Europe suffers another terrorist attack, as the free world continues to search for a champion.

On Tuesday, terrorists conducted suicide attacks in Belgium, killing upwards of 31 people and at least  160 injured.  The terrorist operators chose to detonate their suicide gear in the crowded Maelbeek Metro Station in Brussels, and also at Zaventem International Airport.  This horrific event was no doubt some sort of retaliation for Belgium's aggressive efforts to assist the French authorities in identifying, locating and apprehending terror suspects who are using Belgium as a safe haven.  Only three days ago, Belgian police apprehended one of the individuals suspected of direct involvement in last year's Paris attacks.  I have nothing but admiration and support for the law enforcement authorities in Belgium and France.  Over the previous four months, a great deal of attention has been generated regarding the issue of national security, as everyday French (and Belgian) citizens have to consider just how safe rheir families really are.  Sadly, we aren't discussing Europeans on vacation who inadvertently got caught up in local violence.  The people of Europe are obliged to have public discourse regarding the safety of their own communities. This is a very sobering time for resiidents of Avila, Spain, or Cork Ireland, or maybe Schlitters, Austria, who have basically always been able to assume the relative security of their neighborhoods and villages, at least as far as foreign threats go.  The world has become a much smaller place, and liberal immigration laws and the lack of enforcement has provided those persons who harbor latent resentment towards anything from the west, to move in next door.  That reality is no longer worth the argument.  These people had to come from somewhere, which makes the continued debate regarding refugees from Syria even more important.

One of the most frustrating aspects of the terror attacks in Belgium, is the predictable, toothless response of the United States.  President Barsck Obama, who just happens to be visiting Cuba (enjoying Cuba Libres and good seafood while political prisoners and no doubt a number of U.S. citizens, starve in the Havana jail), tossed out the tired "our thoughts and prayers" comment to the press, and then continued his original speech, which was so ideologically leftist that Che Guevara saluted from the grave.  It is so difficult to accept (but we must, at least for the next nine months) the direction we are taking with regards to Socialist Cuba, when at the same time the Obama Administration has gone out of its way to embarrass Israeli President Netanyahu and create difficulties between our nations.  In truth, it wouldn't have mattered if Obama had been in DC or Durban when the news from Brussels first broke.  President Obama has laid down the law, policy-wise.  ISIS does not pose a threat to the United States, and any effort by the United States to take a leadership role in the fight against ISIS would be innappropriate.  This hardline "laissez faire" approach to international terror is living our European allies in a bit of a fix.  In 2008, when Barack Obama took office, the leaders of Europe were tripping over each other to be the first to be best friends with the first African-American President of the United States.  This sickening lovesick attitude (which pervades amongst the people of Europe as well), was on display in foreign relations, as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands were perfectly willing to grt in line behind whatever policy Obama thought best.  Examples include the terrible New Start Nuclear Disarmament Treaty, which was supported by Europe, the lack of spine in dealing with Russian threats against Nato expansion, and the never-ending sanctions regime put in place to force Russia to end its support of murdering thugs and guerillas in Ukraine.  Where has that policy gotten us?  Nowhere, except we have to change our maps to correctly show Crimea as again a province of Russia.

Now that the leaders of Europe have lined up their equities alongside Obama, they impatiently wait for the United States to step up and show some aggressive leadership in the fight against this evil plague that continues to expand and continues to kill.  Sadly Monsieur Hollande, Frau Merkel, and Mr. Cameron will have to wait at least until late January 2017.  Unless ISIS conducts a major terrorist operation within the United States, the European nations, as they are doing with the refugee crisis, will have to formulate policy sans the U.S.A.  The Obama Administration's wilingness to wait until the bad guys strike us domestically before we recognize them (and all Islamic Extremists) as the enemy is a terrible mistake, and very well may prove costly.  For a month or so, it appeared that possibly Russia and Vladimir Putin might be willing to take the lead in the campaign to destroy this group, but we found out, not surprisingly, that all Putin wanted was to strengthen the bargaining position of Russia's Syrian puppet, Bashar al-Assad.  So the free world continues to look for a champion, someone who will rain destruction on these thugs.  As things stand, ISIS has no opposition to its expansion into Africa (through Boko Haram and al-Shabaab), Latin America and Southest Asia.  Militarily, ISIS appears to have no problem fighting the Iraqi Armed Forces to a stand-still (even with air support and ad hoc special forces ops for Iraq).  Now that the Russians have stepped things down in Syria, ISIS feels no real threat or pressure.  I fear that this summer may bring tragedy to many people; I pray everyday to be wrong.

ISIS and its Global Strategy

Since The start of the new year, the world seems to be paying less attention to ISIS.  So many of us were sitting on pins and needles during the various New Year's celebrations in New York, Paris, London, and other great cities around the globe, hoping not to hear any breaking news stories about terrorist attacks.  We made it through the new year basically unscathed, and I think that with a huge sigh of relief, many of us went back to "business as usual" before the October 2015 Paris attacks and the December 2015 shootings in San Bernardino.  The fact that the mainstream press in the United States seems intent on pushing the narrative that ISIS is being beaten on the battlefield, so its OK to do non-stop new stories about Donald Trump and the circus that has become the Republican nomination process (the Republicans are the circus, even though the Democrats are going to nominate a potential felon in Hillary Clinton or an outright lunatic in Bernie Sanders).  Why is the press so intent on downplaying the threat by ISIS?  Because Barack Obama told us that the threat was being exaggerated.  The press always responds in a defensive posture to everything Barack Obama does.  No doubt if he farted at a State Funeral, the press would blame the White House Chef.  So Obama says that we aren't headed to World War III, and that ISIS is not a threat to the United States.  I assume that the family members of U.S. citizens killed in San Bernardino, California, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, by persons claiming allegiance to ISIS would disagree; I know I do.  ISIS has a series of strategies, each one going into effect after the previous has been accomplished (or altered by events).  ISIS has reviewed the current state of the battlefield, which has it in possession of one-third of Iraq and one-half of Syria, and decided that the time is ripe to exploit its surprisingly successful international outreach efforts.  The monsters making the decisions at the top of this organization are no dummies, nor will they put their equities at risk for ideology's sake (are you listening, President Obama?)  We are entering a new phase in the battle with ISIS, and it includes the introduction of a new strategy.

ISIS believes that the key to successfully expand its brand of worldwide-revolution is to dedicate resources to its budding operations in nations with strong Islamic traditions.  This includes all the nations of North Africa, and it includes Pakistan, Malaysia, and Indonesia.  Most of these nations are in no military position to fight off a serious ISIS invasion, at least not without assistance in the form of "troops on the ground".  ISIS rakes in an incredible amount of money on a daily basis.  Why the Obama Administration has not been able to dent this flow of financial assistance is a mystery to me, because so many pundits in the media seem to know the various sources of this support.  Regardless, ISIS is intent on spreading the conflict outside of the borders of Syria and Iraq.  It has been testing its ability to project itself with operations in Libya, West Africa, and Indonesia, and results have been encouraging.  ISIS knows that any attention drawn to Southeast Asia or North Africa, will draw the enemy away from the battlefields of Iraq and Syria.  So by increasing recruitment and eventually, attacks in Tunisia, Libya, and Pakistan, ISIS will be not only spreading the Caliphate revolution, but also forcing the United States and its lock-step European partners to devote resources and attention to other allies and battlefields.  I'm still not sure where Russia fits into the picture; with all the hubbub and hardware that Putin brought to his Syria adventure, I expected much more in the way of battlefield victories by now.  Assad's internal opposition will eventually disappear completely under the weight of daily Russian attacks, and Putin will be obliged to either leave Syria or attack ISIS.

Obama must be aware that ISIS is expanding all over the globe, and yet he still makes public claims diminishing the threat that ISIS actually poses.  If they are so "insignificant", Mr. President, then why haven't we been able to defeat them?  True, we haven't really tried.  What a joke this Administration's entire Syria policy has been.  We still don't know what became of the millions of taxpayer dollars and the "Free Syrian Army" we were training in Jordan to take the place of U.S. infantry.  Obama still has one more year in office; no doubt it will be dedicated to domestic politics.  We all know that an Executive Order of some sort will be in place before the November election.  The uproar this will cause will certainly distract us all from the activities of ISIS in North Africa and Southeast Asia, but what a mess it will leave for his predecessor.

Iraqi military and special police preparing assault to retake Ramadi.

Link: Iraqi government forces close in on Ramadi.


With recent events in Syria and Paris dominating the international press, the Iraqi government's much-publicized offensive to retake Ramadi is no longer front-page news.  Actually, the struggle to retake Ramadi has taken much longer than the government and the Iraqi people expected.  Combat around Baiji and in the Kurdish areas of northern Iraq have made for much more interesting journalism, as the average person begins to consider that the Ramadi campaign has become a stalemate.  Fortunately, in the last few days, news reports from the Iraqi government and the Pentagon indicate that the Iraqi Armed Forces are getting very close to recapturing the capital city of Anbar Province.  It is estimated that ISIS has roughly 600 to 1000 fighters still hunkered down in the few downtown neighborhoods that government forces have yet to reoccupy.  The fact that the Iraqi government is determined to complete this operation according to plan, with minimal casualties and damage to infrastructure, is very encouraging.  Its true that the campaign to retake the city has not followed the most ideal timetable, but the Iraqi authorities have been able to carefully search areas formally occupied by ISIS, in order to remove any improvised explosive devices or abandoned munitions.

Last Wednesday, Iraqi forces took possession of the Palestine Bridge in the northwest part of the city.  The bridge, which spans the Euphrates River, was a vital link to food and other supplies for ISIS.  The coalition air campaign continues to harass ISIS by strafing supply routes and bombing key defensive positions.  In fact, air support has proven particularly effective in destroying explosives that were purposely planted in abandoned structures in the downtown part of the city.  Aggressive action by the coalition air support has been instrumental in saving the lives of ground troops, as explosives disposal teams prepare to enter neighborhoods that have been cleared of ISIS snipers.  Iraqi authorities fully expect the remaining ISIS operatives to fight to the death.

Once the military campaign to liberate Ramadi is complete, the Iraqi military will focus on bringing relief to Haditha, which although occupied by Iraqi forces, has been under assault by ISIS for most of the year.  In recent weeks, coalition air attacks have successfully targeted ISIS positions and prevented the delivery of supplies to ISIS operatives near Haditha.  Al-Asad Air Base in outside of Haditha, and presents a valuable target for ISIS.  U.S. troops have been present at Al-Asad for some time, providing important training to Iraqi personnel.  For some inexplicable reason, the Obama Administration made no attempt to keep this particular bit of information confidential.  Once the international media got wind of the presence of U.S. troops at Al-Asad, ISIS wasn't far behind.  Can you imagine if ISIS were to overrun that base and take our young men and women prisoner?  Fortunately, recent combat in the Haditha area has severely compromised ISIS' ability to conduct offensive activity.  No doubt the Iraqis are also determined to remove ISIS from Fallujah, which sits northeast of Ramadi and is actually closer to Baghdad (as the crow flies).  The various Shi'a militias were more-or-less assigned the task of retaking Fallujah, while the Iraqi Regular Army and Special Police targeted Ramadi.  At various times over the past six months, it appeared that Fallujah would fall first.  The fact that Ramadi will indeed be reoccupied by government forces before the Iranian-backed militias have removed ISIS from Fallujah will be celebrated in Baghdad, where the populace has begun to voice its annoyance at what is perceived to be Iranian interference in Iraqi affairs.

The argument that we just need to show love to our adversaries continues to make the rounds.....

Link: Islam in Paris


Each time our society is faced with a tragedy involving persons who are willing to kill innocent people to make a political statement, we have to suffer through the occasional calls to "meet anger with compassion", and to "love your enemy". The attacks in Paris on November 13 were no different, as I continue to see determined posters spreading the message that we need to accept our part of the blame in this situation.  Not surprisingly, persons who swing way off to the left of the political persuasion actually blame the French people for the terrorist attacks in Paris.  You see, the Muslim immigrants, many who live in the Strasbourg Saint-Denis neighborhood and the 13th and 18th Arrondissements, have been obliged to struggle to find work while native Frenchmen and women have much greater access to the system.  To continue the argument, those who arrive from North Africa or the Middle East as small children or infants, or were born to immigrant parents, have it worst of all, because they can't understand why they are denied the same opportunities as "white" French folks.  The anger that leads young Muslim men to depart from Paris suburbs like Aubervilliers and Gennevilliers and find their way to Syria, so they can be trained with deadly weapons and ammunition and return to kill French civilians, is justified because of the tortuous life they were forced to live in France.  This is just another phalange of "the West is always guilty" diatribe that never seems to go away.  It doesn't take a PhD in World History or Sociology to know that different ethnics of our species have always fought each other, usually over territory but at times also over food, women, or just plain hatred for one another.  The international disease of leftism, or Liberalism if you like, is obsessed with revisionism  when it comes to our cultural and political history. This is the reason that 99% of grade school students in the United States believe that white Europeans invented slavery, even though African tribes were engaging in slavery centuries before the first European stepped foot in sub-Saharan Africa, as were native Americans and Asians.  This is the same thought process that blames U.S. greed for 9-11 and endemic French racism for the Paris attacks.

I am here to announce that its OK to hate ISIS. Its not required to pour of newspapers and history books to try and create a scenario which in some way blames the United States for ISIS' existence.  Actually, I'm sure someone has already done the job for you.  But this issue really isn't that complicated.  I always ask people whether or not they would have demanded "understanding" for the Nazis.  That usually does the trick.  ISIS is a special kind of nasty group that deserves absolutely no consideration, and anyone who knowingly aligns themselves with that type of ideology is my enemy and yours, and truly deserves what they get.  In the past, its been easy for Americans to look across the ocean and express sympathy with people who claim to be representing just causes.  But the world has become a much smaller place, and we are not allowed to sit safely on the sidelines anymore.  This struggle is about freedom, and about the world you want to leave your children and grandchildren.  The perpetrators of the Paris attacks were acting as representatives of the Islamic extremist group "The Islamic State", or ISIS, which has made the choice to use fear as its method of subjugating the people of the world.  When ISIS releases a video of a poor prisoner being burned alive in a cage, the message has been carefully crafted and edited before it reached the international media.  ISIS isn't concerned about the anger this scene creates, they are interested in the fear it provokes.  If I learned one thing during my career, I learned that fear is a very effective weapon.  ISIS is determined to drive us into our homes, bolted in behind heavy doors and suppressing our natural inclination to socialize and explore.  They also have refined the art of distraction, and some within our own society continue to drink the "guilt" Kool-Aid.  Everytime some tenured, Ivy League Professor distracts his classroom full of students with sad stories about U.S. imperialism and economic fascism being the root cause of international poverty and the rise of terrorism, ISIS wins.  While this absurd debate rages within our own schools and water-cooler conversations, ISIS is able to grow stronger.  One of the reasons this group is so much more dangerous than its predecessors is that ISIS functions in the 21st century.  They utilize high-tech methods to recruit and raise money, and they have a growing conventional army fighting in both Iraq and Syria.  ISIS is also patient and devious.  They will use fear and distraction as long as these weapons remain useful.  We can neutralize both right now.     

Interest in the weapons and explosives used in Paris attacks draws attention to smuggling networks and European black market.

Link: Paris attacks raises the issue of weapons smuggling in Europe.

Following last Friday's horrendous terror attacks in Paris, the issue plastered on most of the front pages of all the European newspapers is the Syrian refugee crisis.  Its a simple jump from Islamic extremists to the unknown factor of tens of thousands of basically unidentified Muslim refugees being resettled in Europe.  No doubt the number of terrorists or potential terrorists within the refugee population is miniscule.  Certainly its possible that ISIS or even Al -Qaida could hide operatives within the groups that arrived from Syria, but the sad reality is, these groups already have people who are willing to die for the cause.  There is no need to move operatives into Europe within the refugee pipeline, when it is possible to just put them on a plane.  Forging passports and related identity documents is a booming business.  Be that as it may, the timing of these attacks has European leaders revisiting the idea of large resettlement schemes.  ISIS carried out these attacks for a number of reasons.  First and foremost, they are intent on spreading fear in our communities and giving people reason to conduct their lives as usual.  ISIS dreams of the day that the towns roll up the streets at sundown, and parents stop sending their kids to school out of security concerns.  ISIS is also determined to sow confusion, not only with the attacks in urban, residential areas, but also by encouraging the movement of large numbers of refugees into Europe.  Its not a coincidence that this attack occurred as Europe and the United States were discussing the most humane method by which to address the refugee issue.  These attacks have reintroduced the issue for debate in the various European capitals; many EU states are asking for clarification regarding the EU policy on refugees, while many in the poorer states are asking why it is their responsibility to pay taxes to house and feed these people who aren't even European.  Confusion reigns in many corners, which gives ISIS another small victory.  At the end of the day, if the discussion leads some states to refuse refugees, then the label "racist" will return to everyday conversation, and ISIS will have won a more substantial victory.  ISIS realizes that they can't defeat us with the limited resources currently at their disposal.  Their goal is to pit us against ourselves until they are able to confront us in a conventional military capacity.

I have yet to hear a commentator or newscaster opine about the origins of the weapons and explosives used in the Friday evening attacks.  I have seen some thoughtful editorials on the subject, especially in the French press.  Given the strict weapons laws in place in the EU, how were these eight monsters able to arm themselves with Kalashnikovs and AK47s?  As for the suicide vests, any person with the proper training could probably find the parts and ingredients necessary to construct such a device at the local Walmart or Auchan, but my instincts tell me that the forensics people will determine that the origin of the parts and explosives used to build the suicide vests to be Syria.  The sad truth is that it is quite simple to smuggle just about anything through Europe.  The smuggling networks that exist in Europe are amazingly intricate and business-like.  Again, I will rely on my instincts when I say that the weapons used in these attacks probably made their way through the Balkans.  During the time that I spent in Kosovo in early 2000, I discovered that the people of Kosovo are tremendously honest, kind and hard-working.  Unfortunately, it is also the lynchpin location for the largest smuggling operations that feed Europe.  The Black Market dominates much of the economy of Kosovo, and probably of neighboring states as well.  When considering the issue of smuggling, most people consider the illegal transportation of goods such as alcohol and cigarettes.  Well, underneath the boxes of cigarettes are crates of weapons and ammunition.  It is a simple issue of supply and demand.  If people are willing to pay enough money, then these networks will find a way to smuggle the requested items.  We live in a world were women are still transported illegally across borders for the sex business; sneaking weapons into a country shouldn't be that difficult.  As for the suicide vests, I'm sure that the perpetrators were able to request/order exactly what they needed in the way of explosives.  The detailed and professional nature of organized smuggling in Europe should make it easier for European law enforcement agencies to disrupt the movement of illegal weapons into Europe.  The French police have started really focusing on this issue, which will hopefully result in one-less option for terrorists in their effort to obtain weapons.

Who Is Charlie Hebdo?

Link: Charlie Hebdo Cartoonist Rejects "Sudden Friends"

Most people in the world had no idea what "Charlie Hebdo" was before January 7, 2014.  For those of you who still might be in the dark, CH is a weekly French satirical magazine that focuses on French and European current events.  CH also comments on international issues.  As its "hook", the publication is known to summarize its opinions with cartoon caricatures.  CH has been a part of French media and politics for as long as I can remember, and can be found on most Paris coffee tables, after Le Monde and Le Figaro.  I have never enjoyed or appreciated Charlie Hebdo. You see, when I became an adult, I stopped finding it necessary to insult other people in order to make a point.  On many occasions over the years (too many to count) I believe that CH crossed the line in its insults.  The difference between political satire and CH is the difference between sincerely trying to make a point and insulting people to cause injury.  And yet, on January 8, I did not hesitate to tweet, "Je Suis Charlie".  As often as I have been enraged and insulted by the magazine, nothing CH has ever done comes near to justifying murder.  I realize that by repeatedly tweeting "Je Suis Charlie", I gave the impression that I considered this to be an issue of freedom of speech, or freedom of the press.  I don't.  I think CH was wrong to continually print cartoons that were intended to insult large groups of people.  I'm a practicing Roman Catholic and an American, I've been on the receiving end of a few less-than kind cartoons over the years.  Actually, I have a relatively thick skin.  I don't mind some sensitive humor as long as I understand the motivation.

After seeing some of the cartoons that have been printed over the last few years, I can understand why practicing Muslims would be angry with CH.  Many of the cartoons seemed to be drawn with one goal in mind: to include as many visuals as possible that will be offensive to Muslims.  The link that I chose to include provides a good example of the attitude that existed at the magazine before this horrible event occurred.  When I say "Je Suis Charlie", I am sharing in a universal solidarity for the protection of freedom of speech, and also declaring my abhorrence to murder.  My disgust with some of the methods used by CH has not changed.  I believe in a society that engages in political and social discourse without the need for insults.  How do I express my disagreement with CH's methods?  I don't buy the magazine.  What happened on January 7 was about more than a few cartoons.  The two monsters and their AK47s were determined to rack-up a sizable body count, which explains why so many were killed and injured.  The gratuitous execution of the unarmed police officer will stay with me for the rest of my life.  The police officer was a Muslim, but it made no difference.  They were on a mission to kill.

If CH had not printed cartoons with a Muslim theme, would this event have been avoided?

There is not way that I would make that assumption.  There are other newspapers and magazines in Paris who have printed cartoons that have shown Islam in a less-than-favorable light.  Its very possible that these two had a list, and if CH had not been convenient, they may have had a plan B to attack some other media outlet.  We are dealing with two separate issues, and I will take the opportunity to opine on both.  The media (the press) needs to govern itself with a bit more severity.  I cannot believe that it is necessary to trade in insults in order to get a point across.  Attacking the opposing idea or thought with a string of insults or vulgar cartoons is a lazy way of damaging the other side.  If you feel strongly about something, then take the time to explain yourself.  I don't approve of the methods utilized by Charlie Hebdo in its weekly political satire/commentary.  It shouldn't be necessary to malign and besmirch what other people respect, in order to make a point.  As for the second point, committing murder because of an insult is never acceptable, regardless of who or what has been insulted.  Instead of, "Je Suis Charlie", we should have all held up signs or tweeted the phrase, "We Are All Human".  What happened in Paris on January 7 was not so much an attack on Charlie Hebdo as it was an attack on our culture, our humanity and our sense of basic right-and-wrong.

Al-Qaeda And Europe, 2015

Links: A. Al-Qaeda In Europe
           B. Al-Qaeda Plot To Blow Up Airliners In Europe


My close friend Jennifer and I were talking recently about what it means to be born of two distinct, separate nationalities, languages included.  One of the first chapters of my book provides a glimpse of my family, both in France and Kentucky, and Jennifer and I were considering a change in the chapter title.  The truth is, neither of us liked the title in place, which was, "Bicultural".  Sure, it fits.  My father is from the coal mining mountains of Eastern Kentucky, and my mother's heritage is in the wine vineyards of southwest France.  But for some reason, the word bothered both of us, so we chose, "bicontinental", which is so much better.  Bicultural did not signify enough of a separation; we have bicultural folks all over the United States.  My siblings and I, like many military brats, were conceived from genes that were separated by mountain ranges and never-ending oceans.  When I turned on the television station this morning after an emotional wake-up call from my French mother, I tell you, those mountains and that ocean have never seemed so insurmountable.  Because I have traveled extensively in my life, rarely do I feel completely removed from either France or Texas.  But this morning I felt that France was out of my reach, and it was terribly frustrating.  I wanted to put myself into that horrific event, and help in any way possible, and to at least share in the communal heartbreak that inevitably accompanies an event like this.  I recall 9-11, watching thousands and thousands of New Yorkers, with candles, standing around the make-shift billboards with photos of missing people, and I remember how much I wanted to be there physically.  This morning, really early this morning, before the sun was up for us in Texas, I was in distress, and I wanted to be with the people of France, who are part of me; and I wanted to share their pain, but also add my strength to the soul of France, so that France remains strong, free and vigilant.  Vive la France!

This terror attack was no great surprise.  Holland and France seem to be the target of the greatest anger coming from the Islamic extremist camp.  The French piss off just about everyone sooner or later, which can also be said for the United States.  France is obsessed about its independence.  I'm not referring to the fourteenth of July "Bastille Day" celebration, I'm referring to France's tradition of following its own path.  I'm talking about the decision to ask NATO to leave France in 1967 and also France's unilateral choice to suspend the contract with Russia for the sale and delivery of two Mistral-class super-modern helicopter carrier assault warships in 2014.  When the winds of change signaled the end of colonialism in Africa, France did things her way, as she has done regarding the issue of atomic power and nuclear weapons.  With regard to Islamic extremism, the one thing the French people value more than their independence is their culture.  France has cultivated a positive relationship with many of its former colonies, including a number of Muslim countries.  During colonial times, France considered many of the persons living in its colonies as being French citizens.  Many ethnic Arabs and Africans emigrated to France.  As of 2015, ten percent of France is Muslim.  Some French Muslims have clashed with the French government over issues which seem to conflict with French culture.  The traditional way of dress for many conservative Muslim women is considered misogynistic by French attitudes.  The high unemployment rate in predominantly Muslim suburban communities has created a dissatisfaction with the French government, and some of the young people are turning to violence as an outlet.  Why have I taken the time to describe this French-immigrant issue in such detail?  Because it is the same pattern that is playing out in poor immigrant, predominantly Muslim communities all over Europe, including London, Copenhagen, Vienna, Barcelona, Berlin, Rome and even Stockholm.  Almost every member of the European Union has the potential for real problems with Muslim young men who see themselves as foreigners, and have no jobs. 

The young men who leave Europe to join groups like Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, Egyptian Islamic Jihad, the Taliban, and the Islamic State, are very sincere in their allegiance to Allah.  They believe in the glory of death on behalf of Islam, and the wonders of heaven that await a true martyr.  Young men are the most idealistic in their late-teens and early twenties, about the same time that they seem to have unlimited physical energy.  Extremist groups take advantage of the age and emotional immaturity of these young men, and the indoctrination begins.  If you meet someone who has nothing, and you give them something, you immediately impact their world.  These young men who never really blended in, who had trouble with local (many times Christian) girls, and were unable to find a job, are reminded that they do indeed have a family, and that the time has come to return home.  Its not Rocket Science, if you'll excuse the cliché.  This socio-politico-demographic development, the movement of millions of non-Europeans to Europe that occurred mostly towards the end of colonialism (although illegal immigration has continued the process), has had positive and negative results.  Many cultures flourish with exposure to other languages and traditions.  But the children that were born in Europe, who were going to have great difficulty being accepted as Europeans, would present the greatest problem of all.  Once the problem and the symptom have been identified, what is the solution?  France has poured untold billions of francs and Euro into new housing, free education, free artisan training, and on and on.  At the end of the day, maybe some genius will wake up and realize that its great to be friends, but you can't always force someone to become a member of your family.

Today I heard that over 700 young Frenchmen had emigrated to join Islamic Extremist groups.  I assume the majority will find their way to Syria.  No doubt the patient, educated and most dangerous young extremists will continue to be attracted to Al-Qaeda.  As I've argued previously (ad nauseam), I'm convinced that the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda are not as separate as we would like to believe.  As time moves on, and the conflict begins to take shape, I can imagine the Islamic State as the more conventional military wing of the extremist cause, and Al-Qaeda as the more cerebral limb.  The main reason that Al-Qaeda did not have the resources or manpower to conduct another 9-11 type attack sometime in between 2002 to 2010, was because they had been obliged to engage in a conventional war in Iraq and Afghanistan, against the U.S. Army.  Al-Qaeda is and always has been ill-suited to this type of warfare.  They are much more comfortable planning operations like the attack we witnessed this morning in Paris.  Interestingly enough, Al-Qaeda is engaged in a somewhat traditional conventional conflict in Yemen.  At the end of the day, the war in Yemen, along with the ground war in Iraq and Syria, will provide the extremists with a well-trained and equipped conventional fighting force.  If the recruiting continues on pace, and begins to take advantage of African poverty as I have hypothesized, I can easily picture an army of 50,000-plus in the Levant, possibly more in Iraq.  If this is the plan, sooner or later an air-element will have to be procured, so lets keep our eyes open for any additional missing MIGS.  Is it possible that the future will include a conventional Islamic extremist army, with Al-Qaeda as the head of this serpent?  Lets hope not.

PS It appears that I have developed a loyal group of friends who visit my blog everyday.  I wish I could meet you all in person....if you're ever in Texas, please drop by and say howdy.  I am humbled by the validity you provide to this blog by your regular visits.  Thank you and merci beaucoup.  I need to ask you a favor.  I want my blog to move to the next level.  I'm doing what I can to increase visits, and I want to impose upon you to please spread the word about "the new CIA blog with the strange name".  I've reached that point where it is time to grow a bit.  And soon I will be back with another PS, asking you to buy my book, so get ready!  Much obliged, Eric