Madrid, London, Paris and Brussels…will it ever end? Last Tuesday, innocent civilians in Belgium were terrorized as horrifying attacks killed dozens in a Brussels airport and a subway station.
As Americans, we nervously gaze across an ocean to a continent that feels even more vulnerable than the U.S. at this juncture. However, that is not to say that we are not all precarious. Just the other day I was on the New York City subway with a friend and she casually stated, “Scary to think this subway car could blow up any moment. It’s just wild.” The truly scary thing, however, is that it is not completely wild. These unspeakable crimes are becoming all too common—almost regular events in the news, engraved into our classrooms, our conversations, our cognition.
We are left to ask ourselves questions like “how could this happen?” and wonder why security failed. Ultimately, it is of the utmost importance that Belgium and Europe as a whole stay calm, and focus on the values that Europe prides itself on. Europe and the surrounding world should stand in complete solidarity and total empathy for the victims of the attacks.
President Barack Obama took the right stance last Tuesday when he pledged to “do whatever is necessary to support our friend and ally Belgium in bringing to justice those who are responsible.”
It must be noted that many Americans and citizens around the world have an obscene and incorrect ideology that clumps the 1.6 billion Muslims of the world together as dangerous terrorists that bear reasons for suspicion. These ideas are ugly, and anti-American. We need allied Muslim forces to oppose terrorist forces and extremists all over the world. As Americans, we cannot let all Muslims be alienated in this conflict against extremists. They are not scapegoats.
This attack highlights the imperative nature of a united effort across nations to stop the Islamic Extremist State. As Obama put it, as his aversion to military action in the Middle East is halting, it is time to “degrade and ultimately destroy” this Islamic State. Like the President of the UN General Assembly Mogens Lykketoft said, “It must be condemned in the strongest terms.”
The UN is correct in strongly condemning terrorist bombings in Brussels as “an attack on all of us,” and reminds us again that “we are facing a global threat that needs to be addressed globally.” These are the words of Taleb Rifai, the UN World Tourism Organization secretary-general.
So what do we do now?
There is no simple or easy way to go about this. Terrorism on a global scale is only getting worse, and the consequences for everyday citizens in terms of security are inevitable. The most fundamental duty of government is to keep its people safe. As Western democratic countries, we must find a way to destroy these extremist groups that damage and take advantage of our freedom. Our governments and the UN must continually support and reinforce the democratic system as the best possible system. Even if this sacrifices complete safety at moments.
In an attempt to fortify and cultivate safety, however, citizens and countries alike must take new precautionary measures. This being said, cooperation and partnership across nations will set the groundwork for more protection, meaning tightening security at airports and on the streets. As Olivier Guitta, managing director of an international security consultancy, said: “We have entered an era in which we are going to have to change our way of life and take security very seriously.” Nations must be more careful about knowing how people move between countries, and how many people are moving across borders. Security must be less predictable. Countries should not be enabling individuals to cross borders without governments knowing their true identity.
Although these views seem severe, I believe they are steps toward progress. We cannot make progress if we do not take action.
Olivia is a freshman. What do you think needs to be done to prevent further attacks? Do you believe the only way to defeat the Islamic State is with a united force? Let us know at opinion@dailycardinal.com.
