: An airliner from the Ukraine was forced to make an emergency landing in Turkey due to a hijacking attempt, AFP reports. Turkish officials told CNN that a passenger, believed to be of Ukrainian nationality, “said that there was a bomb on board” and wanted the plane to land in Sochi. AFP says that he was “brandishing a detonator.”
Update 2, Friday, February 7, 4:30 PM EST: The AFP reports that the man, born in 1969, was “apparently drunk” and only said that he was brandishing a detonator. According to Istanbul’s governor, the man did not have a gun or explosives. Ukrainian security services reportedly said, “The man will answer for his hooligan behavior.”
This week, Americans nervously descend upon Sochi, Russia, to cheer on their favorite athletes in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Members of the US team who have already arrived in the city say that with an estimated 100,000 security force members protecting the games, they feel safe. But US officials said on Tuesday that they are tracking “specific threats” to the games. And counterterrorism experts argue that the terrorism risk in Sochi is largely unprecedented, due to recent threats from active terrorist groups. They fear that attacks could take place outside of thesecured perimeter surrounding the event sites, particularly on public transportation or at checkpoints. While the Daily Beast notes that terrorism coverage could overshadow the successes of US athletes—and give terrorists free publicity—experts say that it’s warranted. “This is a very serious threat. It’s not overblown,” says Victor Asal, a terrorism expert at the University of Albany. He adds that if he knew people who were planning a trip to Sochi, he’d tell them, “Don’t go.” Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know:
Who are these terrorists, and what do they want?
The main threat to the Olympic games is the Caucasus Emirate, a loose network of Islamist terrorist groups that is located between the Black and Caspian seas in Russia. The Caucasus Emirate, established in 2007, aims to establish Shariah law in the region, but it only has suspected ties with Al Qaeda. The terrorist network is a partly an outgrowth of the First and Second Chechen wars, conflicts that began when Russia invaded Chechnya. “The human rights abuses committed by the Russians in the invasion of Chechnya were really extraordinary, and the violence has come from these grievances,” Asal says. Initially, the group’s aims were nationalistic—secession from the Russian federation—but now, there is a growing jihadist component.
The group’s self-appointed leader is Doku Umarov, nicknamed “Russia’s bin Laden” (photo below). He’s seen only rarely, and Ramzan Kadyrov, the president of Chechnya, recently claimed that Umarov is dead. (He’s said this many times before, so terrorist experts aren’t convinced.) As of this month, that report has not been confirmed by the Russian government or the US State Department. While the network’s primary target is Russia, Umarov has also issued threats against the United States and Israel in the past, according to the US State Department.
When has the Caucasus Emirate carried out attacks before?
Terrorists affiliated with the Caucasus Emirate are believed to have carried out about two terrorist attacks per year since 2008, killing hundreds of civilians. Here are some of their more notable attacks:
- June 2008: A Caucasus Emirate militia group claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack that killed 14 and injured dozens in Vladikavkaz, less than 500 miles from Sochi.
- November 2009: The group bombed a train en route to Moscow from St. Petersburg, killing more than 25 people, including high-ranking government officials.
- March 2010: Two female suicide bombers connected to the group bombed the Moscow Metro, killing at least 40 people.
- January 2011: Umarov ordered a suicide bombing at Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow, killing 37 people.
- February 2011: The Caucasus Emirate conducted an attack at the Mt. Elbrus ski resort, located a little more than 100 miles from Sochi, in which terrorits shot tourists and bombed a cable car.
- October 2013: A woman associated with Islamic militants bombed a bus in Volgograd, about 600 miles from Sochi, killing at least six. (It has been suspected that she was associated with the Caucasus Emirate, but not confirmed.)
- December 2013: A subgroup of the Caucasus Emirate claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a train station, also in Volgograd, killing at least 16. The group also claimed responsibility for bombing a trolley bus in the same city 24 hours later, killing 18. (On Wednesday, Russia state media reported that Russian police had killed a suspected mastermind of the December Volgograd attacks.)
Have the Caucasus Emirate explicitly said they want to target the Olympic games?
Yes. In July 2013, Umarov published a video urging rebels to ”do their utmost to derail” the Olympics. He characterized the games as “satanic dances on the bones of our ancestors.” Late last month, a subgroup of the Caucasus Emirate posted a video (below) showing men they said were the bombers responsible for the December attack on Volgograd, and threatened to give Russia a “present” at the Olympics.
Who are the “Black Widows” I’m hearing about?
An alleged “black widow” suicide bomber Whitehotpix/ZUMA
“Black Widows” refers to women who have committed suicide attacks, reportedly to avenge spouses or family members killed by the Russian military. According to NPR, Russian police have been circulating fliers over the last few weeks, searching for suspected female terrorists—including a 22-year-old wife who police say was recently spotted in central Sochi. While women have successfully pulled off terrorist attacks associated with the Caucasus Emirate, some experts say the threat has been overstated, because just as many, if not more, men are committing attacks.
Can these terrorists really pull off an attack on the Olympic sites?
Counterterrorism experts say that it would be very difficult, given the security lockdown known as “the ring of steel”—an area about 60 miles long and 25 miles deep around the Olympic sites. Putin has militarized the areas surrounding the games, with 100,000 police and members of the armed forces on hand, including special-ops forces to guard the mountains outside of Sochi. Only vehicles that are registered in Sochi are being allowed through the city’s checkpoint, and that’s after they’ve been searched. Drones are being deployed to survey the sites from the air, and the government will be snooping on tourists’ electronic devices. (On Tuesday, the Boston Globe reported that some of these security measures could be overstated, noting that a reporter’s bag wasn’t searched.)
What about outside of the ring of steel?
Experts say the risk is high. “The checkpoint has to stop somewhere, and if bombers get anywhere close to a checkpoint, it could have the same political effect in the media as getting into the Olympics themselves,” says Aki Peritz, a senior policy adviser for Third Way and a former CIA counterterrorism analyst. He notes that transportation to and from Sochi is particularly vulnerable, considering the attacks on buses and roadways by the Caucasus Emirate in the past. Daniel Treisman, a Russian politics expert at the University of California-Los Angeles, agrees: “The network will seek to stage attacks in order to demonstrate their capabilities. It is possible [a subgroup] could succeed. But I think they are much more likely to succeed somewhere outside Sochi than inside the security area.”
The State Department warns that while Americans aren’t being targeted specifically in Russia, “there is a general risk of U.S. citizens becoming victims of indiscriminate terrorist attacks.” The British government has been more explicit about the potential threat, putting out a map recommending that tourists avoid many areas outside of Sochi (bottom far left):
What weapons might be used?
Counterterrorism experts say that suicide bombers are likely the biggest threat. ”I think anyone who is going to be attacking the Olympics is going to have to assume that they’re going to be dead. It’s a suicide mission however you look at it,” says Asal, from the University of Alabany. However, in 2012, Russian security forces claimed that they’d found a number of sophisticated arms that they believed were planning to be used in an attack on Sochi—including “grenades, portable surface-to-air missiles, explosives, rifles and other weapons,” NPR reported. Gordon Hahn, a counterterrorism expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, also told Foreign Policy to not rule out the possibility that regional terrorists have obtained chemical weapons from Syria.
How does this threat compare to those posed to Olympics in the past?
According to the New York Times, US officials haven’t been this concerned about security at the Olympics since the 2004 Summer Games in Athens. The paper notes however, that “the Greeks were far more receptive to help from American law enforcement and intelligence officials, who ultimately played a significant role in the security for the Games.” Treisman, from UCLA, says the most recent case that is comparable would be the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, which occurred at a time when the terrorist Basque separatist organization ETA was still active. Peritz, from Third Way, jokes that “it would be safer if we had the Olympics in North Korea. At least they don’t have an active terrorist group blowing things up.” (The most recentdeadly terrorist attack on the Olympics was orchestrated by an American at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics.)
What is the United States doing about all this?
The United States has stationed two warships, which can launch helicopters into Sochi in case an evacuation is needed, in the nearby Black Sea. The United States is also stationing at least two dozen FBI agents in the area and may be sharing sophisticated counterbomb equipment with Russian authorities. US athletes have also been warned not to wear their uniforms outside of the secured perimeter. Several US congressmen, including House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) have expressed anger that Russia is not cooperating fully with US security efforts.
Is anyone actually staying home?
Several US athletes have said they are asking their families to stay home from the Olympics because of security concerns, including speed skater Tucker Fredricks, Minnesota Wild ice hockey defenseman Ryan Suter, and Wild forward Zach Parise.
Who says it’s safe?
Some US athletes who have arrived in Sochi already told ABC News on Monday that they feel safe there. “”We’ve had a lot of fun, and I don’t anticipate us being in any more harm’s way than going down the mountain in a bobsled at 85 miles per hour,” said US bobsledder Dallas Robinson. And last month, President Obama confirmed that he felt the games were secure, noting that ”the Russian authorities understand the stakes here.” However, he will not be attending with the first family.
******
Readers: Of course there are more men committing attacks. Do the “Black widows” have any choice? My guess is no. The men are behind the women making sure that they “do as told.” Like so many other women on this planet who have to succumb to the sick ways of men, “or else,” Russian women are being treated no differently.
Raina, Nadine, Tatyana, Nakkita, Zaria, Madina, et al: Reading your comments breaks my heart. Everyday I give gratitude for being born a woman in the US. One who can HOPEfully do something. The abuse all of you girls experience is palpable. I promise you are not forgotten. Be strong and be safe. Sending lots of love.
Igus: It is a sad state for gay men too, but at least you are a man. You have an edge that the women don’t. My suggestion would be for you to ban with the women, and support them. The women need more men on their side in support. If more women had a voice and a place of power in Russia, the gay men in your country would not be in fear of what is currently happening to you. But unless you help the women, why would they support you when it is men who are holding them hostage and abusing them. No doubt they are going to look after themselves first and who would blame them. Support your sisters to rise, and I believe change will happen for you too.
Ooohh…got to go now.
Peace & love: “Live it, Give it.”
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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February 9th, 2014 at 6:20 pm
Michelle, the Caucasus Emirate is a story about men willing to accept any thing religion tells them to do to preserve their right to hold women as basically cattle they can fuck.
We are so unimportant that we are being forced to commit suicide to help them attain their sick control over us.
February 9th, 2014 at 6:33 pm
Michelle, gay men in Russia were no different than straight they mocked us and abused us the same. Now that their straight brothers have turned on them they cry for our support.
I have no feelings for them.
February 9th, 2014 at 7:03 pm
Gavriil, it seems your gay men are like our Log Cabin Republicans. They know that if the republicans could they would use religion to make being gay a crime punishable by incarceration. But the selfish bastards can only think how great it is to be a white male.
I’m not anti gay. Hell I’m an OTW lesbian. But I know that white men couldn’t care less about us. That includes most gay white me. So I understand your feelings.
February 9th, 2014 at 8:09 pm
Don’t Let Your Bladder Run Your Life!
Women and men really can control that “got to go now” feeling without drugs…
Women and men who scout out restrooms wherever they are may think that others don’t have to worry so much about their bladders. But that’s not true.
Eye-opening statistic: One in every five adults over age 40 has overactive bladder…and after the age of 65, a whopping one in every three adults is affected. If you regularly have a strong and sudden urge to urinate and/or need to hit the john eight or more times a day (or more than once at night), chances are you have the condition, too.
Men with prostate enlargement and postmenopausal women (due to their low estrogen levels) are at increased risk of having overactive bladder. Urinary tract infections, use of certain medications (such as antidepressants and drugs to treat high blood pressure and insomnia) and even constipation also can cause or worsen the condition.
But there is a bright side. Research is now uncovering several surprisingly simple natural approaches that are highly effective for many people with overactive bladder. Among the best…*
START WITH YOUR DIET
Most people don’t connect a bladder problem to their diets. But there is a strong link. My advice…
Take a hard line with irritants. Alcohol, caffeine and artificial sweeteners can exacerbate the feeling of urgency caused by overactive bladder.
Cutting back on these items is a good first step, but they often creep back into one’s diet over time. What helps: Keep it simple—completely avoid alcohol, caffeine (all forms, including coffee, tea and caffeine-containing foods such as chocolate) and artificial sweeteners. Stick to decaffeinated herbal teas and coffee, and use agave and stevia as sweeteners.
Many individuals also are sensitive to certain foods, such as corn, wheat, dairy, eggs and peanuts. They often trigger an immune reaction that contributes to overall inflammation in the body, including in the bladder.
If your symptoms of urinary urgency and/or frequency increase after eating one of these (or any other) foods, your body may be having an inflammatory response that is also affecting your bladder. Eliminate these foods from your diet.
Keep your gut healthy.
The scientific evidence is still in the early stages, but research now suggests that leaky gut syndrome, in which excess bacterial or fungal growth harms the mucosal membrane in the intestines, is at the root of several health problems, including overactive bladder.
The theory is that an imbalance of microbes, a condition known as dysbiosis, can irritate the walls of the bladder just as it does in the gut.
What helps:
Probiotics and oregano oil capsules. Probiotics replenish “good” bacteria, and oregano oil has antibacterial properties that help cleanse “bad” bacteria and fungi from the gut.
Drink up! People with overactive bladder often cut way back on their fluid intake because they already make so many trips to the bathroom. But when you don’t drink enough fluids, urine tends to have an irritating effect because it becomes more concentrated. This increases urgency.
What helps:
Drink half your body weight in ounces of water or herbal tea daily. Do not drink any fluids after 5 pm to help prevent bathroom runs during the night.
THE RIGHT SUPPLEMENTS
Cranberry supplements (or unsweetened cranberry juice) can be helpful for bladder infections, but they’re usually not the best choice for overactive bladder. My advice…
Try pumpkin seed extract. These capsules help tone and strengthen the tissue of your pelvic-floor muscles, which gives you better bladder control.
Typical dosage: 500 mg daily.
Consider Angelica archangelica extract. This herb has gotten positive reviews from researchers who have investigated it as a therapy for overactive bladder.
Recent finding:
When 43 men with overactive bladder took 300 mg of the herb daily, they had increased bladder capacity and made fewer trips to the bathroom. Typical dosage: 100 mg daily.
OTHER WAYS TO KEEP YOUR BLADDER HEALTHY
Kegel exercises, which help strengthen the pelvic-floor muscles, are essential for getting control of overactive bladder symptoms.
Unfortunately, most people who try doing Kegels end up doing them the wrong way.
How to do Kegels:
Three to five times a day, contract your pelvic-floor muscles (the ones you use to stop and start the flow of urine), hold for a count of 10, then relax completely for a count of 10. Repeat 10 times. If you’re a woman and aren’t sure if you’re contracting the right muscles, there is a possible solution.
New option for women:
A medical device called Apex acts as an automatic Kegel exerciser. It is inserted into the vagina and electrically stimulates the correct muscles ($249 at PourMoi.com—cost may be covered by some insurance plans).
Check with your doctor to see if this would be an appropriate aid for you.
Even though there’s no handy device to help men do Kegels, the exercises usually reduce urgency when they’re performed regularly.
Kegels can easily be part of anyone’s daily routine—do them while waiting at a red light, after going to the bathroom or while watching TV.
Try acupuncture.
An increasing body of evidence shows that this therapy helps relieve overactive bladder symptoms. For example, in a study of 74 women with the condition, bladder capacity, urgency and frequency of urination significantly improved after four weekly bladder-specific acupuncture sessions.
Go for biofeedback.
Small electrodes are used to monitor the muscles involved in bladder control so that an individualized exercise program can be created. Biofeedback is noninvasive and is most effective when used along with other treatments. To find a board-certified provider, consult the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance, BCIA.org.
*Talk to your doctor before trying any of these herbal remedies, especially if you take medication or have a chronic health condition.You may want to consult a naturopathic doctor. To find one near you, check Naturopathic.org.
Source: Holly Lucille, ND, RN, a naturopathic doctor based in West Hollywood, California. She is the author of Creating and Maintaining Balance: A Woman’s Guide to Safe, Natural Hormone Health (Impakt Health) and serves on the Institute for Natural Medicine Board of Directors. DrHollyLucille.com
February 9th, 2014 at 8:27 pm
i was in Moscow for new years and all of Januari, and i had to go trough a couple of checkpoints to be able to get to the red square on new years eve.
oddly enough, i actually felt ‘secure’ by all the security. it’s not ‘security’ like you’d see in airports or at festivals where there’s a few cops standing around. these were men in control.
i wouldn’t be too worried about terrizm at the olympics. they got it covered.
February 9th, 2014 at 8:28 pm
Who would actually buy tickets to this? Why?!
When I read the report a couple weeks ago of only 75% of tickets being sold, I was shocked it was that high.
February 9th, 2014 at 8:29 pm
It’s Russia nothing goes smoothly, at the same though, think of all the tanks around, you don’t want to be a captured terrorist in that country
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