Terror Spouts in Brussels

Terror Sprouts in Brussels

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

March 25, 2016

Far be it for me to denigrate, disparage, or malign the victims in the recent Brussels terror attack at the hands of the ISIS/ISIL savages, but Belgium’s security is faulty at best, criminal at worst.

We, the civilized people of the world – American, Canadian, European, Australian, Asian, African – people of various faiths – mourn the loss of the 34 slaughtered and pray for the recovery of the more than 270 injured in the homicide attacks by radical Islamic terrorists in Brussels, the home of the European Union. Included among the murdered, American siblings Alexander and Sascha Pinczowski, and three Mormon missionaries are counted among the injured.

However, much more than mourn and pray for the dead and injured is required following continued attacks on, and murders of, innocent men, women, and children in the cities of Boston, Brussels, Chattanooga, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Paris, San Bernardino, and the countries of Egypt and Tunisia.

First, Belgium must amend its feeble policies regarding searches, all the while remembering that nation does not have a constitution like the United States. That said, a law restricting searches of homes, even with warrants, and suspicion of terrorism, to exclude the hours 9 PM through 5 AM is beyond irresponsible. Belgium also denies the sharing of information with countries outside the European Union – that includes the United States, a NATO ally forever making sacrifices for this little country. Even phones cannot be tapped in Belgium, nor computers monitored, again, even when under the suspicion of terrorist plots and activities.

Belgium is the home to huge and growing populations of unassimilated peoples. That is not the only country absorbing tens of thousands of foreigners unwilling to adopt their new country’s ways – Denmark, England, France, Germany among others are only beginning to regret such unfettered access. But it is already too late as the demands by many for Sharia Law, attacks and assaults on Christians and Jews only demonstrate the lack of willingness for Muslim extremists to join the cultures of the countries to which they chose to move.

On our side of the Atlantic Ocean, a continued feckless foreign policy by a so-called leader who believes in leading from behind, which of course, is not leading at all, won’t even call the enemy by its name – radical Muslim extremists. Even when ISIS declares its responsibility for its horrific murderous crimes, Barack Obama still refuses to admit there is a growing problem with Muslim extremists.

Additionally, there are the optics of Obama’s recent trip overseas to Latin America. Far too many people complained that Obama should not have attended the exhibition baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban national team the afternoon following the Brussels terror attacks at an airport, subway station, and train station. All those people completely missed the point. The baseball game, sitting next to Communist dictator Raul Castro, and a poor attempt at the wave were not the objectionable actions by Obama. He should never have visited Cuba in the first place.

Adding to Obama’s visual vicissitudes was his weak execution of the tango while visiting Argentina. Obama dances while Europe burns. Obama claimed to attempt to rebuff his dance partner, but that she made several overtures toward him to tango. Quite frankly, knowing Obama is already incapable of standing up to the enemies of the United States or standing up for the allies of the United States, it should surprise no one that he couldn’t stand up to a potential dance partner.

Obama and his successor must focus on the fomenting domestic terror by radicalized Muslim extremists. This includes, yes, profiling. Political correctness continues to see innocents slaughtered and the lack of determination by the government, whose paramount concerns are the defending of America’s borders and the protection of its citizenry, to perform its jobs is less defensible with each passing day. Profiling has recently been endorsed by radio talk show host Laura Ingraham, a thoughtful conservative; former Ambassador John Bolton; and Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, a devout Muslim.

Dr. Jasser is a doctor of internal medicine and nuclear cardiology in Phoenix. He founded the American Islamic Forum for Democracy in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. In condemning the Brussels terrorist attacks, Jasser said it was obvious that the local Muslim community shielded the terrorists in their ability to avoid detection. Jasser said Muslim communities should be “transparent,” open to “monitoring,” and “even calling it profiling,” as it would not violate their civil rights.

It will take more thoughtful Muslims like Dr. Jasser to stand up and be counted. While terrorist enclaves are hiding in plain sight in Europe and more in the United States than Americans would ever know about, “see something, say something” must be more than a catchy slogan. Failure to do so cost 14 people their lives in San Bernardino last December. Terror cells must be thwarted and destroyed. The enemy – Muslim extremism – is no longer at the gates – it has infiltrated American society and all tactics to destroy it must be employed.

The United States must remain the land of the free and the home of the brave. We welcome honest, hardworking foreign immigrants who will pledge their allegiance to their new country and not attempt to undermine and destroy it.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.