With the Sochi Olympics almost half finished, a cautious optimism is embracing the event.

No terrorist attacks have taken place, and Russian security is just as tight as at the opening ceremonies. The chief organizer of the Sochi Olympics has recently bragged that the city is currently the "most secure venue on the planet." Kremlin officials have insisted that the games will be protected by a "ring of steel."

Yet if security at Sochi looks right out of a war zone, it's only natural considering how close Sochi lies to North Caucasian region where Russia has fought rebellion and terrorism for decades — indeed, an Islamist militant group from the area promised an attack at the Games.