Brussels Attacks Tear at the Fabric of the European Union
Analysis MARCH 22, 2016 | 15:21 GMT
"Brussels Attacks Tear at the Fabric of the European Union is republished with permission of Stratfor."
Analysis
The March 22 terrorist attacks in Brussels come as the European Union is still reeling from the November Paris attacks and scrambling to solve the migrant crisis. More important, they come as nationalist forces are challenging key principles of the Continental bloc, including the free movement of labor and the Schengen Agreement, which eliminated border controls among several member states. The atmosphere of fear and suspicion that is sure to follow will only worsen these social, political and economic crises.
The first outcome of the Brussels attacks will be a fresh round of debate over EU border controls, in particular those in the Schengen zone. The Schengen Agreement came under fire at the start of the migrant crisis in early 2015. The Paris attacks escalated the controversy, particularly because the perpetrators moved between France and Belgium without detection. Consequently, France and other countries enhanced their border controls. The European Commission has since said that it wants all border controls in the Schengen area lifted by the end of 2016. However, the latest attacks — and the potential that more will follow — will make this difficult.
Several governments in Western Europe will likely soon announce new national security legislation, improved controls on fighters returning from conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as enhanced intelligence sharing with their neighbors. EU members will also resume discussions on how best to combat terrorism abroad in troubled nations such as Libya and Syria. Europeans will become more willing to contribute to the coalition against the Islamic State, possibly with more weapons and training for the Iraqi military and Kurdish militants, increased deployment of combat aircraft and participation in NATO surveillance missions in Turkey.
Another casualty could be the recent, tenuous agreement between Turkey and the European Union to limit the arrival of asylum seekers in Europe. Renewed awareness of the threat of terrorism among EU member states will bring focus on the bloc's external borders, possibly justifying deeper cooperation with Turkey. But the attacks could also reignite anti-Muslim sentiments in Europe and increase popular demands on EU governments not to grant visa-free travel to Turkish citizens — a key stipulation from Ankara for cooperation on migrant issues.
Anti-Muslim sentiment could also lead to more support for nationalist parties across the Continent. France's National Front already receives substantial support in electoral polls. In Germany, the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party recently achieved record performances in regional elections and is currently the country's third most popular party. Both France and Germany will hold general elections in 2017, in votes that will happen against the backdrop of the immigration crisis and the multiple terrorist attacks. In both cases, the mainstream parties will be under electoral pressure from their nationalist rivals. As a result, they will likely adopt some elements of nationalist party platforms. The same can be expected in other Northern European countries such as the Netherlands or Sweden, which also have relatively strong nationalist movements. Political parties and groups that want the United Kingdom to leave the European Union could also use the recent terrorist attacks to justify greater isolation from the Continent.
Lastly, the Brussels attacks will hurt European economies, though likely only for a short time. In the coming days, some people in Belgium and other Western European countries may decide to avoid travel or densely crowded areas, such as cafes and shopping malls, out of fear of another attack. It will temporarily stifle domestic consumption and the tourism sector. For most Europeans, the threat of terrorism is by now a part of their daily lives. Beyond national politics and economics, the long-term impacts of the attacks will affect the very fabric of the European Union.
In Brussels, Militants Exploited Soft Targets
Media Center, Video MARCH 22, 2016 | 17:05 GMT
Stratfor Vice President of Tactical Analysis Scott Stewart examines the terrorist attacks in Brussels and the persistent vulnerability soft targets pose.
"In Brussels, Militants Exploited Soft Targets is republished with permission of Stratfor."
Conversation: Jihadist Movements in 2016
"Conversation: Jihadist Movements in 2016 is republished with permission of Stratfor."
Published on Jan 15, 2016
Stratfor Vice President of Intelligence Fred Burton and Vice President of Tactical Analysis Scott Stewart discuss the evolving jihadist landscape and what lies ahead in 2016.
Meanwhile, Lying R.Ed / "Ted" Cruz sought to blame Donald Trump for the Brussels Terror Attacks.
Will Ted next blame Trump for the Paris nightclub attacks or the Charlie Hebdo attacks, or the fact that Ted can eat his own snot on National Television
while speaking and be absolutely oblivious to it, well it is all DONALD'S FAULT.
Ted cheats on his wife committing adultery, voluntarily banning himself from HEAVEN
1 Corinthians 6:8-10King James Version (KJV)
8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
and then lectures us like some Satanist who illiterately tells us what the Bible which they hate and refuse to read actually says? Uh huh.
Well FOREIGN BORN ILLEGAL TO RUN RAFAEL EDWARD CRUZ,
YOU ARE NO GEORGE WASHINGTON.
In the Spirit of George Washington,
who despised ambitious self-serving jerks like you..."cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men [who] will [seek to] be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion."
Washington's Farewell Address 1796
THIS IS FROM ME , CRUZ, YOU FOREIGN BLASPHEMY :
"YOU, LYING R. ED. CRUZ,
ARE NOTHING LESS THAN
A FOREIGN GLOBALIST
ENEMY OF THE UNITED STATES SLEEPER!"
That's MY input.
-- Brianroy.
No comments:
Post a Comment