I really think this story is not getting enough attention. I know we’re reaching a news saturation point with the Olympics, the Swift Boat Vets, and the upcoming Republican convention in New York, but when two Russian airplanes are blown out of the sky and Islamic militants are claiming responsibility, I think it should be bigger news:

MOSCOW (AP) — One of two Russian airliners that crashed nearly simultaneously was brought down by a terrorist act, officials said Friday, after finding traces of explosives in the plane’s wreckage. A Web site connected to Islamic militants claimed the action was connected to Russia’s fight against Chechen separatists.

I think an event like this underscores the problematic nature of fighting a war on terrorism. It’s becoming clear that terrorist networks don’t always have clear connections among themselves or across boundaries. Is it conceivable that Chechen rebels have found sympathetic cohorts in Middle Eastern Islamic terrorists? Sure. These kinds of combinations are security nightmares for large, powerful nations like the U.S. and Russia.