Originally posted 14th November 2015
Following the horrific acts of murder and terror in the French capital city of Paris this evening, I feel confused as to why these terrorists decided to pick on France specifically. I would have expected the efforts of Jihadists to be concentrated upon the US, UK, Russia or possibly Australia. So in my opinion, this is a massive faux pas in terms of image and perception for the cause of 'global jihad' and those people that wish to spread this violent and deadly social virus (ISIL).
In history, terrorism has had an aim or objective, usually the fight for freedom from oppression or occupation. So, previously, it was possible to sympathise with some terrorist causes and organisations. But jihad is entirely opposite. The Muslim extremists at the head of ISIL, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, etc. wish to impose the barbaric totalitarianism, traditionally fought against by the oppressed in the name of freedom.
I believe the logic behind this attack is purely the incitement of fear and hatred, not the achievement of liberation, but the implementation and maintenance of perpetual 'holy' war. And the traditional governmental response to both of these emotions is to restrict the freedom of the people and to exact revenge abroad, militarily. But isn't it the case that this reactionary approach is flawed?
Considering the partners of the western world and the global intelligence community have been collecting our data, phone records and any other type of signal or communication they possibly can, whilst inflicting invasive physical searches and seizures on the back of this meta-data intelligence, what good has it done? We are told by the head of MI5 that our security services foil plots such as the Paris attacks on an almost weekly, if not daily basis, but we the people are yet to see real proof of this. And the conduct of the FBI in the USA is effectively, counter-productive not counter-terrorist. The plots they regularly uncover are in fact incited by FBI agents themselves, as readers of the American press will no doubt be aware of.
So I want to just express my sadness at what's happened today in the beautiful city of Paris and the traditionally non-interventionist country of France. But in the same breath, express my concern for the freedom of the western world when I see such atrocities committed. Our forefathers fought WW2 for the principles of liberty and freedom, and France is a place synonymous with both words. With a strange irony, the Statue of Liberty in New York, the tres fantastique gift from France, stands as an everlasting reminder to us, that we all should protect that which is most precious of all and that acts such as we have seen tonight intend to destroy. Freedom!
Vive la France.
PS. I think it's time to for the west to thaw out Russian relations and acquire what is most certainly a formidable partner in this struggle to protect and preserve our freedom.