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Why is Europe Such a Predominant Target for Terrorism?

I firmly believe that Europe’s terrorism crisis is rooted in the cultural and ethnic identities which have developed over the course of Europe’s long and complex history. As I discuss this issue, in order to further explore my argument, I will introduce commentary and feedback from acquaintances with which I have spoken about this subject. As with any complex issue, there are numerous factors as to why Europe is such a hotbed for terrorist activity, but for the sake of this assignment I want to explore the factors I believe to be most relevant.
            One of the wonderful aspects of travel in Europe, is the fact that one only needs to get their passport stamped upon entry in any EU member nation: thanks to the Schengen Agreement. This means in a course of a day a family could drive from Portugal, through Spain, to reach their final destination in France without passing any passport control, but this also means that a terrorist could do the same. This was illustrated by the Charlie Hebdo attack, when the terrorists were able to easily transport weapons as well as themselves across the border from Belgium into France. A similar condition, is the fact that there is no unified defense agency or department for EU members, which can complicate communication between countries, and provide the perfect environment for dangerous people to slip under the radar.
            The next pivotal problem, is the fact that in countries like France and Belgium, the Muslim communities are often ostracized and isolated in particular regions. Writer for Time Magazine Ian Bremmer writes: “It’s no coincidence that these two countries [France and Belgium] are such breeding grounds for Islamic terrorism. Both are home to some of the most radicalized and ostracized Muslim neighborhoods on the continent; Molenbeek in Brussels, and the banlieues in Paris”. I believe this segregation is in part caused by the reluctance of Europeans to incorporate foreign culture into their historic and sacred customs, languages, and religions. Countries like Portugal and Spain (until more recently) have escaped much of this terror, I think in part to their ancient connection to Islamic culture, and their general openness to outsiders. As a traveler, there is a very noticeable difference in the way that foreign visitors are welcomed and treated in places like Portugal and Spain, as compared to a country like France. The fact that these immigrants enter a country where they are treated poorly, creates a perfect environment for terrorist groups, like ISIS, to spread their message. ISIS can also use examples like Molenbeek and banlieues to bolster their propaganda force against the west.
            The other issue in Europe that ISIS views as an opportunity and as a weakness, is the fact that after Brexit, many EU nations have movements with desires to do the same in their own country; most notably, the recent votes in the Netherlands and in France. These terrorist groups take advantage of places and people where there is political instability, because it allows would be terrorists to easily blend into the general population and evade law enforcement.   
            It is uncertain whether people will choose to agree, but based on my experience, in general Americans are by far more open and accepting of outsiders, compared to members of a variety of different nations. At the risk of sounding corny, I want to reiterate that our country is truly made up of immigrants; nobody can trace their “American” lineage back more than a couple of hundred years (unless, of course your family was Native American). It is not uncommon to walk throughout Boston and hear a multitude of different languages spoken and to see people of different ethnic backgrounds; all different, but all American.
            I recognize that these are not the only important factors surrounding this question. This is a complex situation with other contributing factors which collide to form this environment in Europe. I do not think that the European Union system is without merit; while at the same time I am able to recognize major flaws. I think it is false to assume that something like having open boarders, as a result of the Schengen Agreement, is a new issue. My grandmother recalls that when she was traveling in the early 1980s, that the boarders between countries were not exactly strictly enforced as some people might suspect. I also believe it is important to note that the issues in Europe are not the fault of the Europeans for not being as accommodating as many would like, nor it is the responsibility of the immigrants to fully conform to the culture of their new land. All of these conditions have combined to influence the modern history and political landscape of Europe.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/24/politics/europe-terror-ash-carter-isis/index.html

http://time.com/4268579/brussels-attacks-islamist-terrorism-isis/

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 3, 2017 at 3:58 PM

    I really liked your argument and the points that you made to defend them. In another class that I am in we discussed the fact that in France, and similarly in many other European Countries, many immigrants were actually brought into the country by the government in the 50s and 60s because the government needed people to fill jobs while they underwent massive industrialization. However, when many of the economies of these countries crashed in the 70s, the immigrants were left jobless and in need of serious financial aid. These issues heightened tensions among natives and immigrants, leading to what you described as ostracization and isolation.

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  2. UnknownOctober 8, 2017 at 10:55 AM

    I know you said within your last paragraph that it should not be within the country themselves to accommodate to the immigrants and also it is not on the immigrants to leave their culture and take upon the new regions, but I would say the accomidation that is necessary is letting them into the country and allowing the immigrants to be able to change the local culture to what might suit them rather than seeing another culture that they might not agree with and develop anger towards this. Also I understand that you do not have enough room to talk about this completley in detail but I do have to ask how the US stacks up against this since we might be more open that these countries to immigrants but also out of the Middle East we are one of the higher countries ranked for the possibility of a terrorist attack rather than European countries. (Again you probably did not have enough room to address this so this is not an attack on the paper I hope that is seen)

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  3. AnonymousOctober 8, 2017 at 8:47 PM

    I enjoyed reading this and your topic idea is something that I believe is important. Open borders within the European Union is something that is very lax and, simply, easy to move from country to country. This is something that needs to be tightened in order to prevent inevitable chaos and further destruction. I have traveled from Paris to Brussels by train before and from my own encounter not one worker had gathered my train ticket or even checked my passport. Therefore, in order to ensure national security of any state under the European Union, it is critical to create a system of protection. Also, it is true that many Muslims within the outskirts of major cities like Brussels or Paris are ostracized as a country's nationalistic pride is more dominant than inclusion of all diversities. However, as the United States is the "melting-pot", I think this country is shifting gears under the new presidency of possibly becoming more isolationist and even nativist by accepting those international generations that grew up in America for the past century, yet presently rejecting newer immigrants. This dichotomy does not seem just to essentially put a cap on individual liberty and overall protection.

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