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Terrorism alert: the admission of a failure of the current strategy on Afghanistan

(BRUSSELS2) (Analysis) The terrorist alert coming from Washington, and the exceptional echo given to it yesterday at the meeting of Interior Ministers in Luxembourg (1), also sound the beginning of a confession of a failure: that of the intervention in Afghanistan, at least of the strategy currently pursued by NATO. And a refocusing must undoubtedly be sought.

Europe still under the threat of Afghan terrorism... as in 2001!

The operation, originally (in 2001), was also intended to destroy a hotbed of terrorism: that of bin Laden. And the means used were of this order (money, CIA forces, etc.). Then it drifted towards a strictly military operation whose initial objective was lost among others (safeguarding the Afghan state, fight against drugs, preservation of the population, construction of the rule of law... ). However, not only does the hotbed of terrorism seem to persist in Afghanistan. And Bin Laden, dead or alive, still elusive. But, in addition, it seems to be developing by continuing to attract Europeans, ready to train and come back to commit attacks. This therefore means that, on the contrary of reducing the risk of terrorism, military intervention increases it, offering extremists of all stripes not only a training ground but also a reason to act. It therefore seems time to radically change strategy on several levels.

Refocusing is needed

We must return to the essence of the intervention in Afghanistan: an anti-terrorist operation, by returning to more police means, of all kinds, rather than oversized military means. At the same time, the police forces must be provided with elite units specially trained in Islamic risk. It also means moving towards more integration of people of different faiths in Europe, especially Muslims. Finally, it is important to emphasize the settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which inevitably feeds a certain Arab or Muslim proselytism. In short, we have to review the whole strategy followed for a few years... If there is a subliminal message to this alert coming from Washington, it may be there (by also adding a pinch of rivalry, never extinguished between CIA and Pentagon forces).

(1) Read: Terrorism alert: US invites itself to EU meeting, SitCen reinforced

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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