Nothing has changed in EU's security policy since Paris attacks occurred five months earlier. Even worse, the approach the international community has adopted with respect to security and terrorism has not addressed the roots of the problem nor endeavored to foster a productive debate.
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Brussels and Paris are only two among many other places around the world that have been hit by terrorist attacks. From Yemen and Afghanistan to Tunisia, Ankara and Beirut, thousands of people have died. Before and after the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, the major problem of the EU and the United States is the lack of strong cooperation between the national secret agencies and the continuous undermining of education and religious dialogue towards decreasing the powerful effect of extremism and hatred.
Transnational cooperation is also vital to address the refugee issue. The appeal of far-right voices, especially after such deadly attacks, is growing in Europe mainly because democratic states have failed to make clear in every possible way thatrefugees are not possible suspects for terrorists attacks. Hatred speech is one thing extreme right can do pretty well, but on the other hand democratic forces have much more tools to apply. At the current stage, EU cannot deal with the refugee issue, cannot increase burden-sharing nor show solidarity and support to Greece, choosing to expand the blame-game towards Turkey.
It is essential to understand that Turkey has not done much in terms of dismantling smugglers' networks or improving sheltering, accommodation and access to the labor market for the refugees. But it is also critical to acknowledge the deep concerns over the fate of Europe when big challenges, like the refuge issue, are left untouched. Clear enough, the current handling of the issue shows that the future of the EU is not bright and that, progressively, nationalist movements will start growing more and more, coming closer to their aim, which is the final dissolution of the European establishment as we know it since the end of WII.
The connection between the refugee issue and the terror attacks is unfounded and biased. The refugee issue demands bold decisions and implementation of a relocation program, fairly distributed among EU28; the latter necessitates a collective approach that would focus on many different fields of action. Tackling ISIS will not be enough. Religious dialogue, integration policies for Muslims in EU countries, and retreat of foreign forces from Syria and Iraq should be in the core of decision-making process in the next period.
Transnational cooperation is also vital to address the refugee issue. The appeal of far-right voices, especially after such deadly attacks, is growing in Europe mainly because democratic states have failed to make clear in every possible way thatrefugees are not possible suspects for terrorists attacks. Hatred speech is one thing extreme right can do pretty well, but on the other hand democratic forces have much more tools to apply. At the current stage, EU cannot deal with the refugee issue, cannot increase burden-sharing nor show solidarity and support to Greece, choosing to expand the blame-game towards Turkey.
It is essential to understand that Turkey has not done much in terms of dismantling smugglers' networks or improving sheltering, accommodation and access to the labor market for the refugees. But it is also critical to acknowledge the deep concerns over the fate of Europe when big challenges, like the refuge issue, are left untouched. Clear enough, the current handling of the issue shows that the future of the EU is not bright and that, progressively, nationalist movements will start growing more and more, coming closer to their aim, which is the final dissolution of the European establishment as we know it since the end of WII.
The connection between the refugee issue and the terror attacks is unfounded and biased. The refugee issue demands bold decisions and implementation of a relocation program, fairly distributed among EU28; the latter necessitates a collective approach that would focus on many different fields of action. Tackling ISIS will not be enough. Religious dialogue, integration policies for Muslims in EU countries, and retreat of foreign forces from Syria and Iraq should be in the core of decision-making process in the next period.
by Michel Barreau and Eric Baker
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