Strategypage writes that the problem with support for terrorism in Europe's Islamic population has long been known:
By 2014 the situation in Europe had gotten worse. That year a poll in of European nations to discover support for ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) resulted in some surprising results. In Germany two percent of the adults supported ISIL, while in Britain it was seven percent and in France 15 percent. While many of these supporters are Moslems, only 4.6 percent of Germans, five percent of Britons and 7.5 percent of the French are Moslems. Thus there was support from non-Moslems and a closer look at the data shows that ISIL support is higher among the young and falls sharply among older people. Many of the ISIL supporters are actually angry at their own government for various reasons. Still, the ISIL support was part of the overall support (or tolerance) for Islamic radicalism in the West and the recent rapid growth of European anti-Semitism.
Strategypage contrasts the situation in Europe where most Moslems are silent about the Islamists in their community; and America where Moslems are willing to help their new country fight these potential terrorists. This is good. As I've noted on occasion, seeing Moslem women with a head covering driving a minivan gives me a lot of hope. That act of driving--with no male relative in the vehicle--would earn them a death sentence from Islamists despite her head covering. Islam is changing far more in America than in Europe. Given time and sufficient distance from their old world bad influences, I do believe that despite added difficulties Moslem immigrants like other immigrants will be able to assimilate here.
In part, that may be from Europe's emphasis on equality of condition in contrast to America's (for now) emphasis on equality of opportunity under the law. (Do read it all, although it is really about Europe.)
And even in Europe I have hope that the situation will get better without descending into mass expulsions to "solve" (in a fashion that harms innocent people, too) the problem of Islamist ideology in Europe. Back to Strategypage:
The vast majority of the three million Moslems in Britain were either hostile or unsympathetic to Islamic terrorism. But a large fraction (at times over 20 percent) had some sympathy for the motives of the terrorists (“defending Islam” and all that) while as many as six percent believed the Islamic terrorist violence was justified. More troubling was that nearly a fifth of British Moslems felt little loyalty towards Britain and instead believed “Islam” was where their main loyalty was. Islam stresses this in its scripture.
I don't know if Britain is better or worse than the rest of Europe. But while at one level it is horrifying that nearly 20% of British Moslems don't feel loyal to Britain; given that Islam does elevate loyalty to the Islamic community over any state, isn't it a good sign that only 20% fully reflect that portion of their original belief system?
Like any immigrant community, distance and insulation from the old world Islam helps assimilation. As long as too many new people come in fresh from the jihadi factories to act as speed bumps to assimilation, the jihadi impulse within the Islamic immigrant community will remain stronger than it would otherwise.
And as the post notes, the biggest class of victims of the Islamists and jihadis are other Moslems. Either directly or indirectly by feeling the effects of the Islamists/jihadis who make it harder for Moslems who want to fit in to European society and succeed (when in Rome, do as the Romans) and who inspire natives to view all Moslems as potential jihadis.
I just don't understand why it isn't evident that a slow down in immigration from Islamic countries and tougher screening of those allowed in are necessary in Europe to protect Europe, protect European Moslems who want to live at peace in Europe, and other countries who might be victims of jihadi terror plots hatched in European sanctuaries of Islamic community silence and government reluctance to deal with the problem.
I am an optimist, aren't I?
