Coordinated attacks -- accompanied by AK-47s, suicide bombers, and hostage-taking -- leave over 150 people dead and 352 injured in France. An attack of this caliber has not been seen since 9/11 -- and on France’s soil since World War II.
Most of the casualties occurred at the Bataclan Theatre, in a siege that lasted for two hours and claimed the lives of at least 80 people.
World leaders immediately responded, speaking out against the perpetrators; Including President Obama, who said, "This is an attack not just on Paris; it's an attack not just on the people of France, but this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values that we share.”
Thursday’s terrorist attacks on France have shaken the Western world; the Islamic State seems to be pushing its agenda outside of the Middle East, opting for these spectacular stunts of destruction and misery that call to show us how far they're willing to take this fight. Acting under the guise of religious messengers from God, they justify their actions using twisted interpretations of the Quran to further their plans.
However, Friday's events, as terrible as they were, serve to address more than just how to deal with ISIS.
The European migrant crisis, stemming from increasingly large numbers of refugees and displaced individuals, has been plaguing Europe, as streams of people flow into the continent from different parts of the world. Whether it's to run from the Taliban, or to escape perceptual conflict and terrorism, Europe now faces an increasingly potent issue: how to deal with the thousands of people crossing its borders illegally. The UN expects 1.4 million people to cross the Mediterranean seeking asylum and protection in Europe by the end of 2016. Of them, 39 percent are Syrian.
Many of the countries in the Middle East are war torn and filled with conflict that continue to this day. Naturally, you’d have migrants streaming out of those areas towards safety, whether to find change or make peace.
But, given the lack of documentation, you’re provided with a tough choice: Should you continue to take in refugees and risk the possibility of a radical extremist among their ranks, or reject them altogether? This problem is further complicated by the fact that one of the Paris attackers may have been a Syrian migrant.
For safety reasons, refusing refugees access into Europe can have positive implications. Because, if by chance certain people are working for ISIS or other terrorist groups, it'd be that much harder to intercept their communication with others and halt any more terrorist attacks from inside the country. However, at the same time, you would alienate many who merely want to find a new home.
As of now, we have scores of refugees making their way into and around Europe, and it's hard to say whether every person has good intentions or harbors ulterior motives.
If you don’t take in these displaced people, you’d have thousands of refugees that are out of house and home, and, almost naturally, these people may resort to desperate countermeasures given their position -- that’s where ISIS comes in.
From ISIS’ point of view, it would easier to recruit people desperate for some sort of change -- for redemption against others and to be given a “purpose” of some sort. Humans, at their most emotionally unstable, are very likely to fall for such indoctrination techniques; all that’s needed is a reason for change and really determined individuals that are willing to fight for the wrong side.
This is what ISIS wants; they want the French government to reject Muslim migrants, which could very well make it easier for ISIS to recruit new members and radicalize them. Going back to the migrant crisis, this provides a problem: let them in, reject them wholeheartedly, or find an in-between solution? Nevertheless, the Paris shooting may very well jeopardize the security and future of refugees in France.
With ISIS as a global threat, the Western world can’t simply afford to let them be, nor can we just contain them in the Middle East. The Islamic State is spreading to other parts of the world and killing innocent people in the process -- and we must not let their actions intimidate us, but we need to be strong as we continue the fight.
After an attack on all of humanity, we wish for France to have a fast recovery.
