PARIS IS BURNING...AGAIN

Tragedy has struck Paris (again).  The city of enlightenment has become a target for the haters of memory pluralism and democracy.  I am reminded of what Jefferson said about the French: "A more benevolent people, I have never known, or greater warmth and devotedness in their select friendships".  Whatever France's fault-lines, it remains a cultural hub in Europe. 

Terrorism hit it again. Foregoing the almost nihilistic former agenda with a defined goal--against Charlie Hebdo (against a Voltairian perspective)--the terrorists have now appropriated an undiscriminating, barbaric "war mindset" against the Western way of life as such.  We are not cognizant enough of the enemy in our midst, but we have the opportunity to hit it in its lair. What are we waiting for? This clash of civilizations (wrong word, since ISIL is not part of the civilized mantra) needs to be won fast and on target. Why be timid with the Barbarians at the gate? ISIL's added value is the "territory" (Grotius) which it controls. To deprive it thereof is part of destroying it.

It is time for the US in particular not be shy from HARD actions, rather than fighting ISIL with "needle point". This is not the time to get stuck in words which fit a political correctness obsession while missing the target!

Europe is starting to belch, needing at the same time to deal with immigrants (bona fide and others). Their welcome risks shrinking, just as the Schenghen free-pass may soon be a thing of the past.  Europe, as we knew it, might become a mortgaged ambition. The writing is on the wall if it continues to choose reaping benefits from above rather than facing the snake pit in its backyard.

9/11 changed everything, it continues to do so, but it has become a "ritual" covering an abstraction.  We have to continue to rely more on "intelligent" hard-power than cover our faces under the shroud of soft-power. Unfortunately we allowed the enemy is on our midst, already. Allah, again, became a dirty word, as in Paris, yesterday!  

I fear there is no common ground with a perverse DNA. The fifth columns better be monitored and sent back to the sender! There is no room for redemption here.