Desperate Times: When Will Western Democracies Wake Up to the Threat Within

A Familiar Script, A Growing Problem

The tragic events in Brussels, involving the death of Swedish football fans at the hands of a man claiming allegiance to ISIS, follows an all-too-familiar script. The assailant, Abdesalem Lassoued, was a rejected asylum-seeker “known to the police,” a phrase that seems to recur too often in these dire circumstances. But this is not an isolated incident; it’s a symptom of a larger issue plaguing Western democracies.

The Crux of the Issue: Immigration and Extremism

Since 2015, Europe has witnessed an influx of primarily young men crossing its borders. The system is overwhelmed, and administrative incompetence is rampant, not just in Belgium but across Europe. France, the UK, and other nations have their own tales of system failures that resulted in death and destruction. These are not just numbers; these are ticking time bombs that need to be defused.

The Great Challenge: Enacting Solutions

As public debate rages on about immigration policies, one thing is clear: numbers do matter. Overburdened systems are failing to identify and monitor those who pose a real threat, making it a herculean task to weed out extremists. Countries need to be more stringent in their asylum and immigration policies, and they need to do it now.

International Law: A Barrier?

International law seems tilted in favor of asylum seekers, but what about the citizens of host nations? Open border policies and lax oversight have consequences that are often fatal, as recent events have proven. It’s high time that the scales are balanced in favor of national security and social cohesion.

Inaction is No Longer an Option

The UK’s own inertia in dealing with extremist threats is alarming. Despite proscribing Hamas in its entirety in 2021, no substantial actions have followed, even as the group wreaks havoc in Israel. Inaction is fueling the problem, and unless Western democracies take decisive steps, they are setting themselves up for a series of preventable tragedies.

The U.S. Scenario: A Mirror of European Woes?

The problem isn’t confined to European shores; the United States is grappling with its own illegal immigration issue. While the mainstream media often romanticizes the notion of “Dreamers” and asylum seekers looking for a better life, they conveniently overlook the darker aspects of illegal immigration—namely, the potential for extremists to exploit loopholes in a system already strained by the sheer volume of people crossing the border. With a Biden administration seemingly indifferent to the urgency of the issue, the United States is dangerously exposed to the same kinds of threats that have materialized in Europe. In the name of compassion, are we ignoring the very real threats that come with unchecked borders?

Key Takeaways

1. The immigration systems in Western democracies are overwhelmed and ineffective.
2. The failure to monitor and control extremist elements poses a growing threat to national security.
3. International law and public opinion are currently skewed in favor of asylum-seekers at the expense of national security.
4. Inaction is no longer an option; decisive steps must be taken to mitigate the risks.