Agence France-Presse reported that a car packed with explosives blew up in Russia’s North Caucasus Thursday with the country on high alert after an Islamist group claimed the Moscow metro bombings and warned of more strikes.

 Does this mean that the U.S. or the U.K. is next?

Not necessarily.

Tere is an Islamist group called the “Emirate of the Caucasus,” which is waging an insurgency to impose an Islamic state based on sharia law in the North Caucasus who claimed responsibility for the Moscow bombings.

Russia has for years been battling Islamist insurgents in the North Caucasus Muslim regions of Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia; however, Moscow’s attacks were the first time in six years that bombings have spread to the capital.

The bombings in Russia are an ongoing insurgency but this does not mean that Al Qaeda or an affiliate will not take note and do a “copy cat” in the U.S. or the U.K.

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Neither Russia nor the former Soviet Union has ever been my field of specialty but as the former AC/S G-2 (Intelligence Officer) for Fleet Marine Forces-Europe, I had to keep track of Soviet activities and had the occasion to visit East Berlin, then under Soviet control, and also a two week tour of Moscow and Leningrad. I continue to have a peripheral interest in Russia.

There is a lot of press of late on the “resurgence” of Russia. As if this was a surprise or a danger to the U.S.

Russia dominates its former Soviet states through a variety of means, including politics, energy, military affairs, social interaction and the security services.

The U.S. bungled attempts to support Georgia in its conflict with Russia and the ABM proposals in Europe have caused great concern in Russia and some parts of NATO.

Many NATO countries are showing reluctance to support U.S. political and military goals in Europe and Afghanistan.

Recent news reports that France has signed economic and military agreements with Russia has deep historical ties going back to the Imperial Russian and French alliances from 1892-1917.

Any attempts by the U. S. taking any significant steps toward a roll back of Russia are doomed to failure.

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